Why’s there a turnpike at Chik-Wauk?
It’s been a string of beautiful days at the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center. Whether the weather will stay or go, it’s hard to know, but we can say with certainty that it’s great hiking weather. A Minnesota Conservation Corps crew finished putting some improvements on our Big Sag hiking trail this past weekend: now you can enjoy great views and sure footing on the path.
Where there was a steep slope, now there are stairs:
Where there was uneven footing before, now there’s a turnpike of sorts. In trail speak a turnpike isn’t a busy, wide highway for cars but a place where large rocks are placed along the path and filled in with a smaller material, like gravel or soil. In this case, the MCC crew filled in with gravel they created by chipping away at some of the granite rocks beside the trail. The surface is usually slightly rounded to assist with trail drainage. If you’re curious on how to build one, you can read more about it here.
They also did some erosion control along the path’s ascents.
The work the crew did hugely improved the trail. Plan to come check it out soon!