The Piedmont Trail is COGGS newest project and is taking place in the bluffs overlooking Wheeler field in West Duluth. The area is bordered by Haines road to the west, Hutchinson road to the east, Skyline Parkway to the south and the Piedmont ski trail to the north.
The St. Louis County Land Department has been instrumental in the approval and planning of this project. Trail work commenced in October of 2007 and as of the summer of 2008 all the trail has been cut.
This spring will see continuing work to improve the trail. We will be installing a large number of boardwalks to help mitigate water in the spring and we will also be working on moving some sections of trail to help improve overall flow. One significant reroute will occur early in the season on the Foxx Rocks trail to help improve flow and also manage water.
The Piedmont Trail has three access points. The best option with the most parking is located at the Piedmont ski trail parking lot. Two other options are along Haines Road at the Superior Hiking Trail and State Trail crossing point and also along Skyline Parkway near the Wheeler Field overlook. This is the most difficult entry point as it leads up the Skyline Climb.
The trail is now 10 miles long, with numberous bridges and features. The terrain in this area lends perfectly to technical mountain bike riding. Significant elevation changes and large rocky bluffs provide endless options for the adventurous mountain biker. Building trail for the beginner/intermediate rider has proved a challenge in this area but we feel that accessing the trail from the Piedmont Ski Trail parking lot and riding Scarface (taking the Scarface bypass), Stovetop and Deerslayer loops is a great place for the beginner/intermediate rider to test the waters at Piedmont.
The future of this trail includes a 4.6 mile addition west of Haines Road in the Brewer Park area of Duluth. This section has been flagged and submitted to both St. Louis County and also the City of Duluth for approval. Stay tuned for updates as to when it gets approved and we can start working on it.
Below is a GPS rendering of this trail, with trail names and difficulty levels. A big thank you to Andrea Grygo for creating this map and to Ryan Nelson for posting them at 3 locations along the trail.
