Duluth Traverse: Lester Park Trailhead and Bike Skills Area
Project Overview:
The Duluth Traverse (DT) is a multi-use trail system linking neighborhoods and people to green spaces and our parks. It's a single-track, natural surface, mountain-bike optimized trail, stretching the entire ridge line of Duluth from Lester Park in the east to Chambers Grove Park in the west. The 2017 Duluth Traverse Trail Plan provides guidance for development of the DT system (see Important Documents section below). In 2018, the DT was designated as a regionally significant trail by the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission.
This project is a shared vision between The City of Duluth and the Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores (COGGS), our local mountain bike advocacy organization, to improve DT trailheads across the system and to develop a new bicycle playground to better meet our community's outdoor recreation needs.
Based on community feedback through two surveys and a public information session as well as two stakeholder meetings, Lester Park was identified as a top priority location for trailhead improvement and creation of a new bike skills area. The trailhead for Lester Park, located at 61 Lester River Road, will include reconstruction to separate the parking lot from the driving lanes on Lester River Road, and the creation of a trailhead plaza to better define the pedestrian areas, which will include replacement of the portable toilets with a vault toilet, drinking water, a changing stall, and new signage.
The Lester Park bicycle playground/skills area will be an intentionally designed skill development area with bike-optimized features to allow riders to explore and progress their abilities in a fun and easily repeatable environment. While the specific features will vary depending on the targeted skill level, bicycle playgrounds/skills areas often include elements like a pump track or rollers, wood bridges, tunnels, teeter-totters, logs, balance elements, and progressive jumps and drops.
Project Update:
A survey was launched in August to gather information from the community about a potential bicycle playground/skills development area. The survey closed on August 31 with a total of 704 respondents. A community input session was held on Wednesday, May 28 from 6-7:30 pm at Duluth City Hall.
If you are interested in getting involved with the project, please reach out to your preferred partner organization.
Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores (COGGS) - Ansel Schimpff at ExecutiveDirector@COGGS.com
Duluth Foot Trails Alliance (DuFTA) - Jesse Schomberg at DuluthFootTrails@gmail.com
Duluth Cross-Country Ski Club (DXC) - Jonathan Rova at Rova@DuluthXC.com
Funding Source:
The City of Duluth was awarded a grant of $1,318,978 from the Greater MN Regional Parks and Trails Commission in 2025 to support reconstruction of the trailhead at Lester Park, located at 61 Lester River Road, and creation of a bike skills area. Match funding for the project is coming from the Parks Fund and COGGS.
Timeline:
August 2024 - Bicycle playground/skills area survey
Spring 2024 - Prepare conceptual designs
May 22 - June 1, 2025 - Community survey completed to gather feedback on conceptual plans
Summer 2025 - Refine designs based on feedback, fundraising, and grant application submittal
Spring 2026 - Final design
Spring 2027 - Start construction
Important Documents:
Documents linked below have been archived and will not be updated. All links open in a new window.
Project Partners:
Cyclists of the Gitchee Gumee Shores (COGGS)
Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC)
