For more than 40 years, following a regional decline in iron-mining production and employment, a large, idled mine complex near Chisholm, Minnesota, lay inaccessible behind a chain-link fence despite its enormous recreation potential. After years of stakeholder, industry, and legislative engagement and education championed by the Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation, the city of Chisholm, and Barr, Redhead Mountain Bike Park became a model for the flexible use of inactive mines for recreation without excluding the possibility of future mining.
The city hired Barr to design more than 35 miles of world-class, single-track mountain-bike trails through this complex, rugged landscape. Our initial work encompassed pre-construction GIS mapping, conceptual design, stormwater permitting, surveys of threatened and endangered species, a cultural-resources literature review, and a Minnesota Environmental Assessment Worksheet.
Applying an innovative land-use strategy, we then designed trails to avoid stockpiles of iron ore and other potentially usable mine features. If mining activities were to resume, the trails could be relocated.
Implementing the design was a complex and iterative process. Numerous factors played into the final trail alignment, including the:
- Presence of sensitive plant species, mine shafts and other structures, and adjacent non-biking recreational areas and trails
- Desire for panoramic vistas and ease of maintenance
- Need for adequate drainage and slope stability
The trails also needed to provide an exhilarating ride for cyclists at all skill levels while reinforcing safety and sustainability. Following International Mountain Bicycling Association trail construction guidelines, Barr worked with the construction manager to field-fit the design and assisted with construction permitting.
The first 25 trail miles were completed in 2022. To minimize disturbance, construction involved mainly small excavators, compactors, and powered wheelbarrows. Our team provided construction support, performed environmental-compliance inspections, and created as-built maps. We’re now under contract with the city to develop a 10-year master plan, an additional 10 to 20 miles of trails, and a more-permanent trailhead with a paved pump track (a circuit featuring ripples and banked turns that allow cyclists, skateboarders, and roller skaters to generate momentum by “pumping” their upper and lower bodies instead of pedaling or pushing off).
Not long after the trail opened, the Minnesota Cycling Association held a middle- and high-school championship race at Redhead that generated nearly $1 million in local revenue—more than half the park’s construction cost. In addition, Chisholm’s downtown area has welcomed new businesses that cater to cyclists, injecting millions more dollars into the local economy.
Barr helped make Redhead a success by employing our in-depth understanding of mining operations and designing for both the public and the mining industry. The park also demonstrates how flexible-public-use planning can contribute to overcoming social-license barriers to mining operations.