2026 Spring Trail Crew Recap: Trip #9: Sioux Hustler Trail (Copy)

The "Done @ 2 crew" just wrapped up an incredible (and sweaty!) 5-day volunteer trip clearing the Sioux-Hustler Trail!

Four dedicated volunteers put in a massive 432 total service hours, tackling everything from heavy brush to intense humidity to keep our trails beautiful and accessible.

Here is how the trip broke down:

Trail Work Accomplished

Cleared 0.42 miles of trail to standard, picking up where the October 2025 crew left off and working north toward the North Hustler Lake campsite.

Cleared out thick regrowth of aspen, birch, alder, and maple saplings, pulled conifer seedlings by hand, and dug out stubborn oak rootballs.

Cleared 3 major treefalls blocking the path.

The Journey & Conditions

The Route: An 11-mile trek in (9 miles of canoeing, 2 miles of portaging) to the East Hustler Lake campsite. The LIS beaver dam was submerged enough to paddle right over!

Weather: Highs reached the 80s with thick humidity. A massive Thursday night thunderstorm dropped heavy rain and sparked three area wildfires, leading to a fire ban by Saturday.

The Bugs: The crew battled three different species of biting flies that laughed in the face of DEET and permethrin—but spirits remained high!

Nature's Rewards: The crew was treated to the sight of eagles, swans, beavers, and thousands of yellow orchids and lady slippers in full bloom along the trail.

The trip wrapped up the best way possible on Sunday: breaking camp early, paddling out, and stopping for a well-deserved group lunch at Gordy’s in Cloquet!

A Huge Thank You to the US Forest Service (Superior National Forest - LaCroix District) for lending and delivering the canoes, paddles, and PFDs that made this volunteer mission possible.

Note for future crews: There is about 0.28 miles of moderate-to-heavy brushing left before the North Hustler Spur trail. Pack your root-slayers!