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Hike the Ministik!

The Nature of Ministik Hiking Trails

What is Unique about the Ministik?
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A section of the Waskahegan Trail through "The Enchanted Forest"
A section of the Waskahegan Trail through “The Enchanted Forest”
Hiking in the Ministik is unique when compared to other hiking destinations in the area because trails here are largely unmaintained. In the Ministik, nature is almost completely left alone to its “naturing”. Growth and decay slowly alter the character of trails, often obsuring them with overgrowth in the short run and completely reclaiming them in the long run.

This lack of trail maintenance gives the place a “wild” character, which means it can be unpredictable. That may be a reason for many people to avoid the area, especially if the goal is an easy, leisurely stroll without having to pay heed to navigating a hiking route.

This same unpredictability may also be the very reason for others to be keen to hike the area because with it brings a real sense of exploration, discovery and a feeling of experiencing nature that has not been molded to any large extent by humans.

The goal of this site is to suggest hiking routes in the Ministik, but also to give some kind of idea about what trail conditions you can expect on the hikes. That’s where the site’s Trail Rating System comes in. Difficulty values and descriptors have been determined to you can make an informed choice about what hikes might be best for you, given your physical and route-finding abilities.

The Waskahegan Trail
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The notable and welcome exception to the general absence of trail maintenance in the Ministik is the Waskahegan Trail which arcs through a large portion of the Ministik. The Waskahegan is periodically maintained by the Waskahegan Trail Association . This means deadfall and bush obstructing the trail is removed periodically and the trail is marked making it easier to follow. The Waskahegan Trail hike on this site covers a largest portion of Waskahegan Trail and either the Waskahegan Berg Section - Out & Back or the Waskahegan Berg Section - 2 Car hikes cover the northernmost section of the Waskahegan Trail in the Ministik.