Friends of Superior National Forest opens 2026 volunteer projects for summer work

Trail clearing at Kimball Lake, campsite restoration near Seagull Lake and backcountry work on the Eagle Mountain Trail are part of the summer maintenance that keeps Lake County’s most heavily used public lands open, safe and usable.

Friends of the Superior National Forest opened registration for its 2026 summer projects, lining up a mix of day trips and overnight outings that will send volunteers into some of the region’s most recognizable recreation areas. The schedule includes the Backpacking the Eagle Mountain Trail Maintenance Trip from June 5-8 near Minnesota’s highest point, Kimball Lake Trail Clearing on June 23, Pull, Plant, Protect near Seagull Lake on July 22 and South Lake Trail Maintenance from Aug. 15-22.

The nonprofit says its work is about more than lending a hand on a weekend. It connects people and public lands through volunteerism and stewardship across the Superior National Forest, a 3-million-acre landscape that includes the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The forest service says the Boundary Waters covers more than 1,098,000 acres, with more than 1,200 miles of canoe routes, 12 hiking trails and more than 2,000 designated campsites. The wilderness was set aside in 1926, added to the National Wilderness Preservation System in 1964 and later received additional legislation in 1978.

That scale is part of the reason the work matters. Trail upkeep, campsite cleanup and invasive-species control are the kinds of tasks that keep access functioning during the busiest months for hikers, paddlers, campers and outfitters moving through Grand Marais, Tofte and the Gunflint Trail. When crews do not get to those places, the effects show up in overgrown portages, worn campsites and slower restoration in natural areas that see steady summer pressure.

Friends of the Superior National Forest, formerly Northwoods Volunteer Connection, said it adopted its current name in 2025 to better reflect its role as a Forest Service partner. Last year, the group reported more than 2,000 volunteer hours, with work at Pfeiffer Lake Campground, Whiteface Reservoir Campground and Pincushion Mountain. It also offers a Sponsor a Day of Trail Work program, underscoring how much of the region’s public-lands maintenance depends on organized volunteer labor.

The Forest Service says volunteers gain unique opportunities, work experience and the satisfaction of helping preserve the forest for future generations. In Lake County, that help shows up in the places residents and visitors use most, from day-hike trailheads to backcountry campsites that anchor the North Shore’s outdoor economy.