If you like to bird Pine Island Forest west of Big Falls, which includes Toomey Williams Forest Road, Pine Island Forest Road and Fiero Truck Trail, this morning 3.5 miles north of Pine Island Road on Fiero Truck Trail there are now “no trespassing signs” on both sides of Fiero Truck Trail posted by the Red Lake Nation starting at Trapper Jim’s Corner (exactly 3.5 miles north of Pine Island Forest Road).
I suspect this is part of the dispute between the Red Lake Nation, the State of Minnesota and the federal government … mainly over Upper Red Lake which is 19 miles distant. Given the new signs, I turned around at Trapper Jim’s Corner, but the road is definitely still open. Continuing north eventually allows a person to exit the wilderness towards Littlefork via County #77, but would be trespassing on posted tribal lands. Thankfully the first 3.5 miles includes the best birding habitat on Fiero Truck Trail. I realize ownership of this land is in dispute. However, given the popularity of this wilderness area, I wanted folks to be informed. I saw zero “no trespassing” signs anywhere else which included Toomey-Williams, Pine Island and the first 3.5 miles of Fiero Truck Trail.
This is the Google Maps Link to Trapper Jim’s Corner
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Richard
The way your post was written gives us the impression (since you turned around) that the road is closed
Richard
You are mistaken that the Fiero road is closed. The Red Lake band has posted their lands since the late 1980s. It doesn’t mean the road itself is closed. In fact you can go either to Loman or State Hwy 72. I don’t know where you got the name Trapper Jims corner from. That jog is a correction line where townships meet
Dan: I did not say the road was closed, but I did state there are now “no trespassing signs” on either side of Fiero Road at Trapper Jim’s Corner. The signs are definitely new.
Sorry if I gave that impression. The new signs on both sides of the road made me make that decision. I will edit my post to provide more clarity.
One final note … there actually is a “forest service” sign at the 3.5 mile point that reads “Trapper Jim’s Corner”. The sign has been there for years and is on your right if you are heading north, but the sign is much easier to see after both the deciduous trees, tamaracks and tall grasses don’t have needles or leaves.