The view of Voyageurs National Park bursting in fall colors from a new scenic overlook wowed a couple last week. And they would not have experienced it without the work of youth crews who created the trail that lead to it.
“We’ve been coming here for 20 years, and this is just great,” the woman said last Wednesday about the trail as she passed the six members of the Student Conservation Association who worked on it.
The crew had just spent the last six weeks slashing through northern Minnesota’s thick brush to complete the trail, and living at the site to do it. All are experienced trail builders, and each have led less experienced crews.
Not all the days of this crew’s six-week stint were as gentle in temperature and work effort. But despite any of the challenges brought by nature, they say they each regularly wonder how they can be so lucky to get paid for doing what they do.
And doing what they do seems even more relevant and valuable during the pandemic because it creates more opportunity for people to experience the outdoors, its peace, wonder and beauty.
