Salmo Lakewalk Trail Accessibility Project

Wetland Boardwalk Volunteers

Author: Mary Anne Welch 
​
Eleven volunteers came out on September 27 to move forward with making the Salmo Lakewalk Trail accessible all the way to the small beach on the shore of Lake Superior. It was a sunny day, with wild mushrooms pinning and fruiting along the dirt path leading to the marsh.

​The Salmo Trail travels across wetlands via a series of bridges and boardwalks. The day’s work began at the first bridge, where someone joked that traffic control would have come in handy, as volunteers repaired decking while others dragged large branches out to the parking lot.

Path to be widened.

Bob Feyen replacing the edging on the boardwalk.

Bayfield Area Trails Committee Chair Kate Kitchell says that plans for improving accessibility include widening the path and adding boardwalk the full way to the lake. The project will also add railings and adjust the slope of the walk in some areas where it is too steep when wet or for wheelchair use.

That day, Bob, Gerry, and Rich replaced deck boards on the bridge and the existing boardwalk, which is already wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs.

The narrow walkway to the lake will be replaced with five-foot wide elevated boardwalk.

Gerry Miller replacing boards.

New boards.

Janel, Gene, Doug, and Sue cleared alder and dogwood to make the dirt and plank-covered path wider. New boardwalk will be installed in these areas.

Gene tackled thorny rose bushes along the narrower boardwalk, making room to add more planks and widen the path in that area.

The Salmo Trail is a 1.5 mile out-and-back hiking path located across State Highway 13 from the Les Voigt Fish Hatchery. The trail consists of a series of pedestrian bridges and boardwalks along a meandering, sandy pathway that opens several times to views of wetland before reaching the Lake Superior shoreline.

Later this month we will share more details about the upcoming Salmo Accessibility project, which will be funded by grants from the Wisconsin DNR Recreational Trails Program, Tamarack Health, Essentia Health, Bayfield County Wellness Program, the Town of Bayfield, and donations.

Thank you volunteers!
​
●         Sue Aiken
●         Jon Crump
●         Bob Feyen
●         Kate Kitchell
●         Todd Larson
●         Gene Lemmenes
●         Gerry Miller
●         Janel Ryan
●         Rich Ryan
●         Chris Vaudreuil
●         Doug Welty