Sawtooth Bluffs survey set to close March 2, public invited to submit comments

The Sawtooth Bluffs community feedback survey has generated over 370 responses in the past three weeks.

Cook County residents and the general public have until March 2 to submit input on the potential development of the Sawtooth Bluffs before the survey closes.

“You still have a few days to get your two cents in,” Mitch Travis, the Cook County parks and trails coordinator, said.

On Feb. 5, the Cook County Parks and Trails Commission launched the survey to assess public interest in developing the 640-acre Sawtooth Bluffs site near the Grand Marais water tower.

Discussions among the public and city and county officials regarding the development of Sawtooth Bluffs have been ongoing for over a decade.

In 2018, a Sawtooth Bluffs Steering Committee, consisting of city and county officials and Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC) staff, created a Sawtooth Bluffs Master Plan to help guide the site’s development.

While specific plans have yet to be finalized, the master plan identified potential opportunities to develop a campground, bike trails, hiking trails, disc golf, and more. The Parks and Trails Commission is also exploring seeking a regional park designation from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC) for the Sawtooth Bluffs.

Travis said he has seen excellent survey participation from full-time Cook County residents. He also noted that the survey responses reflect a balance of support for the development and concerns about the cost of adding another facility to the County’s responsibilities.

Once the survey closes on March 2, Travis will compile the data in a “digestible format” and present the findings to the Cook County Parks and Trails Commission. Then, Travis said, he intends to sit down with the Cook County Board of Commissioners and city officials to discuss how to move forward.

View the Sawtooth Bluffs Master Plan here.

Take the Sawtooth Bluffs Regional Park Community Feedback Survey here.

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Mitch Travis, the Cook County parks and trails coordinator, about the survey, Sawtooth Bluffs development, and briefly talked about the trends he sees in the 370 survey responses. The audio from the interview is below.

Kalli Hawkins February 26, 2025