Fifteen years and hundreds of volunteers after fire, the Powwow Trail is restored

On August 18, 2011, a lightning strike ignited the Pagami Creek Fire, which took firefighters weeks to contain and extinguish. The fire burned about 92,000 acres, including causing major damage to the Powwow Trail in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). After 15 years of volunteer work, the trail has been restored.

Almost 95% of the trail, which consists of a 25 mile loop and a three mile out-and-back segment, was damaged in the fire. The trail was closed immediately after the fire due to unsafe conditions, but hikers have had increased access as work on the trail took place.

Martin Kubik is the founder of the Kekekabic Trail Club, the 3M Outdoor Club, the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee, and the Boundary Waters Heritage Trails. He told WTIP about the restoration process. He said that it began with extensive surveying to understand what the damage was and how best to address it.

Much of the work on the Powwow Trail was done by volunteers. Kubik estimated that over the course about a decade, more than 100 volunteers worked on the trail each year.

Work on the trail included clearing debris from the fire and reestablishing the trail itself, in addition to infrastructure like latrines.

Kubik said that the inclusion of so many volunteers in the extensive restoration work showed the importance of community involvement in maintaining trails.

A public open house will be held at Tettegouche State Park at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 8. The open house will be an opportunity for members of the public to learn more about the trail restoration. Kubik will also present alongside Tiffanie Ellis, co-founder of Boundary Waters Heritage Trails.

WTIP’s CJ Heithoff spoke with Martin Kubik about the restoration of the Powwow Trail and the presentation. Audio of that interview is below.

Kirsten Wisniewski May 8, 2026