Magney-Snively Natural Area
Skyline Parkway west of Spirit Mountain, Duluth, MN 55810
About Magney-Snively Natural Area
Magney-Snively sits at the western end of Skyline Parkway above Spirit Mountain and protects one of the largest remaining stands of mature sugar maple in the city of Duluth. It is a quiet, under-visited counterweight to the busy east-side parks, and it is the nearest genuine old-growth walking to Proctor and the western suburbs.
Two seasons are worth planning around. In early May the forest floor carries spring ephemerals before the canopy closes, and in late September and early October the maple canopy turns the whole ridge, which is why photographers who know the area skip the crowds at the North Shore parks and come here instead.
The Superior Hiking Trail runs through on its western Duluth section, and the western reaches of the Duluth Traverse mountain bike system thread the same slope. Skyline Parkway provides access, though this western section is seasonal and its condition varies.
Good to know: old-growth sugar maple forest, hiking, Superior Hiking Trail access, Skyline Parkway, spring ephemeral wildflowers, fall color.
Neighborhoods it serves
The railroad town on the hill: small district, small prices, and the Munger Trail out the back.
Bayview HeightsDuluth by address, Proctor by school bus, 600 feet above West Duluth.
Gary-New DuluthTwo company-era river towns that people now treat as one, and the service center for the far west end.
Spirit ValleyWest Duluth's main street, with a ski hill at the end of it.
Where these facts come from
- City of Duluth, Parks listing accessed 2026-08-13
Last reviewed 2026-08-13 by Guide editorial.