The 20K Lost Forester race and its tamer siblings, the Pine Valley 5.5K and 11K races, are now a Labor Day tradition in Cloquet. The Lost Forester is the race for hardy souls, who know how to use a compass (and own one) and who aren’t afraid to get a little dirty.

The Lost Forester race features runs across the trails — and through the woods connecting them — instead of on them. Participants follow ribbons in the woods to reach a central point. There they will meet the “Lost Forester,” obtain a special card to prove the participant reached the checkpoint, and receive a surprise....