On October 2, 1968, the Congress of the United States enacted the National Trails System Act, Public Law 90-543. The North Country Trail is one of 14 potential trails named in the Act to be studied. It would extend from the Appalachian Trail in Vermont approximately 3,200 miles through the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohion, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota to the proposed Lewis and Clark Trail in North Dakota. The Act calls for a determination of its feasibility and desirability for its designation as a National Scenic Trail in the National Trails System and, if it is found to merit inclusion, recommendations are to be developed for its administration and management. The study culminates with this report, which recommends establishment of a North Country Trail as a component of the National Trails System.

The North Country Trail is the longest of America’s eleven congressionally designated National Scenic Trails. Winding through seven states—New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota—the NCT’s 4,600 miles attract more than one million visitors annually. These hikers are treated to a smorgasbord of Upper Midwest hiking featuring everything from urban strolls to backcountry adventure through mountains, rivers, prairies, and shoreline. This book is the definitive guide for NCT hikers—whether first-timers, seasoned backpackers, or any level in between—who wish to maximize their experience on this splendid trail. In addition to a full overview of the trail’s tread in each state, the guide describes in detail forty of the NCT’s premier segments, with helpful information including easy-to-read trail descriptions, physical and navigation difficulties, trail highlights, hiking tips, and precise maps incorporating the latest GPS technology.