The North Country National Scenic Trail is the longest in the National Trails System, stretching 4,600 miles over 7 states from the middle of North Dakota to the Vermont border of New York. The Trail traverses through a National Grassland, 10 National Forests, more than 150 federal, state and local public lands; near three of the Great Lakes; past countless farmlands; through large cityscapes; over many rivers; and through the famed Adirondacks. Approximately 138 miles of the North Country Trail runs through the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
Whether you’re looking to hike just a few miles, or plan a longer overnight backpacking trip, the North Country Trail offers diverse landscapes and hiking opportunities — something for everyone from the city lover to the most dedicated hiker.
Start your adventure at Trail Town St. Ignace, your Home Port for exploring the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Your North Country Trail Adventure begins at the St. Ignace Welcome Center as soon you come north over the majestic Mackinac “Mighty Mac” Bridge. It continues through Straits State Park into the downtown, where the Huron Boardwalk carries you along the Lake Huron shoreline and travels beyond through eighty miles of the Hiawatha National Forest. Hikers experience whispering pines and vibrant wetlands, skirt lakes and streams, stroll atop ancient sand dunes and along the Niagara Escarpment to the Lake Superior shore. All four seasons offer nature at its best, first hand and up close. The North Country Trail in the Eastern Upper Peninsula is rated easy to moderate hiking and accesses abound from parking areas to US Forest Service roadways.