Copyright © 1989 by Wes-Boyd _. All rights reserved

This book,' or parts thereof, must not be -repro­ duced in any form without permission. For infor­ mation address North Country Trail Association, PO Bo~ 311, White Cloud MI 49349.

Published by North Country Trail Association First printing November 1989

Cover photo © Thomas Gilbert Used by permission

-- Wes Boyd

Since people first began studying the concept of the North Country Trail, and since Congress authorized it in 1980, progress toward completion of the 3200-mile plus trail has been about as good as could be expected -- but it's still America's most unknown major hiking trail.

When the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation first began to study the idea of a major hiking trail through the boreal forests of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota, they thought there were about 300 miles of existing trail that could be incorporated into the trail. Today, though only about 950 miles of trail have been certified by the National Park Service, there are about 1950 miles of trail more or less along the route that can be considered usable.

Many people ask, "When will the trail be completed?" Not soon. Being an enthusiast about the North Country National Scenic Trail gives

a person a chance to learn patience, tempered perhaps by the thought that the much shorter and much easier to build Appalachian Trail, started in 1927, still isn't considered complete.

It'll be some trail when it's done. In fact, it's some trail, today. "The diversity of the landscapes and features along the North Country Trail, '' according to the National Park Service, "is perhaps its most appealing quality. It beckons the potential user to come and sample a cross section of midwestern and northeastern America and captivates the mind of one on the trail with a kalideoscope of scenes of a developing America and the wild, undeveloped resources from which it grew. The hiker will experience the grandeur of the Adirondack Mountains, the tranquility of the rural farm countryside, the spendor of placid lakes and sparkling streams among forested hills, the boundlessness of the northern prairies, the merging of water and sky at the horizion of the Great Lakes, and the nostalgia of historic canals and abandoned logging and mining villages. ''

One of the delights of the North Country Trail is that it's still a trail awaiting discovery. Though some segments get fairly heavy use, it's still lightly used in most places where it's been completed. Hundreds of people, for example, hike the Appalachian Trail end to end each year; dozens, the Pacific Crest Trail and a handful the still-forming Continental Divide Trail. The North Country Trail Association }mows· of only two people who have gone end-to-end on the Nortli Country_ Trail, the most recent in 1978, before the trail was actually designated. Only one of them did it in a single year; ·

The sheer size of the trail is almost def eating to anyone who wants to try an end to end hike. While the figure of 3,259 miles is often thrown around as the expected length of the trail .uihen completed, it doesn't take much research to realize it will be more· like 3, 700 or 3,800, mostly because planners laid out much of the - general routing with a ruler. Michigan, for example, is supposed to have around 825 miles, but recent studies keep coming up with figures around 950 when realistic routes over the ground are figured.

The sheer size of the trail, too, has defeated efforts to boil it down into a trail guide. No one has yet been able to take the time and money needed to research and define a hiker's route that will use all the usable sections and suggest road routes between them.

This booklet stops well short of being a trail guide. The aim is to give the reader the information necessary to find out what they need to know to follow the trail; to look into the early 1990s at what new trail can be expected; and, on occasion, give a little local color, a bit of reasoning for certain decisions, a few tips and some warnings, and maybe an idea or two. Hopefully, some dreamers will put this down, write some letters, then pick up a pack and go, whether for a day hike or an end-to-end marathon.

North Country Trail

Welcome to the

from land use practices surrounding the trail, but rather allow the traveler to enjoy the mosaic of resources and land uses through which the trail passes. Even resource managment activi­ ties such as timber cutting are not out of harmony with managment of the North Country Trail.''

All segments of the North Country Trail areopen to travel by foot: hiking and backpacking. Even so, the NCT is not a hiking trail, but a ''non-motorized multiple use trail,'' which means that other non-motorized uses, including bicycling. horseback riding, cross country skiing, showshoeing and jogging may _be permitted on a given segment, as decided by the managing authority responsible. While hikers can go anywhere, they should remember that some trail segments were not necessarily designed as hiking trail, nor built by hikers.

It has been proposed that the enabling legislation be changed to permit snowmobile use on some segments of the NCT, when a local managing authority desires. This has been a difficult point indeed, with many pros and cons. For the moment, however, no snowmobile route can be certified as NCT, although there are usable sections that allow snowmobiles.

Most private and public lands through which the NCT passes are legally open to hunting during the proper seasons. It is not intended that passage of the NCT through these lands should in any way lead to their closure to hunters, nor that the trail should be closed to use during hunting seasons. Hikers using the trail during hunting seasons should wear bright orange or yellow clothing, and avoid brown or white. Most experienced hikers avoid the woods during the local rifle deer hunting seasons.

Some local authorities have established fees or permits for use of segments of the trail or supporting facilities such as campsites. Some permits are available in advance by mail; others may only be obtained in person at the site or segment.

Facilities for and policies regarding camping. along the North Country Trail vary greatly. Some managing authorities permit camping anywhere along the trail; others, only at designated sites. In some cases the trail may be open but designated camp sites not yet established. Planning is often needed, even on long-established trail segments. Where the trail goes through lands that are largely privately held, or on unusable segments, many property owners will allow overnight pack camping; users should always get permission from the property owner before pitching camp. Above all, avoid trespassing and violating private property rights; it may make the future development of the trail in that area all that much more difficult.

Sad to say, but no surface water anywhere along the North Country Trail can be considered safe without treatment. In fact, well water in some more agricultural areas -- especially northern Ohio and eastern North Dakota -- is starting to become suspect due to nitrate and pesticide contamination. In general, small amounts of water from a well in regular human use in these areas is probably no worse than drinking any city water. Some sections go a surprisingly long way between places where water is available, so study the route and plan accordingly.

On most usable segments of the trail, topographic maps really aren't neccessary, though they are useful. Using no maps at all, however, is foolish. On usable segments, maps, booklets, guides, etc., published by the local managing authority usually are sufficent, and the appropriate addresses are provided in this text. On unusable segments, where the hiker must find his way to the next trailhead, users will generally be following roads, so a good county road map usually is sufficent. County maps are usually available from the Chamber of Commerce of the appro­ priate county, usually located at the county seat. Hikers following roads should be constantly aware of the problems of road safety, walking facing opposing traffic and giving vehicles the right of way. Long-distance users should select roads where traffic is light whenever possible.

Plan for variable weather conditions anywhere along the trail, but consider the season and plan accordingly. Prolonged rain is not unknown any time during the warmer months anywhere along the trail. In times of drought, fire hazards can be quite high, and open fires may be prohibited. The use of a camp stove for fire safety is recommended in any season.

At any time from early May to Late September, anywhere along the trail, mosquitos can be a problem, though some· places are worse than other. Black flies also can be a problem in places

The North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) is ultimately administered by the National Park Service, which is responsible for development on federal lands, little of which is Park Service Land. Most federal land along the NCT is Forest Service Land, and the Forest Service has been unstinting in their support of the trail. Much of the remainder is on state lands; generally the various state conservation/resources departments have not been as supportive. A significant percentage of the trail will be on privately held lands, and development of these is mostly in the hands of volunteers, led by the North Country Trail Association (NCTA), and supporting groups, among them the Finger Lakes Trail Conference (FLTC) and Buckeye Trail Association (BTA).

Since a vast array of agencies and groups each has a piece of the NCT pie, much is not exactly the same from one place to the next. Take trail marking, for example: completed("certified", in Park Service jargon) segments are supposed to bear markers with the NCT logo (an eight-pointed star), along with any local designators. However, less than half of the usable NCT is certified, and some certified segments do not have the star.

The National Park Service recognizes two categories of North Country Trail: certified and connecting. Except in some special circumstances, certified trail is located off roads, and motorized vehicles are restricted. Connecting sections may be located on roads, and some are, but most of the North Country Trail currently designated as connecting sections are certifiable segments that for one reason or another were not certified when the "Comprehensive Plan" for the trail was written. Since it is, amazingly, considerably harder to list a trail as a connecting section than it is to certify it, no new ones have been authorized, although there are many miles of marked trails on roads that could be classified as connecting sections, and many other miles of marked or easily followed trail that are open and could serve as a route -- but are listed as neither. For the purposes of this booklet, we'll sweep aside all the bureaucracy involved in these designations, and just call trail "usable" or not. Usable trail means there is a marked or easily followed route; where no usable trail exists, the user will have to dig out his map and find roads to follow to the next trailhead.

On many shorter segments of trail, especially in various parks, the available trailheads do not make a lot of sense to the long-distance user, since they are designed for use within the park. Eventually there will be outside connections; but in the meantime, the long-distance user should be prepared to find certified trail that isn't very useful.

A significant percentage of trail in New York and Ohio, and some in other states, is located on private lands. Users should be especially careful to respect the rights of private property owners, particularily those who have generously allowed trails to cross their land. Users should also show their appreciation for the voluntary participation of various agencies and groups by properly using the trail and related facilities and complying with the rules and regulations applicable to each segment.

Trail routing and width decisions are influenced by the surrounding land uses, terrain, need for and availability of sight and sound buffers, and the ease or difficulty of securing trail lands. "It is not intended,'' the Comprehensive Plan states, "that the North Country Trail should completely isolate the user

Still growing, still changing

The North Country.Trail

the open country of North Dakota would seem to argue against travel there after early November for all but the hardiest individuals.

Using the figure of 210 days as the maximum length of the summer end to end window, and a pessimistic guess of distance 'to travel of 3700 . miles, the hiker would have to average 17.6 miles per day ·-- more like 20 miles per day, allowing for the occasional rain day, rest day or investigation of an interesting side trip. Over much of the distance east of Cincinnati, it's going to be difficult to average that 17.6 miles per day for an extended period.

With winter facing the potential end to ender at both ends of the trip, a basic decision has to be made: go east or go west?

Each has its advantages and disadvantages, though on the face of it, in the early part of the trip, starting from the west has a slight edge. Hikers at either end will have to be starting at about the time the snow turns to mud. Heading eastbound from central North Dakota takes advantage of the fact that not much of the trail has been completed there; most of the first 500 miles or so of the hike will have to be on roads, and even gravel roads are less muddy than forest trails. Besides, those chill spring winds would be at the back -- but as the eastbound trip continues, hikers would get into the heavy forest country right at the height of the spring blackfly and mosquito season.

Heading west, at least in a season of light snow the winter before, puts the hardest part of the trip at the beginning. Once the first third of the trip is over, there will be occasional tough days, but the hiker will have an idea of how hard they have to travel to get caught back up with that 20 miles a day they have to achieve.

What of the hiker that wants to do the whole trail in one gulp, within a year, and not have to grind that 20 miles day after weary day? The cause is not hopeless, but the strategy has to be a bit different.

The head-on strategy assumes that the hiker likes winter, loves winter hiking and camping, snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Probably the best way to do this involves heading west about mid-June or the first of July. In the mountians of New York State, summers will be warm, but not as oppressive as they can be further south or west. Proceeding about ten miles per day, the hiker will want to target themselves to cross the Ohio-Michigan border on December 1. The controlling factor here is Michigan's rifle deer hunting season, which runs from November 15 to 30; and Ohio's, which is the first part of December. The hiker can get a little ahead of schedule, but shouldn't be any farther north than about Grand Rapids before December 1, as most miles in Michigan south of there are relatively safe road miles. There's not often a lot of snow on the ground in Michigan in early December, but as the hiker proceeds northward, postholing along in the snow will become unproductive, and skiis or snowshoes will become useful.

Once the winter traveler hits the deep snow, a new option appears to them: the network of snowmobile trails that lace the forest sections of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The hiker will be able to find a myriad of them, often unusable in summer, to connect sections where the North Country Trail does not yet exist. By the time the snow turns to mud, the hike will be nearing North Dakota, for road travel in the mud season, and before the forests fill with bugs.

The other approach for the 10 mile per day hiker is to duck the worst part of winter. This scenario involves starting in North Dakota about May 15. The target here is to be at the Mackinac Straits at the first of September, to use the annual Mackinac Bridge walk to hike every mile of the trail end to end. Continuing south, the hiker should be able to stay ahead of most of the snowflakes until reaching Cincinnati about the end of November.

At this point, the hiker takes a break for about three or four months, to go and see if the family is still alive, or, perhaps, to grab a bus and do the Florida National Scenic Trail (Forest Supervisor Office, Suite 4061, 227 N. Bonough St., Tallahassee, FL 32301; or Florida Trail Association, PO

during the right season. Carry appropriate repellants. Finishing the trail will be a long process, mostly because a lot

of the trail is being built by volunteers, in many cases without much government support, and sometimes in the face of active government opposition. As a user, don't be angry because a

. particular segment - of the trail isn't completed yet. The· best thing you can do is to help complete it, and the first thing to do to help is to join the North Country Trail Association. Annual adult memberships are $10.00; the association is headquartered at PO Box 311, White Cloud, MI 49349.

There has been criticism aimed at the North Country Trail for being a lineal, rather than a loop trail. "How," some of these criticisms go, "can you expect to get any degree of use where the user has to mess around with getting back to his car?"

Public transportation in this country is a joke. Although with research, the potential user of the NCT can occasionally find public transportation of one nature or another that will be of use to return him to the trailhead. This is rare, the schedules are rarely convenient, and usually the stage lengths don't fit together right. Over the entire length of the trail, there is only one place where a public transportation system has been fitted to trail use -- and that is in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan's upper peninsula.

How, then, does the trail user get back to the trailhead? Former NCTA Board Member Chris Bredlow wrote: "Out my back door I prefer to go on circular trails. But if I drive over 200 miles, I become smarter and figure out ways to use lineal trails. On river canoeing close to home, I use two cars. On river canoeing in Canada, I use one car and hire a bush pilot. On hiking the Appalachain Trail in the Smokies, I left my car at a resort at one end and contracted a resorter to drive me to the trail head. On the Bruce Trail in Ontario, I went into a local restaurant and found someone to drive me to the trail head and keep my car for me. In the Nantahalas, I examined the map and found that the Appalachian Trail intersected other trails so I made a circular hiking route (and there are several possibilites for partial or complete trail loops involving the NCT) . . . one of my favorite ways of using a lineal hiking trail is to plant my car at one end and ride my bicycle on the road to the trail head. After I finish the hike I have to drive back for the bicycle. I have never used train or bus, and I really think I am not unique. When people go over 200 miles to hike or use a lineal trail, they become smarter and find ways that they wouldn't even think about for a trail back home."

Don't forget contacting local managing authorites, trail clubs or NCTA members along the route.· They may have some good ideas, or be able to help you out.

The sheer size of the North Country Trail tends to make the idea of an end-to-end hike an awesome one; yet, the trail has another obstacle, one that is easier to avoid on the nation's other long trails, which run more or less on a north to south axis: winter.

Most end-to-end users of the big north-south trails start in the south in the early spring, and follow spring northward, eventually racing with fall's southward advance. This doesn't work on the NCT, which runs more or less east and west. While its center dips down a little bit, either end is well up in latitude and the country of long winters.

Carolyn Hoffman, the one person that covered the trail end to end in a single season, used snowshoes for the first six weeks of her trip, which began March 5 in New York, and ended in North Dakota 222 days later, with snow again in the air. She hiked most of the way, but rode a bicycle for about 500 miles in Ohio and Michigan, or her trip would have taken even longer.

If anything, the trip that potential end-to-enders face would take even longer today; much of Ms. Hoffman's trip was on roads, which now have trails developed in the area; very often, these will be longer and slower going. ·

In an average year, potential end-to-enders would have a maximum of 210 to 220 days of reasonable weather between hard winters. Ms. Hoffman probably started a bit early; it would seem better to not start much before April 1, or perhaps even April 15, and the chilling winds ·and snow in

city of Rome. The state park trail is a National Recreation Trail, but presently cannot be certified as it is open to snowmobiles in the winter. Information on this segment can be obtained by writing to Old Erie Canal State Park, Kirkeville NY 13082.

At Canastota, the NCT hiker departs the old canal and heads south. The trail will follow state-owned portions of an abandoned railroad right of way past Chittango Falls State Park to Cazenovia. From there, the hiker will have to follow roads south­ westward through western Madison and eastern Onondaga Counties to the trailhead for the Onondaga Trail, part of the Finger Lakes Trail system.

A third alternative route exists for the long distance hiker that entirely avoids the Adirondack problems and does, in fact, join with the Appalachian Trail. It's a route that NCTA officials have given consideration to if the problems in the Adirondacks cannot be worked out, although it would take an act of Congress to make official. This route would have the hiker travel the Appalachian Trail in the Catskill Mountains northwest of New York city to Deming Lean-To, where the Finger Lakes Trail begins, and follow the Finger Lakes Trail westward through New York. The hiker would pick up usable NCT along the Finger Lakes Trail at the Onondaga Trail junction. At this time, it's a problem in semantics whether using this route could truly be called an "end-to-end" hike of the North Country Trail.

A hiker turning off NY 80/91 onto the Onondaga Trail is beginning the first of three really long sections of the NCT that are mostly usable. From this trailhead, usable trail stretches southwestward nearly 470 miles, with the exception of two unmarked gaps totaling 32 miles.

The majority of this trail is on New York's Finger Lakes Trail System. The Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) is an east-west footpath system across the state from the Catskills in the east to the Alleghenys in the west. It passes south of the Finger Lakes, and has several branches extending north of the main east-west route. The trail passes through some of the most varied and beautiful country in the east -- forests, lakes, glacially sculpted hills and valleys, secluded glens and waterfalls.

Of the 363 miles of the FLT that the NCT uses, only about 27 are fully certified by the National Park Service as of 1989. Considerably more is in process.

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attempted to end-to-end the trail since 1978, even in segments spread over several years, the way the first end-to-ender, Peter Wolfe, did it. The Association occasionally hears from someone who's thinking about it, but the plans never seem to materialize. There is a small, but significant "first" out there, too: no one has yet hiked the entire length of the trail end to end in a single season.

Obviously, it's not easy -- but it's not impossible, either.

Almost any literature that you can find on the North Country Trail says the trail will begin at Crown Point, NY, near the bridge across Lake Champlain into Vermont. Crown Point might be considered a somewhat odd place to start the NCT, but it is a legacy of early planning of the trail. In the early study, the intention was that the trail would connect with the Appalachian Trail via Vermont's Long Trail. Wary of adding to already heavy use on its historic pathway, Vermont opted out of the plan, but the North Country Trail's planners left the door open by keeping the Crown Point gateway.

Even so, Crown Point is still isolated from the nearest usable portion of the NCT by a hundred and fifty miles. Plans for the trail were to head westward through the 6 million acre Adirondack Park. The general route through the park was identified by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) as a starting point from which to begin the ''unit management planning'' process required by the State Land Master Plan for the 2,300,000 acres of public land administered by the DEC. In 1980, it was estimated that this process would take five years or more to determine the specific route through the Adirondacks. Bureaucratic foot-dragging has prevailed; as of 1989, the estimate was still five years or more, and NCTA officials are beginning to suspect that the planned route through the Adirondacks will never be completed.

There are alternatives to the planned route that the hiker can use to partly fill the gap, and the NCT may eventually follow one or another of them. The first two alternatives still require the hiker to follow roads in Essex County, NY, from Port Henry to Lake Placid. Probably the more scenic of the alternative involves following the Northville-Lake Placid Trail south about 50 miles, then after· a short connecting hike on roads of Hamilton County, following the Fulton Chain Trail westward about 45 miles . Infor­ mation on these two is available from the Adirondack Mountian Club, RR3, Box 3055, Lake George NY 12845. Following this route, the hiker would emerge from the Adirondacks near Woodgate, and have to follow Oneida County roads southwest.

The other alternative is still in the process of taking shape, but it would follow an abandoned New York Central railroad grade westward from Lake Placid through Saranac and Tupper Lakes, then southwest to the Rome area. Acquisition of this grade is still in progress, but the NY Department of Environ­ mental Conservation, 2176 Guilderland Ave., Schenectady NY 12306, may be able to give the hiker the status of this route.

Once past Woodgate and out of the Adirondack Park area, the NCT is planned to reach Boonville then turn south, meandering along the Old Black River Canal toward Rome. Much of the canal is still in public ownership, and many of the old stone locks are still intact and visible along NY 46. Pixley Falls and Delta Lake State Parks and state reforestation lands in the vicinity of Buck Hill would be utilized by the trail.

The first usable NCT the hiker encounters along this route is a portion of the canal towpath that was developed as a bike trail by the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce; .. contact them at Rome, NY for more information. The NCT is intended to head along the Mohawk River and through several city parks to the center of the city and Fort Stanwix National Monument, a reconstructed Revolutionary War fort; for now the hiker will have to use city streets and sidewalks, avoiding traffic.

Westward from Rome, usable NCT follows the· towpath trail through Old Erie Canal State Park, beginning near Erie Canal Village, a recreated 19th century canal village operated by the

New York

NCT in the ED1pire State

Box 13708, Gainsville FL 32604); at 10 miles per day, this could take around four months, but in March or April the hiker will want to be back on the NCT for another four or five months of hiking. This approach obviously takes a little more than a year, but the hiker gets to end-to-end two national scenic trails in a 5000 mile bargain.

In this day of athletic awareness, it seems strange that no one the North Country Trail Association knows of has

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Onondaga trailhead, Preus' book comes to an end, but another guide picks up: "Guide to the Trails of the Finger Lakes Region,'' by the Cayuga Trails Club of Ithaca, NY. This pocket-sized book covers 119 miles of FLT, to the beginning of the next gap, at South Bradford, and comes with its own maps, which do show terrain (Available from FLTC for $5.50, maps included). About 11 miles of trail west of Virgil is certified.

At Ithaca, the trail passes near the spectacular Buttermilk Falls; a mile later, it avoids another scenic gorge on a certified all-weather route through the south side of R.H. Treman State Park. Hikers in the summer months may wish to take the spectacular route up the gorge. (Map available from R.H. Treman State Park, Ithaca NY 14850.) A few miles later, certified trail passes through the interesting Connecticut Hill Wildlife Area. Farther to the west, the trail reaches Watkins Glen. On the southeast side of Watkins Glen, hikers with enough time may wish to investigate the 9-mile Queen Catherine Scenic Trail, a loop trail through an interesting marsh, passing Chequagua Falls. This trail may eventually be certified as the main route of the NCT. Use the map in "Guide to Trails of the Finger Lakes Region," or get map QCST from the FLTC.

Located in the Finger Lakes region near the southern end of Seneca Lake, Watkins Glen State Park, just to the west of the Queen Catherine Trail, contains a spectacular gorge. Again the FLT takes a certified all-weather route down the southern rim of the gorge, but through-hikers may prefer to take one of the other gorge trails; contact Watkins Glen State Park, Box 304, Watkins Glen NY 14618.

About 28 miles southeast of downtown Watkins Glen, the "Guide to Trails of the Finger Lakes Region" comes to an end, as does the trail at the beginning of the second big gap on the FLT. Until recently, this gap was about 30 miles, but recent work by FLTC members had chiseled it down to about 20, with more work expected in the future, so the FLTC Service Center should be contacted for the latest data; in the meantime, hikers will have to consult FLT Map M-12 to get across the gap. The trail picks up again at the corner of NY 415 and County Road 1 northwest of Bath.

Once gain on marked trail, the FLT angles west and northwest for about 60 miles. Near Portageville, an orange-blazed side trail (FLT Map L-1, from the FLTC Service Center), leads north to the most spectacular gorge in New York, the Genessee River gorge in Letchworth State Park. Information on the park is available from the park in Castile NY 14227.

The now relatively lightly hiked trail heads southwest on and off roads through scenic countryside. Eventually, the trail joins the Conservation Trail, a north-south branch of the Finger Lakes Trail that will eventually reach Niagara Falls. The trail continues south about another 40 miles, until reaching Allegany State Park, on the New York - Pennsylvania border. The park contains more than 50 miles of scenic hiking trails and a ski touring trail. The North Country/Finger Lakes/Conservation Trail meanders through the park to the Pennsylvania border, where it joins up with another 104 miles of usable NCT at the only state border crossing yet worked out on usable trail. @

ROCHE.5T[A

In order to keep up with the ever-changing Finger Lakes Trail, the hiker really needs a set of the maps published by the FLTC. The NCT hiker will need 21 Finger Lakes Trail maps: M-1 through M-21, plus 0-1 for the Onondaga Trail (two interesting extras .are mentioned later). The maps are available from the Finger Lakes Trail Conference Service Center, PO Box 18048, Rochester NY 14618. Maps are 80 cents each; for 10 or more, 35 cents each. A full set of the 45 maps of the series is $14.00; these add the trail's several branches and the route to the Catskills. The five map series for the Catskills and the FLT's junction with the Appalachian Trail is $10.00. The FLTC maintains a policy that if a map is updated with two years of purchase, it will be replaced free upon return of the old map. Hikers should request a free brochure about the trail, along with a map order form. The FLTC also publishes several guidebooks, which cover about 250 of the miles the NCT uses.

Trail descriptions on the maps range from not too bad to pretty good; they read west to east. The maps are rather crude but give good information about campsites, shelters, bivouac areas, water points and the like. One area they do not give much information about is terrain; the FLT is quite hilly, so the hiker studying the route may want to refer to some large-scale topo­ graphic maps to get an idea of the terrain to be faced.

The FLT is blazed with white blazes on the main trail, with larger FLT yellow and green logos at trailheads and road crossings. Wooden signs or small plastic discs may also be used. Side trails like the Onondaga are marked in blue or orange.

Much of the FLT is on private land. The continued existence of the trail depends on trail users respecting the rights of the public-spirited landowners who have given permission for people to walk through their property. Users must stay on the trail and not camp or build fires except in designated areas. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are also permitted on the trail. All trails have been cleared for walking and are maintained, though maintenance is sometimes a little thin in areas of low use. Some shelters, campsites and bivouac areas have been completed, and more are being built as time and funds permit.

The trailhead for the Onondaga Trail is about two miles west of Fabius. Users of this section will find "Guide to the Finger Lak.~s Trail, O'Dell Road to Chippewa Falls, Cortland County, NY by Anthony Preus,· very helpful. (Available from FLTC Service Center, $1.50 without maps, $2.70 with.) Not only does it give excellent detail from the Onondaga trailhead southwest about 60 miles, it gives the best answers to getting across the first of the FLT's two big gaps. It reads in both directions.

After 24.5 miles on the Onondaga Trail, the hiker encounters the main FLT in Cuyler State Forest, and follows the main trail sout~west for 15 miles before reaching the first big gap; plans are m the works for narrowing this gap -- possibly through a scenic gorge -- in the near future. Prues' suggested route is 11.3 miles before picking up marked trail again.

The trail meanders southwest, then west, for many miles of scenic countryside. Near Virgil, about 60 miles from the

Pennsylvania, there has been little accomplished on the ground, partly due to the opposition by officials administering State Game Lands which the trail must cross. The hiker will have to use county maps from Clarion and Butler counties to find the way across low-use roads to the first steppingstone, in Moraine State Park about 6 miles northwest of Butler, PA, on SR8.

The trail picks up at Jennings Environmental Education Center, at the east end of the park. A one-mile segment here joins with 13 more miles of the Glacier Ridge Trail in Moraine State Park. These trails are marked with blue paint blazes and the NCT markers. A wide variety of day-use facilities are found in the park, but no camping is allowed; several private campgrounds are in the vicinity, and a restaurant is located in the park. For information: Jennings Environmental Education Center, RD 1, Slipprey Rock, PA, 16057; and Superintendent, Moraine State Park, RD 1, Portersville PA 16051.

Construction of an extention to McConnel' s Mill State Park is planned soon, but for now, from the west end of the Glacier Ridge Trail, the hiker will have to use county maps for Butler and Lawrence counties to go about 3 miles to McConnell's Mill State Park, just over the county line. Though this involves a mere 1.4 miles of certified NCT that at present doesn't lead much of anywhere, the park is worth checking out. The NCT follows the Alpha Pass and Kildoo Trails along Slippery Rock Creek. Day-use facilites and outstanding points of interest await the hiker. The gorge of the creek provides a· scenic setting for the trail, which is marked with the NCT marker and routed wooded posts. Along the trail are a covered bridge and the restored McConnell's Grist Mill, a national historic landmark. For a map and brochure on the park, write Superintendant, McConnell's Mill State Park, RDl, Portersville PA 16051.

Once past McConnell's Mill, the planned route of the NCT heads west-southwest for about 25 miles, aiming to cross the state line south of East Palestine, Ohio. The through-hiker will need county maps of Lawrence and Beaver Counties to make the crossing.

While much work remains to be done on the North Country Trail in Pennsylvania, the state boasts the highest percentage of planned NCT certified in any of the seven states the North Country Trail crosses, and it's all very interesting trail.

Certified Connecting

••• •• • • • Projected

N

$ <. ••. • • ··\ Glacier Ridge

McConnel's Mill

Pennsylvania ... .

.;• .. - ...

Cook Forest SP -- ..____ • - -Baker Trail .... ..

-Allegheny NF

Once the hiker crosses into Pennsylvania, there are still 104 miles of marked trail ahead. The initial 95 miles of the North Country Trail meanders through the rolling hills and stream valleys of the Allegheny (Pennsylvania spells it differently) National Forest. Marked with white paint blazes and routed wooden signs, this northwestern Pennsylvania trail is one of t~e more established along the route of the NCT. Along the route, in many places through the forest, the hiker will see the remnants of early oil exploration and production that once flourished in these hills. An autumn trek on this portion of the NCT will richly reward the hiker with outstanding fall colors.

Seven National Forest campgrounds are located along or a short distance off the trail. In addition, primitive camping is permitted anywhere within the national forest, but not within 1,500 feet of the Allegheny Reservoir or within 1,500 feet of roads near the shore of the reservoir.

Other excellent trails maintained by the Forest Service, including the Black Cherry and Tracy Ridge National Recreation Trails connect with the North Country Trail.

Sadly, with only a couple exceptions, trail information provid­ ed by all National Forests is not as good as that from other sources, although the situtation should improve over the next few years. Limited information on the trails in _the Allegheny National Forest is available from Forest Supervisor, Allegheny National Forest, PO Box 847, Warren PA 16365.

Fortunately, in the Allegheny National Forest, there are alternative sources of information that are both good and detailed. Possibly the best is the "Sierra Club Trails Guide for the Allegheny National Forest," available from Bill Dzombak, 621 Spring St., Latrobe PA 15650. Cost is $4.78. Hikers may also want to check out "Pennsylvania Hiking Trails", Keystone Trails Association, PO Box 251, Cogan Station Pa. Cost is $2.80.

At the south border of the Allegheny National Forest, the hiker follows a short section of the Baker Trail southward to Clear Creek State Forest. The Baker Trail is a 140-mile hiking trail established and maintained by American Youth Hostels, Inc., Pittsburgh Council, 6300 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh PA 15232. It extends from Freeport, Pa, to the junction with the NCT in the Allegheny National Forest; unfortunately, the NCT only uses a few miles of this well-developed trail.

Following the Baker Trail south, after about three miles the hiker enters Clear Creek State Forest. Here, a 1.5 mile segment of the Baker Trail is certified, in this small, isolated parcel of state land. In addition to the offical NCT markers, the segment is marked with yellow paint blazes and routed wooden signs. Trailside camping is permitted for one night only. For more information, contact District Forest Office, Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, Box 705, Clarion, PA 16214.

Immediately to the south, the NCT and the Baker Trail follow approximately 8 miles of the Cook Forest State Park's 27-mile trail network. In this park, camping is permitted only at the 226-site developed campground, which is open year around, and at two group camp sites. The trail is marked with the official NCT marker and wooden signs. For additional information, contact Superintendent, Cook Forest State Park, PO Box 120, Cooksburg, PA 16217.

About two miles southwest of Cook Forest, the planned route of the NCT departs southwestward from the southbound route of the Baker trail, and the hiker is at the end of 470 miles of nearly-continuous marked and usable trail. With only a few steppingstones available, it is nearly 150 miles to the _next long section of marked trail. Although general and potential routes have been identified to get the NCT the rest of the way through

Pennsy_lvania:

Keystone state of the NCT route

available for $1.50 each from the Buckeye Trail Association. The Association has some guides for the trail, but those in print only cover a tiny amount of the Buckeye Trail shared by the NCT.

The Buckeye Trail is marked by light blue paint blazes on trees, poles, etc., usually within 10 feet of the trail. At intersections, or where the trail sharply changes direction, two blazes are used; in some cases arrows are also used. The trail is blazed in both directions, but only frequently enough to give the user assurance they are on the trail. Side trails and alternate routes are blazed in white.

The NCT picks up the Buckeye Trail at Bolivar, and follows an old canal towpath southeast to Zoar, a community with restored homes and shops that was the site of the first communal settlement in the US. Southward from Zoar, the Buckeye/NCT uses portions in Attwood Lake and Leesville Lake Recreation Areas, a longer segment in Tappan Lake Recreation Area, then shorter segments in Clendening and Piedmont Lake Recreation areas. Information on these may be had from Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, New Philadelphia OH 44663.

Several miles southwest of Piedmont Lake, the NCT has 7 .8 miles in Salt Fork State Park. Campgrounds and other facilities including a lodge, restaurant and cabins are located here. Information may be had by contacting Salt Fork State Park, Box 672, Cambridge OH 43725. From Salt Fork, the Buckeye/NCT uses roads south to Seneca Lake Recreation Area, also operated by the Muskingum Conservancy District.

South of Seneca Lake, the NCT is planned to leave the existing route of the Buckeye Trail and pass through the eastern unit of the Wayne National Forest, but to date only about 20 miles of the new route have been completed, isolated from other marked trail. Wayne National Forest officials hope to have the route completely in place by 1995. Hikers wishing to visit this little-known certified section of the trail should contact Wayne National Forest, US Forest Service, Athens OH 45701, and be prepared to study the National Park Service NCT mapset and county road maps of Noble, Monroe and Washington counties.

In the interim, hikers may use the shorter existing Buckeye Trail route, to the west of the planned route. The two trails come together again west of Marietta, and it is expected the two will be developed as a loop trail. After the trails rejoin, the Buckeye Trail is being rerouted in several areas to follow new NCT construction in the Wayne National Forest. Some reroutings have not yet been reflected on the Buckeye Trail maps, so users should check with the forest for current routes.

The majority of the next 110 miles of trail is located off roads, in the national forest and on a variety of state, local and private lands, and will treat visitors to some of Ohio's most outstanding scenery. Hikers will soon reach Burr Oak State Park. 17 miles of the 29 mile Burr Oak Backpack Trail forms a scenic loop around Burr Oak Reservoir; one developed and three primitive camping areas are located along the trail, which is closed during Ohio's December deer season. For information, contact Ohio Depart­ ment of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Fountian Square, Building C, Columbus OH 43224.

West of Burr Oak, the trail again passes through the Wayne National Forest and Lake Logan State Park before reaching the excellent certified trail in Hocking State Forest and Hocking State Park. About 12 miles of the Buckeye/NCT will pass through this forest and state park, which preserves for public enjoyment the outstanding scenery of this area, including multi­ colored rock cliffs, gorges and caves. There are 16 miles of hiking trails and 15 miles of bridle trails in the complex; camping in the state park. Maps and information can be obtained from Hocking State Forest, Rt. 1, Box 216, Rockbridge OH 43149 or Hocking Hills State Park, 20160 SR 644, Logan OH 43148. Only a few miles southwest, the Buckeye/NCT passes through Tar Hollow State Park and State forest for about 14

Largely due to the many years of work by the Buckeye Trail Association, the North Country Trail in Ohio is the most nearly completely usable of any of the seven states, even though much of the marked trail is located on roads.

For practical purposes, the NCT in Ohio starts at Beaver Creek State Park, about 6 miles north of East Liverpool. The trail along Little Beaver Creek, a state scenic river and a component of the National Wild and Scenic River System, it provides a 6.25 mile segment. Numerous points of interest are located in the park, including Gaston's Mill and other historic buildings near the park headquarters, a covered bridge, and several stone locks of the old Sandy and Beaver Canal. There is camping in the park. For more information, contact Beaver Creek State Park, Rt. 1, Echo Dell Rd., East Liverpool OH 43920.

To the west of Beaver Creek State Park, the planned route of the NCT generally parallels US30 and Ohio 183 and other roads to the vicinity of Bolivar, about 40 miles to the west. However, the through-hiker is well advised to study county maps for Columbiana, Carrol and Tuscarawas counties to find side roads that are less heavily used than these busy thoroughfares. Eastern Ohio is coal country; the roads are narrow and the trucks are not, so even on side roads the walker should exercise plenty of caution. Though much clean-up of mine tailings has been done in recent years, users should be even more suspect than normal of surface water.

At Bolivar, about 12 miles south of Canton, the hiker first encounters the Buckeye Trail, which the NCT more or less follows for more than 600 miles around Ohio.

First conceived in the 1950s, the trail has been planned, marked and maintained by the Buckeye Trail Association in cooperation with many agencies and individuals, including the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Historical Society, US Forest Service, Muskingham and Miami Conservancy Dist­ ricts, several metropolitan park districts, and other landowners.

The goal of the Buckeye Trail Association is to eventually have the entire route of the trail off roads, but this will be a long time coming. Due to the heavy population in the area and the high proportion of private land, only about half the route the NCT follows is located off roads, usually but not always on public lands. The NCT generally follows the Buckeye Trail, but divirges from it or is planned to in several locations. Twenty-four individual segments, totalling around 300 miles, have been certified as segments of the NCT. Portions of the Buckeye Trail which are presently routed along roads cannot be certified as the NCT route, as the National Trails System Act prohibits location on roads. As new off-road segments are developed to replace on-road segments, they will be certified, but in the meantime, on-road segments can be considered usable NCT.

Portions of the Buckeye Trail are usable for bicycling and horseback riding. Horseback riders may use the trail, except in a few locations where horse use is prohibited. Where such limitations exist, an effort has been made to provide a marked bypass. Camping facilites are available at many locations along or near the trail. They are not always frequent enough to allow hikers trailside camping every night, but hikers can usually find facilities for overnight camping, given careful planning.

As with the Finger Lakes Trail in New York, it would be difficult to follow the Buckeye Trail without using the maps provided by the Buckeye Trail Association, PO Box 254, Worthington, OH 43085. The accompanying route descriptions are generally better than those of the FLT maps; the route descriptions read east to west. The through-hiker will need 14 Buckeye Trail maps: from east to west, Massillion, Bowerston, Belle Valley, Stockport, Old Man's Cave, Scioto Trail/Pike Forest, Sinkins; Sorins, West Union, Williamsburg, Loveland, Ceaser Creek, Troy, St. Marys, Delphos and Defiance. These are

Ohio: heart of the NCT

ground is located along the NCT segment. For a map and information, contact East Fork State Park, Box 119, Bethel OH .

From East Fork, the trail heads on roads northwest about 15 miles to Milford, on the edge of the Cincinnati urban area .

As the Buckeye/NCT departs the East Fork area, the landforms are changing and becoming less rugged. At the same time, the population is becoming more dense and the trail is about to invade the densest urban development it sees anywhere from New York to North Dakota. Strange, indeed, that much of the next hundred and fifty miles is located off-road.

Up to this point, the NCT has generally been an up and down affair. The trail flattens out for the rest of the way west, though there are hills here and there. The rest of the way through Ohio the NCT is pretty much flat.

In spite of considerable interest in Rails to Trails development nationwide and considerable study of possible rail-trail routes for the NCT, only one has been developed for a long distance: the Little Miami Scenic Park. The NCT utilizes about 55 miles of the 67-mile former railroad grade from Milford north to Yellow Springs, east of Dayton. The northernmost 22 miles of this grade have only recently been acquired. 'The grade is being developed for full non-motorized multiple use, with a paved path for bicycles and wheelchairs, and a grassy strip for hikers. Several bridges will have to be rebuilt, and the northernmost segment, especially, will still be under development for some time to come. The route parallels the Little Miami River, a National and State Scenic River. For more information, contact Ohio DNR, Fountian Square, Building C, Columbus OH 43224. About 7 miles south of the Greene County line, near Dodds in Warren County, the Buckeye Trail departs from the Little Miami, paralleling it northward for about 10 miles, making for a nice loop trail in an urban area. The NCT follows the Little Miami Park; the Buckeye rejoins at Spring Valley in Greene County.

The park comes to an end just north of the village of Yellow Springs. Plans are for the NCT to continue north to Springfield, then tum northwest to Troy, but no work has been done on this section due to routing problems. However, there is an excellent alternate route, mostly off road, on the Buckeye Trail.

From Yellow Springs, the Buckeye Trail turns west, and follows river levees, parks and the like west through Wright­ Patterson Air Force Base. Hikers with an interest in airplanes can easily blow a day in the Air Force Museum, which the trail passes. Continuing on, the trail follows parks, a bikeway, levees, and so forth through the center of Dayton before it turns north, and with a lot of off-road segments eventually rejoins the planned NCT route at Troy. Though considered an alternate NCT route, in a practical sense, it's for now the primary route.

About half the next 25 miles is located off road, as the Buckeye/NCT picks up its next major theme: the towpath of the old Miami and Erie Canal. It starts out by following short sections of the canal towpath, one of which passes the Lockington Locks Museum north of Piqua; then, at Lake Loramie State Park, a 42-mile certified segment begins. Historic rem­ nants -of the canal are visible along the trail, including several well-preserved locks and an aquaduct transporting the canal over a creek. Camping facilites are located in Lake Loramie and Grand Lake, and St. Marys State Parks. For more information, contact ODNR at the above address.

The canal towpath comes to an end at Delphos; north of there, the canal has been filled in, and the Buckeye/NCT returns to roads more or less paralleling the Auglaize River about 35 miles to Defiance, where the last certified bit of NCT in Ohio begins. Seven miles of the Miami and Erie canal have been preserved along the Maumee River. The Buckeye/NCT follows the towpath of this canal northeast to Florida, all in Independance Dam State Park. Camping facilities are located in the park. For information, contact Independence Dam State Park, Rt. 4, Defiance OH 43512. At Florida, the North Country Trail says goodbye to the Buckeye Trail, its more or less constant companion for 600 miles. The planned route of the NCT into Michigan was to be still further to the east, on an abandoned railroad grade, but the opportunity has been lost. Until a route is developed, through­ hikers will have to follow back roads, using maps of Henry and Fulton counties, to reach the Michigan line about three miles east of Fayette, Ohio.

miles. There are 16 other miles of hiking trails and 14 miles of bridle trails in this area. For information, contact Tar Hollow State Park, 16396 Tar Hollow Road, Laurelville OH 43135 or Tar Hollow State Forest, Rt. 1, Londonderry OH 45647.

About 15 miles further west, the trail enters Pike State Forest. Much of the off-road trail here is located on private land, so users should take extra care. About ten miles of trail · are certified here; some information may be had by contacting Pike State Forest, 334, Lappell Rd., Latham OH 45645 or Pike Lake State Park, 1847 Pike Lake Rd., Bainbridge OH 45612.

A few miles beyond Pike State Park, hikers reach the Fort Hill State Memorial. This is a most interesting stop along the trail. The Buckeye/NCT follows 3.6 miles of the Deer and Gorge Trails through this scenic and historic site. Fort Hill contains well-preserved Hopewell Indian hilltop earthworks. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The memorial site is also noted for its outstanding geological and botanical features. For additional information, contact the Ohio Historical Society, 1982 Vehna Ave., Columbus OH 43211. If the Indian history excites you, the Buckeye Trail passes by Serprent Mount State Memorial about 5 miles to the south, site of the largest serpent effigy earthwork in the nation, also worth a stop.

From here on to Cincinnati, there's only steppingstones of off-road trail, though the Buckeye Trail is marked the entire way, with the exception of one deviation the North Country Trail hiker may wish to make: the NCT uses the northwest 14.5 miles of the. excellent 60-mile Shawnee Backpack Trail in Shawnee State Park and State Forest. This beautiful trail, located in some of Ohio's ruggedest terrain, is marked with orange blazes on the main trail and white blazes on the side trails. Two backpack campsites are located along the NCT-certified segment, and there is a developed campground in the state park near the trail. Information can be obtained by contacting Shawnee State Forest, Rt. 5, Box 151C, Portsmouth OH 45662, or Shawnee State Park, Star Rt. 68, Portsmouth OH 45662. The Buckeye Trail does not match up to the northern Shawnee trailhead, and only joins the Shawnee Trail shortly before leaving the west side of the forest. Hikers interested in getting to the certified section of the Shawnee Trail should see Adams and Scotio County maps.

The next major off-road segment of the Buckeye/NCI' is a good many miles to the west-northwest, at East Fork State Park. The trail follows an 8.6 mile segment of the 37-mile East Fork Backcountry Trail for backpackers and horsemen. This trail is marked with green blazes as well as green and white signs depicting a backpacker and a horseshoe. A developed camp-

' .

Legend Certified­ Buckeye-­ Projected .......

Little Miami Scenic Park

Y Tar Hollow SF Pike SF "<, .

Fort Hill \ ,1-~-

Tappan Lake RA­ Piedmont Lake RA-

Salt Fork SP-

,............ Miami and Erie f.anal N

-Grand Lake SP $ _,.......Lake Loramie SP

Columbus •

········~· Zoar __ .•····

Beaver Creek SP OHIO 'lndependance Dam SP

• Toledo . . . .

•

certified for the next 40 miles. It's generally level or slightly rolling walking. Trailside camping is permitted in the forest. Hikers, especially through hikers, are invited to stop for a night at the NCTA Headquarters and Hostel at the comer of Felch and Five Mile roads about 7 miles northwest of White Cloud. Located in the 100 year old Birch Grove school, hot showers and late information on the trail are available. The building is not manned daily; hikers should contact (616) 689-6876 or write to NCTA to make advance arrangements.

At this writing, the completed portion comes to an end at Big Star Lake Road, southeast of Baldwin in Lake County; but the Forest Service has hopes of completing the trail through the National Forest by 1991. For now, hikers will have to consult a Lake County or National Forest map to follow county roads to the next segment, which picks up about 10 miles northwest at Timber Creek Campground and winds north about 9 miles to McCarthy Lake, and then follow roads (and newly completed trail) in Lake, Mason and Manistee Counties to the next segment, in the Udell Hills in southern Manistee County, and from there to High Bridge, on County Road 659 south of Bretheren. A recently-certified 22 mile segment continues north along the Manistee River to a trailhead west of Hodenpyl Dam.

The hiker will have to use county maps for Manistee, Benzie and Grand Traverse Counties to reach the next segment of trail, the Michigan Shore-to-Shore Riding-Hiking Trail (STS). Hikers may wish to use roads to go more or less north to Interlochen, where, in season, they can be serenaded by fine music under the pines of the National Music Camp there.

The STS stretches 213 miles from Empire on Lake Michigan to Tawas City on Lake Huron. Its route across the northern lower peninsula traverses some of the most scenic areas in the state. Depending on the route chosen to meet up with it, the NCT could end up using as much as 55 miles of this trail, developed mostly for horse use. Five forest campgrounds and two other camping areas are located along the segment of the STS utilized by the NCT. Trail along this stretch includes segments in the Muncie Lakes Pathway and the trail system of the Sand Lakes Quiet Area, a 2,800 acre tract set aside in 1973 in which motorized vehicle use is prohibited. Camping is permitted on state forests along the trail if a camp card, available from DNR, is posted, and the camp is more than 100 feet from the trail. The STS is marked with blue markers showing a footprint and a horseshoe, and routed wooden signs. At road crossings, turns and corners, there are square wooden posts with arrows and the marker. For a general brochure on the STS, contact DNR. For more specific information, the Michigan Trail Riders Associa­ tion, 1650 Ormond Rd., Highland Ml 48031 has a guide available for the whole trail for $20.00.

East of Kalkaska, the STS follows roads, though marked. Near the corner of Sunset Trail Road and CR612, the NCT will split off and head north. Plans call for the development of this section soon; contact NCTA for the latest information. Until this segment is completed, hikers may have to follow roads in Kalkaska and Antrim Counties to Landslide Scenic View in the Jordan River Pathway about 2 miles northwest of Alba.

The NCT follows about 10 miles of the west side of this out­ standing loop pathway, a National Recreation Trail. The trail is marked with blue paint blazes and markers. Points of scenic, biological and historical interest are located along the trail. A hike-in campground is located along the segment utilized by the NCT. Contact DNR for more information.

At the moment, hikers will have to either use roads or bushwhack to the next segment, Warner Creek Pathway, 1 mile north of the Jordan River Pathway's northernmost point. Plans are in the works to connect the two. The NCT uses the southeast 1.6 miles of Warner Creek Pathway, marked with blue paint blazes and triangular markers. Until the connecting segment is completed, there is no good trailhead to the south. Contact

Michigan has the longest percentage of the NCT, and the most certified miles. Still there are many miles to go; only about 40 percent of the NCT in Michigan is certified, most of it in the northern two-thirds of the state. Another 15 to 20 percent can be considered usable. The trail is under development in many areas, and Michigan NCTA officals have hopes of having usable trail continuous from the Grand Rapids area to the Wisconsin line by 1995.

There is not, as yet, a central collection of trail route maps, such as the FLT and Buckeye Trail maps, but Michigan NCTA officals are considering them. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 30034, Lansing Ml 48909 has maps of individual counties available, and a mapbook collecting all Michigan county maps. In several places the hiker will be referred to "DNR". In these cases, contact Department of Natural Resources, Information Services Center, Box 30028, Lansing Ml 48909 for information.

The trail in the state south of the Manistee National Forest is mostly through rolling farmlands, and will be a rural, rather than a wilderness trail. Only occasional patches of public land are available for trail development, so eventually much of the trail will have to cross private land.

The NCT in Michigan is planned to cross the state line about two miles west of Morenci, but for the present, hikers will have to use road maps for Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties to get to the first usable trail. Trail development is planned in Lake Hudson Recreation Area near Hudson.

At Osseo, the trail will follow an abandoned railroad grade about 5 miles northwest to Baw Beese Park, on the southeast corner of Hillsdale. After passing through the city, users reach the first certified NCT in Michigan: the three-mile M-99 Bikeway between Hillsdale and Jonesville. The paved bikeway parallels M-99. Only a general route of the trail exists northwest; through hikers will have to consult Hillsdale and Calhoun County maps to get 40 miles to downtown Battle Creek, where the hiker can follow the Battle Creek Linear Parkway and its westward exten­ sion west for about 8 miles. The path picks up downtown and goes west for about two miles, jogs south across the Kalamazoo River, then follows a sidewalk paralleling M-96 to the Ft. Custer National Cemetery. Information is available from Battle Creek Public Works Department, Battle Creek, Ml.

From Ft. Custer, the hiker will have to follow M-96 west to Augusta, then use maps of Kalamazoo and Barry Counties to get to Barry State Game Area and Yankee Springs State Park. There are 6. 7 miles of usable NCT in the two. The game area has a 9 mile horse trail, of which about 4 miles are usable to the through hiker; in Yankee Spring, hikers can used the ivory­ blazed Deep Lake and orange-blazed Chief Noonday Trails. Contact Department of Natural Resources, Yankee Springs Field Office, 2104 Gun Lake Rd., RR#3, Middleville Ml 48933.

North of Yankee Springs, it is hoped the NCT will use Middle­ ville, Lowell and Cannonsburg State Game Areas to get around the Grand Rapids area, but no development has taken place. Hikers will have to use Barry and Kent County maps to go about 45 miles to Rogue River State Game Area, in northern Kent County. The trailhead for 4.5 miles of NCT is located on Division Avenue. No camping or horses are permitted. Contact NCTA for more information.

The trail emerges from the Rogue River State Game Area on the Newaygo County line; from here, hikers will have to reach Croton barn. The trail in the Manistee National Forest is currently under the most intensive development in Michigan. Hikers should contact Forest Supervisor, Manistee National Forest, 421 S. Mitchell St., Cadillac Ml 49601 for current information; the forest also has field offices in White Cloud and Baldwin, where information about the trail is available.

The 7-mile segment from Croton Dam is currently under development, but after passing highway M-37 the trail is

Michigan: ··The NCT in the Water Wonderland

the village. Bring money. For information, contact DNR. Just north of Big Mac, the third long section of completed

NCT begins. Though this is the shortest of the ''big three'', it has far and away the highest percentage of certified trail, and is the trail's longest consistently wild section. Supplies are only available at rare locations over the next 210 miles. As this long segment falls in the responsibility of several agencies, information must be sought in several locations.

At this writing, trailhead for the first segment in the Hiawatha National Forest, St. Ignace Ranger District, is located on Castle Rock Road (FR3104) about four miles north of St. Ignace. The Forest Service plans to complete the trail into St. Ignace via an abandoned railroad grade, so check with them for the latest information. The NCT in the St. Ignace Ranger District winds north for 36.5 miles, all on forest land. The trail has been critized in the past for not being well marked or cleared, but the Forest Service has been improving the trail in recent years. One

M-99 BIKEWAY--\-·••s

. .

• • • • • • • \-YANKEE SPRINGS • •... BATTLE CREEK

'·-=--LINEAR PARKWAY . •

. :~\

I-MANISTEE NATIONAL (FOREST

•t-:..ROGUE RIVER MICHIGAN • •

SHORE TO SHORE RIDING-HIKING TRAIL

• I- JORDAN RIVER I PATHWAY

WARNER CREEK PATHWAY

WILDERNESS

SPRING BROOK

----- MUSKALLONGE LAKE C-,---LAKE SUPERIOR STATE FOREST

_ TAQUAMENON FALLS

0

USABLE ALTERNATE PROJECTED • • • • • • • • • • •

OTTAWA NATIONAL FOREST

DNR for more inforation. The through hiker will have to use Antrim and Charlevoix County maps to reach the next NCT segment, Spring Brook Pathway, which again has no good trailhead to the south until connections are made. Contact NCTA for the latest information on new development. The NCT follows 1. 7 miles of this dual-loop 5-mile trail, marked with blue blazes. For more information, contact DNR.

It's about 35 miles across various county roads in Charlevoix and Emmet Counties to the next segment, in Wilderness State Park, but development is still a few years away. An alternative route the through hiker may wish to consider is a 22-mile abandoned railroad grade from Alanson to Mackinac City. This grade was recently acquired by the DNR and will be developed as a snowmobile and bicycle route; when the NCT is completed west of this route, it will make a reasonable loop trail.

The next usable NCT segment on the planned route starts on the south border of Wilderness State Park on Lakeshore Road. The trail follows the lakeshore north about 2 miles, then follows a poorly marked trail inland to Sturgeon Bay Road (closed to vehicles), then east, and north on Swamp Line road to the park headquarters. From there, it goes east on Red Pine, Nebo, East Ridge, East Boundary and Spruce Ridge Trails to the park boundary. The usable NCT route in the park is about 9 miles through this 7,500 acre park, which has two campgrounds and five rental cabins. Contact Wilderness State Park, Box 380, Carp Lake MI, 49718. Plans are under way for a connection to Mackinac City, but for now follow Emmet County roads.

The entire trail is called the North Country Trail, but Michigan's upper peninsula really feels like north country. It's wild country, largely forested, though cut over a century ago.

The Mackinac Bridge, known as "Big Mac", is only usable ~-----------..L----"!....----­ one day a year, the morning of Labor Day, when an annual bridge walk is held. At that time the bridge can be walked southbound in a mob of 50 to 70,000 people. At other times, hikers must find other ways across the Straits of Mackinac. The Mackinac Bridge Authority operates a shuttle bus. To go north from Jamet Street, the last exit before the bridge, call (906) 643-7600 to arrange pickup; southbound, the bus leaves from the Bridge Authority offices at the north end of the bridge.

An alternative to taking the bus is to take a ferry to Mackinac Island, and then to St. Ignace. Although not directly on the route of the NCT, this island park provides an interesting side trip. Reached by ferry from Mackinac City or St. Ignace, bicycles, your own feet, or horses are the only modes of transportation on the island; motor vehicles are not allowed. Mackinac Island was designated as our second national park in 1875, f. status it retained until 1895 when the park was turned over t« the state. No camping facilities are available on the island, but many resort hotels and tourist rooms are located in

County. It's possible for the long-distance hiker to follow roads through western Marquette and Baraga counties to get over the 50 miles to the next segment, - but if he wants to follow forest roads through the McConr.ick Tract of the Ottawa National Forest and Craig Lake State Park, where the trail is intended to go, this is one place where topographic maps are not a bad idea. Virtually all the land in this section, with the exception of the above, is privately held. Local NCTA activists are working on several sections in this area; contact NCTA for the latest data. For information· on Craig Lake State· Park, contact DNR; on the McCormick Tract, contact Forest Supervisor, Ottawa National Forest, East US2, Ironwood Ml 49938.

In 1988, NCTA and Sierra Club members put the first trail into this gap, in central Baraga County. The trailhead for this section, called the "Tibbetts Falls" segment, is at the dead-end of Autio Road at Nestor Creek, 2V2 miles west of US41. This 5.8 mile trail is located entirely on private land and no camping is permitted. For more information, contact NCTA.

The Tibbets Falls segment comes to an end at the trailhead for the NCT in the Ottawa National Forest, in western Baraga County. The 29 miles of NCT in the easternmost segment of the Ottawa National Forest is primitive, with only preliminary clearing and marking in many places. Trailside camping is permitted, and the trail passes one developed campground. Completed portions are blazed in blue. For information on this and other Ottawa National Forest segments, contact the Ottawa National Forest, East US2, Ironwood Ml 49938.

The North Country Trail is completed past US 45, 7 miles west of Ontanagon County Road 208, but is unusable for through hiking due to problems with private property at the Ontanagon River crossing. Hikers will have to take an alternate route on Ontanagon county roads, and will also have to follow them from Victoria 6 miles west to Norwich, where the trail picks up again on the 28 mile Trap Falls segment, which is about as rugged as the NCT gets in Michigan. This segment comes to an end at the boundary of the Porcupine Mountians State Park; for informa­ tion, contact Ottawa National Forest.

The Porcupine Mountains have many miles of some of the finest trails in Michigan. Not offically now part of the NCT, the trail heads do not match, but it is hoped the trail can be routed through there someday. The route the NCT would probably take through "The Porkies" is not the park's best part, but a little map work will give hikers more scenic routes if they wish to take more distance. This 58,000 acre park is one of the few remaining large wilderness areas in the Midwest. Towering stands of virgin timber, four secluded lakes, and miles of wild rivers and streams await hikers who venture there. The park contains 85 miles of backpacking trails which lead hikers to spectacular overlooks and vistas. Backpackers must register at the park office before entering the interior of the park. Nine rustic cabins, which must be reserved in advance, and three Adirondack shelters are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, located along the trails. Trailside camping is permitted but not within a quarter mile of any cabin or shelter. In addition, there are modem, semi-modem and rustic developed campgrounds within the park. A fee is charged for all camping, including trailside. For information on the park and its trail "system, contact Park Supervisor, Porcupine Mountians Wilderness State Park, Star Route Box 314, Ontanagon Ml 49953.

The NCT in the Ottawa National Forest does not match trailheads with trails in the Porcupine Mountians, so long distance hikers will have to do some map work on topos or county maps of Ontanagon and Goegebic Counties.

The westernmost segment of the NCT in the Ottawa National Forest leads west from a trailhead on County Road 519, about three miles south of Presque Isle Campground in the Porcupine Mountains. It goes about 6 miles · to Black River Harbor Campground, then south up the canyon of the Black River; hikers will enjoy the outstanding-scenery, including the series of waterfalls on the Black River. Again, contact Ottawa National Forest for information.

At the trailhead for the North Country Trail, about four miles up the Black River on County Road 219, the off-road segment of the NCT in Michigan comes to an end. Hikers will have to use Goegebic County maps to get to Ironwood and the US2 bridge, gate to Wisconsin and the western third of the NCT.

developed and one primitive campground are located along the trail in this district, but camping is allowed alongside the trail. For information, contact Hiawatha National Forest, St. Ignace Ranger District, St. Ignace Ml 49781. ·

As the trail crosses the county line into Chippewa County the trail enters the Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District. This has 42 miles of trail north to Lake Superior. There are two developed campgrounds, and several bivouac areas. Trailside camping is permitted. For information, contact Hiawatha National Forest, Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District, Sault Ste. Marie Ml 49873.

Emerging from the Hiawatha National Forest on Taquamenon Bay, the trail parallels M-123 north for about 3 miles until reaching Rivermouth Campground in Tahquamenon State Park. This trail segment, known sometimes as the Tahqua Trail, more or less parallels the Tahquamenon River for 17 miles through the park. Camping is only permitted in the two developed campgrounds unless prior arrangements have been made. The 21,000 acre park contains outstanding scenery including the second largest waterfall in the east. Contact Manager, Tahqua­ menon Falls State Park, Paradise Ml 49768, or DNR.

From the boundary of Tahquamenon Falls State park, the trail goes west, then north, then west along the shore of Lake Superior 44 miles to Grand Marais through Lake Superior State Forest and Muskallonge Lake State Park. There are six state forest campgrounds and the state park campground along the route, and trailside camping is permitted. The trail is marked with the offical NCT marker and blue paint blazes. For a brouchure and map of the trail and information on rules and regulations in state forest lands, and information on Muskal­ longe Lake State Park, contact DNR.

The 26 miles of NCT along the shore of Lake Superior from the mouth of the Big Two-Hearted River to Grand Marais would be considered pretty good trail anywhere, but they rather pale next to the next segment, the 43 miles of Lakeshore Trail in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, the only major segment of National Park Service land on the entire NCT. The NCT/Lake­ shore Trail is marked with the NCT marker and routed wooden signs at all trail heads and intersections. Hiker's fingers will grow weary depressing the shutter buttons of their cameras as they try to capture the outstanding scenery of the Lake Superior shoreline -- the massive Grand Sable Dunes, beautiful sandy beaches, and the magnificent Pictured Rocks. Historic sites such as the log slide and the Au Sable Point Lighthouse will intrigue hikers. Two developed and 12 backcountry campsites are located along the trail. A free permit is required to camp overnight in the back country. Permits can be obtained at the park headquar­ ters or at the visitor centers at either end of the trail in Grand Marais and Munising.

This is probably the most heavily-used regular segment of the NCT in Michigan. End-to-end walking of the Lakeshore Trail is sufficent that the Park Service, in cooperation with Alger County, runs a shuttle bus between the two visitor centers to return hikers to the trail head (in summer months). For information on this, plus a brochure on the lakeshore and information on the Lakeshore Trail and backcountry camping, contact Superintendant, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, PO Box 40, Munising Ml 49862, The NCTA publishes the invaluable "Guide to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore", by Olive Anderson, available for $6.95 from NCTA.

This stellar section of the NCT ends with a segment in the Hiawatha National Forest west of Munising. The marked trail follows roads for about four miles through the city, then goes off-road for about 15 miles at a trailhead off M-94. The trail was certified to the junction of Rock River Road and FR2276 in 1989. Campsites and bivouac areas are yet to be developed, but trailside camping is permitted on all but the few sections of private land the trail crosses. For further information, contact Hiawatha National Forest, Munising Ranger District, 400 Munising St., Munising Ml 49862.

After crossing this excellent 210-mile segment of the NCT, it's going to be hard for the long-distance hiker to return to roads,

. but he will need to consult maps for 20 miles in Alger and Marquette Counties to reach Harvey, south of Marquette. From Harvey, a six-mile usable bike path follows the shore through Marquette to Presque Isle City Park, north of town. The general route of the . NCT extends through north-central Marquette

trail in Wisconsin is forced to be moved north; as discussed in the Wisconsin section, the NCT could intercept this trail any place between the proposed crossing and Jay Cooke State Park, outside of Duluth.

One of 12 corridor trails adminstered by the Department of Natural Resources, the Border Trail will eventually connect the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area with Duluth via the scenic St. Croix River Valley, a National Scenic Riverway. The trail is completed from where the NCT route enters the_ state, near Danbury, WI, north to Nickerson and south to the Snake River. Heading north, about 23 miles of existing trail traces the

All states along the route -of the North Country - Trail ~ave problems in developin~ it. In each one, the problems are a .li~tle different. One of the big problems the handful of NCTA activists in Minnesota have faced is snowmobiles. The state has a strong snowmobile lobby, - and until recently the Minnesota DNR has had a policy that no trails will be developed on· state land that aren't open to snowmobiles. That policy shows signs of changing, and the Minnesota NCTA Committee has received the go-ahead to lay out a hikers-only trail on a trial basis.

In the NCT enters Minnesota on the planned route, it will begin by following the Minnesota-Wisconsin Border Trail. If the

Minnesota Through the 10,000 lakes country

scenic overlooks. The western half of the trail is gentle in nature, being a rolling combination of upland and swamps. The trail passes by several small, beautiful lakes and crosses a number of rivers and small streams, the Brunsweiler and Marengo being the largest. The trail crosses several forest development roads, each providing an access point to the trail. The trail comes to an end at the National Forest border, on County Hwy. A near Lake Ruth about 5 miles south of Iron River. For more information, contact Forest Supervisor, Chequa­ megon National Forest, 147 N. Fifth Ave., Park Falls WI 54552.

Potential for a trail exists to the west of the Chequamegon­ National Forest, in forest lands owned by Bayfield County, though little development has been done. The hiker will have to consult road maps of Bayfield and Douglas Counties for the next five-mile segment, taking the hiker to a usable pathway through the Brule River State Forest. This route roughly parallels the Brule River on the south side. Information available on this snowmobile route is skimpy, but the hiker may be able to get some from Douglas County, Box 211, Solon Springs WI 54873.

The plan for the North Country Trail calls for it to continue southwest from the end of the Brule River_ Snowmobile Route, along the St. Croix River, a National Scenic Waterway. How­ ever, local resistance has arisen to putting the route down this river, partly due to the amount of private land, and partly due to conditions that are perceived as too 'marshy for trail use. An alternative route is increasingly seen as a viable option. This alternate route would head directly west from some point on the planned route, crossing· into Minnesota at a place somewhere between Nemadji State Forest and Jay Cooke State Park. Inability to reach a decision on this matter has stalled trail development in a part of Minnesota as well as Wisconsin.

If the hiker wishes to follow the planned route of the North Country Trail, he will have to use county maps ·from Douglas, Washburn and St. Croix Counties to get across the gap, heading for the state line crossing on Wisconsin SRI 7 /Minnesota SR 48 just west of Danbury, WI.

Certified r.onnecting -­ Projected ···· ··

WISCONSIN

./.'- ... ·z '--/ ~./· ,- r.o;pe; Falls SP Brule SF Chequamegon NF

Wisconsin has the smallest distance that the North Country Trail has to cross, and the second smallest amount of trail developed to date. It's pretty good trail, including the trail that gave it's name to the whole concept.

Development of the North Country Trail in Wisconsin has had its problems. The amout of finished trail actually shrank a little; trail earmarked for the state may shrink more.

The trail crosses from Michigan on the US-2 bridge in Ironwood into Hurley, a town reknowned in lumbering days for its wild reputation on Saturday nights; indeed, some of the cause still remains. Hikers needing to cross the gap to Copper Falls" State Park will need to consult road maps of Iron and Ashland Counties. A few miles west of Hurley, a 7-mile trail on Iron County Forest lands was certified until recently, but was allowed to fall into disrepair; it could be reopened at some time in the future.

The first usable trail in Wisconsin is Copper Falls State Park, about 20 miles west of Hurley. The NCT meanders through this park for 7.8 miles, taking the hiker through peaceful forests to a series of spectacular waterfalls: Copper Falls, Brownstone Falls, and Tyler's Fork Cascades. The park contains a wide variety of recreational facilities, including two developed campgrounds, a group campground, and two backpack campsites in the north end of the park on a side trail off of the NCT. Advance reservations are recommended for the backpack campsites. The trail through the park is marked with routed wooden signs, the official NCT marker, and diamond-shaped blue metal markers. For information on the park and its segment of the NCT, contact the Park Superintendent, Copper Falls State Park, Mellen WI 54546. The east trailhead for the NCT in the Chequamegon National Forest is not far away, but the hiker will have to consult Ashland County road maps to get there.

The 60 mile trail in the Chequamegon National Forest was designed for backpackers, and was built and named the North Country Trail years before the concept of the seven-state trail arose. The trail begins on Forest Road 390 about 2 miles west of Mellen. The trail is open to hiking and_ backpacking_ and horseback riding in the summer and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter.· Four developed campgrounds with water, tables, fireplaces, etc., are located along or very near the trail. Three Adirondack shelters are located along the trail as well, a rarity on the NCT. Trailside camping. is permitted, but campsites must be kept 50 feet away from the trail or any - water.

The trail heads northwest through the forest. The eastern half of the trail is the most rugged. This portion of the trail travels through the Penokee Hills, an area of rock. outcroppings and

Wisconsin: Hikin_g across the Dairy State

sites are located along the trail, which is marked with the NCT marker and blazes. In addition, trailside camping is permitted, except in areas marked "no camping". Surprisingly, in the Land of Lakes, there is a water problem along this trail, and hikers must go up to 12 miles without a good water source in spots.

The trail begins on the obscure Forest Road 2303 .at the Aitkin County Line; trail users will need a map from the National Forest Service to find the trailhead. However, the map available on the Chippewa National Forest is far and away the best available free information on any National Forest along the NCT, giving route information and points of interest.

One noteable area along the trail is the Shingobee Recreation Area, near the end of the section, with some nice overlooks.

For more information, users should contact Chippewa National Forest, Route 3, Box 244, Cass Lake MN 55663. The Minnesota NCTA Coordinating Committee, 1210 W. 22nd St., Minneapolis MN 55405 is planning to develop a guidebook for this section of trail, possibly available by 1990.

Through hikers will have to use maps for Hubbard County to get across the next stretch, to Lake Itasca State Park. However, the Minnesota NCTA Committee is presently surveying a route across the Paul Bunyan State Forest that would connect the-two. It is hoped to construct some trail in 1989, but no date for opening any section of this trail has been set. Potential hikers -­ or trail workers -- should contact the Minnesota Committee.

Itasca State Park, containing the headwaters of the Mississippi River, will be a highlight of a trip on the NCT through Minnesota. The NCT will utilize about ten miles of the park's extensive system of more than 60 miles of hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and bicycle trails. A major portion of the park is maintained as ''backcountry'' and many miles of trail and two walk-in campgrounds are located in this section. There are also two primitive group camps, two modern campgrounds, a lodge, and cabins located within the park. For more information, contact Manager, Itasca State Park, Lake Itasca MN 56460.

From Lake Itasca southwest to the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, no trail has yet been developed, though stirrings are under way. Through hikers will have to resort to roads in Mahnomen and Becker Counties, though they should contact the Minnesota NCT A Committee for the latest information on trail development in this area.

The NCT will utilize about 12 miles of the 50-mile network of trails and backwoods service roads within the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. Hikers wishing to use the Tamarac segments must obtain a permit from the Manager. For information about the refuge and permission to use the trail, contact Refuge Manager, Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, Rochert MN 56578.

It is not beyond the realm of possibility that there will be continuous trail from Tamarac Wildlife Refuge east through the Chippewa National Forest by 1995, and possibly as far south as Maplewood State Park, but for now, to get to Maplewood, the hiker will have to refer to maps of Becker and Ottertail Counties to follow roads across the gap.

Approximately four miles of existing hiking, cross-country skiing and horseback riding trails serve as a portion of the usable route of the NCT in Maplewood State Park. The park is noted for its scenic tree-covered hills and small clear lakes nestled in deep valleys. A total of about 35 miles of trails provide access to the various features of the park, including two modern campgrounds and a primitive group camp site. For information and a map of the trail system, contact Park Manager, Maplewood State Park, Rt. 3, Box 281, Pelican Rapids, MN 56572.

The final route south and west from Maplewood to the North Dakota state line is uncertain. Plans are for the trail to head south on an abandoned railroad grade about 18 miles to the vicinity of Fergus Falls, then west about another 20 miles to the state line on another abandoned railroad grade. However, this may not prove possible, and for now the through hiker will have to consult Ottertail and Wilkin County maps to get to the state line. The long-distance hiker will not put many miles behind him after leaving Maplewood State Park before he leaves the heavy forest country behind for good, and begins to enter a new phase of the North Country Trail, one that is mostly yet to be realized, as a hiking trail across the great plains.

NCT route passing through St. Croix and Nemadji State Forests. Each forest has its own trail network, providing side trip opportunities. Six campgrounds or trail shelters are located along this portion of the trail, which is open to hikers, horseback riders, cross-country skiiers, and snowmobiles. For a map and information, contact the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Trails and Waterways Unit, Information Center, Box 40, 500 LaFayette Rd., St. Paul, MN 55146.

North of Nickerson, the Border Trail as developed comes to an end, and hikers must use a map for Carleton County, or the information brochure from the Boundary Trail to find their way north to the next usable trail, in Jay Cooke State Park.

The NCT route follows approximately 4 miles of the park's cross-country skiing and snowmobile trails. This 2,350 acre park has a modern camping area and three backcountry campsites. The entire 41-mile system of interconnected loop trails provide many side-trip opportunities amidst a hardwood forest environ­ ment featuring the St. Louis River, water-eroded gorges, steep valleys and massive rock formations. For information, contact Jay Cooke State Park, Carleton MN 55718.

The next leg is over roads in Carlton and St. Louis Counties. Though Minnesota NCTA officials are considering a big detour to the north that would take the trail through the Superior National Forest, this is still in the talk stage.

The next usable trail is in the Savanna State Forest and the Savanna Portage State Park. The trail picks up on the south side of the East Fork of the Savanna River, just inside Aitkin County. This park and forest complex encompasses a historic voyageur portage route between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes watersheds. The NCT route utilizes approximately 10 miles of the trail network in this area, including trails in the Remote Lake Solitude Area. One hike-in campground is located in the Solitude Area. In addition, there is a developed campground along the trail route in the State Park. For more information, contact the Area Forest Supervisor, Hill City Area, Box 9, Hill City MN 55748, or the Minnesota DNR at the above address.

No trail development has been done in the next section, in the Hill River and Land of Lakes State Forest, and hikers will have to resort to Aitkin County roads again to reach the trailhead of the NCT in the Chippewa National Forest.

The 68 miles of NCT in the Chippewa National Forest is the only trail yet certified in Minnesota. Several developed camp-

Certified l'.onnecting -­ Projected ......

MINNESOTA

Maplewood SP

Itasca SP.\ Cjlippewa NF Tamarac : .. - .... _ IA Savanna SF NWR- J /_ ""' '~ : .. ~J. · .....

Paul Bunyan SF 'i

..... ;\ MN-:iy ::: ~~:

(:onnecting-­ Projected · · ··· · • Fort Ransom

continues along the Sheyenne River Valley and Lake Ashabula, a multi-purpose reservoir built and managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Numerous public recreation sites, many with camping, are located along either side of the reservoir. As the river makes its westward turn, the general route of the trail departs from the Sheyenne River and heads north through Griggs and Nelson Counties to Stump Lake National Wildlife Refuge, and then enters Fort Totten Indian Reservation in Benson County, to the west. Sully's Hill National Game Preserve and Fort Totten State Historic Site are two places of interest which would be located near or on the route of the NCT.

Turning south, the NCT would leave Ft. Totten Indian Reservation, briefly follow the Sheyenne River, and intersect the route of the Garrison Diversion Project in Eddy County. The diversion canal rights of way provide a high potential, and perhaps the only feasable route across miles of private farm­ lands. The western portion, or McClusky Canal, has been completed and the NCT could be accommodated within the right of way. Although some of the canal lies in deep cuts and may not be considered very scenic, some portions are at grade level · and appear as natural water boundaries. Even where there are cuts, the trail would probably parallel the canal on the high ground. The route would take the hiker west through Wells, Sheridan and McClean Counties.

The completed portion of the Garrison Diversion, the Mc­ Clusky Canal, begins at Lonetree Reservoir in eastern Sheridan County. There has been a proposal that the route of the NCT diverge from the canal for a ways to investigate the Prophet Mountains in the north central part of the county. This section of the country is not the semi-desert that some people associate with the great plains; it passes through numerous small lakes, heavily used in season for waterfowl nesting. As the trail nears Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea, impounded by Garrison Dam, it has the opportunity to pass through several wildlife refuges. The NCT will follow routes along and near the shore of these lakes to the dam, taking advantage of, to the extent possible, the potential of a continuous chain of public lands. As the NCT crosses Garrison Dam, it intersects the water route of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and reaches its western terminus. The western trail head will be in Lake Sakakawea State Park, located on the shore of the lake just west of the dam.

It may be a challenge to complete the trail in North Dakota, but the trail is started, and the potential exists for a fair amount of development on publicly-held lands, especially toward the western end. All that really is holding up development of the trail is the development of a core of active volunteers to make _ the contacts and get things moving, and there seems to be the beginnings of such a group. Most of this group will be North Dakotans, who will be willing to share a secret: they've got something special there that most people don't know about, and eventually they'll develop a most memorabale part of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

- <:ertifed

NORTH DAKOTA

Lake Sakakawea

I .. . . .... : : : .. : . . . . . . . . . . . .·. -, : : .. . . : ·.

• · : Sheyenne : Grasslands

SP~·~ .. 1 ..... \ .

Sheyenne SF

"Completing the North Country Trail in North Dakota will be a challenge," the Park Service's slide show on the North Country Trail says.

No one thinks that it will be an easy proposition. Enthusiasts· speculate that probably the last section of the NCT to be rendered usable will be in the Peace Garden State. Still, there has been some trail activity developing in recent years, and on a percentage basis, the trail is growing the fastest in North Dakota. If it proves possible to run the trail halfway across the state, it will provide a unique experience for hikers, that of being able to travel under open skies, with the prairie rolling away to the horizion, and a feeling of space unavailable on any other National Scenic Trail. There are some shining possibilites for trail development awaiting in the state.

The general route of the NCT crosses the Minnesota state line at Whapeton and may follow an abandoned railroad grade north; but if these plans don't work out, hikers will have to follow roads in Richland County to reach Ft. Abercrombie State Historic Site. The fort was established in 1858 to protect the northwestern frontier and was one of a chain of forts along the route from St. Paul to the Montana gold fields. The general route heads west across flat farmland to the Sheyenne National Grassland; the hiker undaunted by the lack of trail development will have to use county maps from Richland and Ransom Counties to find their way to the Sheyenne National Grasslands.

Trail development of a 25-mile segment in the grasslands began in 1988, and was expected to take two years. The eastern trailhead is expected to be about 7 miles southwest of Kindred; the hiker should contact District Ranger, Sheyenne National Grassland, Box 946, Lisbon ND 58054 for information.

From the Sheyenne Grasslands, it is hoped the trail can follow the Sheyenne River valley, but for now hikers will have to consult a map of Ransom County to get across the gap to the Sheyenne State Forest, where one mile of the Oak Ridge Trail was for many years the only certified NCT in the state. The trail offers outstanding scenic views overlooking the Sheyenne River valley. The trail is open to hiking, horseback riding, cross­ country skiing, and snowshoeing. Primitive camping is available. For more information, contact District Forester, North Dakota Forest Service, Box 604, Lisbon ND 58054.

A snowmobile trail heads northwest out of the Sheyenne State Forest, and is reportedly usable by hikers; information can be had from the above address. Failing that, the hiker can continue on Ransom County roads to Fort Ransom State Park.

A 1.5 mile trail segment in Fort Ransom State Park was recently certified; it is the westernmost segment of the NCT yet completed. Fort Ransom State Historic Site is an unrestored military post dating back to the 1870s. For information, contact Manager, Ft. Ransom State Park, Box 67, Ft. Ransom ND 58033.

From Ft. Ransom west, the NCT is an unrealized possibility, and hikers will have to generally follow county roads, possibly snowmobile trails in places, or bushwhack through game preserves and the like.

The general route leads north out of Ft. Ransom State Park, passing by Little Yellowstone Park, a scenic county park and natural area. At Kathryn, in Barnes County, the NCT route might follow the Sheyenne Valley Snowmobile Trail route being established by the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Depart­ ment, at least as a connecting section. This- route goes north to Valley City. A few miles north of there, the general route

The rewards are worth the challenge

North Dakota:

Phone ---------------

Name

Address

I wish to join the North Country Trail Association.

Enclosed is $ for a

membership.

I ' Yes. I would like to further support the North Country Trail Association with my tax free contribution of $ . enclosed.

/\dult. $ 10.00 l'°amily (includes children under 18) $ 15.00 Student $ 5.00 Organization $ 25.00 Supporting $ 50.00 Donor $ 250.00 Life $ 300.00 Patron $ 5000.00 Commercial $ 500.00

Annual Dues: membership year runs from July 1 through June 30. Dues paid from April 1 on are valid through June 30 of the following year.

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

North Country Trail Association PO Box 311 White Cloud, Ml 49349

North Country Trail Association.

You can help with making the dream a reality by joining the

Building the North Country National Scenic Trail will be a big job. Much has been completed, but there's still a lot to do.

THAT'S BEING REALIZED

. North r.ountry National Scenic Trail

A DREAM