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The North Country National Scenic Trail. Its blue blazes someday will stretch 4,600 miles from New York to North Dakota. 1. Already half-finished. The NCT will become America’s longest hiking trail, . dwarfing the Appalachian, Continental Divide and Pacific Crest Trails.
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The North Country National Scenic Trail Its blue blazes someday will stretch 4,600 miles from New York to North Dakota. 1
Already half-finished. The NCT will become America’s longest hiking trail, dwarfing the Appalachian, Continental Divide and Pacific Crest Trails.
The trail links 10 national forests and shows old growth giants in the Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota...
…or dark cedar swamps in Upper Michigan’s Hiawatha National Forest.
Throughout its length, the trail encounters Historic and familiar landmarks Some examples… 7
Fort Stanwix National Monument in Rome, NY, and three other national park areas… 8
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Park and Wright Brothers Memorial in Ohio 9
…and the Saint Croix National Scenic River Waterway in Wisconsin, made up of the Namekagon (left) and the Saint Croix Rivers.The trail links many other historic and scenic landmarks.Among them…
…the Showboaton the Flat River here in Lowell, site of the Association’s national headquarters… 15
Showy lady slipper along the trail in Michigan’s Wilderness Park.
It’s late Spring along the trail in the Lower Peninsula: the season for Canada geese to introduce their offspring.
The Manistee River is a premier trailside habitat, a fine spot for spotting a Bald Eagle on patrol high above the River…
Enormous White pine in Taquamenon State Park would provide enough lumber for five houses. 30
Starting from the East In New York State 31
The current Eastern Terminus: Crown Point, NY, on Lake Champlain. 32
Along the present route in New York State, the spectacular Watkins Glen State Park is one of the reasons the trail was named the North Country National Scenic Trail. 33
Much of the route, like this section in Hoffman’s Notch, follows the Finger Lakes Trail. 34
Blue blazes mark the trail throughout as here where it crosses into Pennsylvania. 36
View of Kinzua Creek from the North Country Trail in the Allegheny National Forest. 37
Through hikers can overnight at our cabin in Davis Hollow State Park. 38
Ohio 39
Old Man’s Cave State Park, a favorite stopover on the Buckeye Trail section of the North Country Trail. 40
Two sections of the Wayne National Forest mark the southernmost portion of the Buckeye Trail section. 41
An abandoned railroad bridge provides a crossing in northern Ohio. 42
This is actually a modern bridge, built by Ohio trail volunteers. 43
Downtown Lowell, site of the North Country Trail Association’s national headquarters, marks the approximate halfway point between New York and North Dakota. 45
…or on foot. Whether on snowshoes…
There’s warm shelter in the old Birch Grove School near White Cloud.
The historic schoolhouse, built in the lumbering era and restored by the Western Michigan Chapter, serves as an overnight stop, training facility and jumping off point for many favorite day hikes along the trail. 49
Back on the trail, along Highbanks Lake in Newaygo County… 50