N C T McCormick Wilderness
N C T McCormick Wilderness Trail is a 7.8-mile trail in Ottawa National Forest, Michigan. The Forest Service rates it trail class 1, minimally developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. It enters McCormick Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Ottawa National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 46.6344° N, 88.0524° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 46.6540° N, 87.9604° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 2 segments.
The trail
| Length | 7.8 miles |
| Trail class | 1, minimally developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 5-8 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| National designation | National Scenic or Historic Trail |
| Trail numbers | 60018 |
| Forest | Ottawa National Forest (unit 0907) |
| States | Michigan |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Snowshoeing | Allowed year-round |
| Cross-country skiing | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- McCormick WildernessFS · about 88% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Camping nearby
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
Fire nearby
- WildfireCraig Lake 1
7 mi from the trail midpoint · 606 acres · 90% contained
- WildfireRidge
19 mi from the trail midpoint · 496 acres · 50% contained
- WildfireSilver Leaf
31 mi from the trail midpoint · 12 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for Michigan
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes on and Around the North Country Trail - Michigan and WisconsinThomas Funke, 2016Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the N C T McCormick Wilderness Trail?
The Forest Service records 7.8 miles under this name in Ottawa National Forest, the sum of 2 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the N C T McCormick Wilderness Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the N C T McCormick Wilderness Trail start?
The line begins at 46.6344° N, 88.0524° W and ends at 46.6540° N, 87.9604° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the N C T McCormick Wilderness Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters McCormick Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: McCormick Wilderness
Where can I camp near the N C T McCormick Wilderness Trail?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.
How developed is the N C T McCormick Wilderness Trail?
Trail class 1, which the Forest Service describes as minimally developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the N C T McCormick Wilderness Trail?
The typical grade is 5-8 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the N C T McCormick Wilderness Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the N C T McCormick Wilderness Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Scenic or Historic Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the N C T McCormick Wilderness Trail?
Ottawa National Forest, Forest Service unit 0907. The trail is in Michigan.
Is there a fire near the N C T McCormick Wilderness Trail?
The interagency feed shows 3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Craig Lake 1 at 7 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named N C T McCormick Wilderness in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0907. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.