North Country National Scenic
North Country National Scenic Trail is a 34.9 miles trail in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Wisconsin. The Forest Service rates it trail class 1 to 2 to 3, minimally developed to developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters Porcupine Lake Wilderness and Rainbow Lake Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Chequamegon-Nicolet 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 | 46.4947, -91.4386 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 46.3034, -91.0931 · 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 8 segments.
The trail
| Length | 34.9 miles, of which 7.5 miles evaluated accessible |
| Trail class | 1, minimally developed; 2, moderately developed; 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | imported compacted material, native material (firm) |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches, 48-60 inches |
| Minimum width | over 42 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | At least one segment meets Forest Service accessibility guidelines |
| National designation | National Scenic or Historic Trail |
| Trail numbers | 05100A, 05100B, 100A |
| Forest | Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (unit 0913) |
| States | Wisconsin |
| 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.
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed 05/01 to 11/30 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed 05/01 to 03/14 (month/day) |
| Mountain biking | Allowed 05/01 to 03/14 (month/day) |
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
- Porcupine Lake Wilderness WildernessFS · about 21% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Rainbow Lake Wilderness WildernessFS · about 18% 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.
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date. The recreation page link goes to the Forest Service site, which may redirect to the forest's recreation index.
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Explore
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the North Country National Scenic Trail?
34.9 miles, the sum of the 8 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. 7.5 miles of that are evaluated as accessible.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the North Country National Scenic Trail?
hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the North Country National Scenic Trail start?
The line begins at 46.4947, -91.4386 and ends at 46.3034, -91.0931. 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 North Country National Scenic Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Porcupine Lake Wilderness and Rainbow Lake Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the North Country National Scenic Trail?
Two Lakes (0.4 mi), Perch Lake Recreation Area (0.9 mi) and Namekagon Lake Recreation Area (3.6 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the North Country National Scenic Trail?
Trail class 1 to 2 to 3, which the Forest Service describes as minimally developed to 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 North Country National Scenic Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the North Country National Scenic Trail accessible?
The Forest Service has evaluated 7.5 miles of this trail as meeting its accessibility guidelines. The surface is imported compacted material and native material.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the North Country National Scenic Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Scenic or Historic Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the North Country National Scenic Trail?
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Forest Service unit 0913. The trail is in Wisconsin.
Source
This page is built from 8 segments named NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0913. 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 September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.