North Country NTL Scenic -West
North Country NTL Scenic -West Trail is a 23.5 miles trail in Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2 to 3, moderately developed to developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters Rock River Canyon Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Hiawatha 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 | 46.3834, -86.6781 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 46.4207, -86.9912 · 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 3 segments.
The trail
| Length | 23.5 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed; 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | imported compacted material, native material |
| Typical grade | 5-8 percent |
| 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 | 915 |
| Forest | Hiawatha National Forest (unit 0910) |
| 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.
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed 05/15 to 11/30 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed |
| Mountain biking | 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
- Rock River Canyon Wilderness WildernessFS · the line touches the boundaryWilderness 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 NTL Scenic -West Trail?
23.5 miles, the sum of the 3 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Hiawatha National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the North Country NTL Scenic -West 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 NTL Scenic -West Trail start?
The line begins at 46.3834, -86.6781 and ends at 46.4207, -86.9912. 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 NTL Scenic -West Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Rock River Canyon Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the North Country NTL Scenic -West Trail?
Au Train Lake Campground (1 mi), Bay Furnace Campground (4 mi) and Grand Island National Recreation Area (4.3 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 NTL Scenic -West Trail?
Trail class 2 to 3, which the Forest Service describes as moderately 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 NTL Scenic -West Trail?
The typical grade is 5-8 percent.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the North Country NTL Scenic -West Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the North Country NTL Scenic -West 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 NTL Scenic -West Trail?
Hiawatha National Forest, Forest Service unit 0910. The trail is in Michigan.
Source
This page is built from 3 segments named NORTH COUNTRY NTL SCENIC -WEST in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0910. 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.