North Country Trail
North Country Trail is a 127.3-mile trail in Huron-Manistee National Forest, Michigan. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and mountain biking.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Huron-Manistee 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 | 43.4346° N, 85.6667° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 44.3725° N, 85.8260° 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 12 segments.
The trail
| Length | 127.3 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 0-5 percent |
| Typical tread width | 12-18 inches |
| Minimum width | 18 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 | M10 |
| Forest | Huron-Manistee National Forest (unit 0904) |
| 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 |
| 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.
Trailheads
76th St. Trailhead Open May 1 to October 31 · listed closed Allowed - Hiking Llamas Bicycles Pets on leash Nonmotorized snow use: snowshoes, cross-country skiing (not groomed) Nonmotorized mechanized equipment Prohibited - Motorized vehicles Over-snow motorized vehicles Pack and saddle animals Trespassing on private land Forest-wide Closures - Camping in dispersed areas: Camping within two hundred (200) feet of any body of water, except at designated sites. Camping in an area which is posted closed and/or no camping. Camping within 450 feet of developed recreation areas. Being publicly nude. Storing Watercraft Storing, mooring, or leaving a boat or raft over 24 hours. Parking in violation of posted instructions. | under 0.1 mi |
Freesoil Trailhead Open January 1 to December 31 Allowed - Hiking, Llamas, Bicycles, Pets on leash, snowshoes, cross-country skiing, Nonmotorized mechanized equipment Prohibited - Motorized vehicles, Over-snow motorized vehicles, Pack/saddle animals, Trespassing on private land As a visitor to the National Forest, you are asked to follow certain rules designed to protect the Forest, natural resources and to provide for public safety of visitors. These rules are available to you on-line or at any office of the Huron-Manistee National Forests. Please take time to read and understand them. General Topic orders apply across the Forests. Applicable Orders - Motorized Vehicle Use of Roads, Trails and Off-road Areas Occupancy and Use North Country National Scenic Trail | under 0.1 mi |
Udell Trailhead Open May 15 to November 30 · listed closed Allowed - Hiking/Biking Llamas Pets on leash Nonmotorized snow use (not groomed) Nonmotorized mechanized equipment Prohibited - Motorized vehicles Over-snow motorized vehicles Pack and saddle animals As a visitor to the National Forest, you are asked to follow certain rules designed to protect the Forest, natural resources and to provide for public safety of visitors. These rules are available to you on-line or at any office of the Huron-Manistee National Forests. General Topic orders apply across the Forests. Applicable Orders - Motorized Vehicle Use of Roads, Trails and Off-road Areas; R904-14-02 Occupancy and Use; R904-14-03 | under 0.1 mi |
40th St. Trailhead Open May 1 to October 31 · listed closed Allowed - Hiking Llamas Bicycles - some segments Pets on leash Nonmotorized snow use: snowshoes, cross-country skiing (not groomed) Nonmotorized mechanized equipment Prohibited - Motorized vehicles Over-snow motorized vehicles Pack and saddle animals Trespassing on private land Forest-wide Closures - Camping in dispersed areas: Camping within two hundred (200) feet of any body of water, except at designated sites. Camping in an area which is posted closed and/or no camping. Being publicly nude. Parking in violation of posted instructions. | 0.1 mi |
Bowman Lake Trailhead Open May 1 to October 31 · listed closed As a visitor to the National Forest, you are asked to follow certain rules designed to protect the Forest, natural resources and to provide for public safety of visitors. These rules are available to you on-line or at any office of the Huron-Manistee National Forests. Please take time to read and understand them. General Topic orders apply across the Forests. Applicable Orders - Motorized Vehicle Use of Roads, Trails and Off-road Areas Occupancy and Use North Country National Scenic Trail Allowed - Hiking, Llamas, Bicycles, Pets on leash, snowshoes, cross-country skiing (not groomed), Nonmotorized mechanized equipment Prohibited - Motorized vehicles, Over-snow motorized vehicles, Pack/saddle animals | 0.1 mi |
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.
Trails nearby
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
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 North Country Trail?
The Forest Service records 127.3 miles under this name in Huron-Manistee National Forest, the sum of 12 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the North Country Trail?
Hiking and mountain biking are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the North Country Trail start?
The line begins at 43.4346° N, 85.6667° W and ends at 44.3725° N, 85.8260° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is 76th St. Trailhead, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the North Country Trail in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the North Country Trail?
Twinwood Lake Campground (0.1 mi), Bowman Lake Campground (0.1 mi) and Sulak Campground (0.1 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 8 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the North Country Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as 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 Trail?
The typical grade is 0-5 percent. The typical tread is 12-18 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the North Country 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 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 Trail?
Huron-Manistee National Forest, Forest Service unit 0904. The trail is in Michigan.
Source
This page is built from 12 segments named North Country Trail in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0904. 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.