Frequently Asked Questions
 How can I get maps for the NCT?
The NCTA has a Cartography Department, established in 1995, which is working toward completing maps of the trail. Currently, official maps of over 2000 miles of trail have been completed. Several significantly long trails (Finger Lakes, Buckeye, Superior, Border Route, Kekekabic), with their own maps, are concurrent with the NCT. The NCTA is not making maps which compete with those Affiliate trails. You can find links to their maps from the Guide to Maps.
Guide to Maps
Trail Shop
 Who is in charge of the NCT?
Each National Scenic or Historic Trail is assigned to an agency for management. The NCT is assigned to the National Park Service. Federal funding is channelled through this agency, and it works on the NCT helping with route planning, funding work projects, and guiding decisions. The North Country Trail Association is a non-profit organization (501c3) that works in partnership with the National Park Service to build, maintain, and promote the North Country National Scenic Trail. Landowners are another key piece of who is in charge. The NCT does not own any property. Along the trail the land is owned by over 150 separate agencies, governments or individuals. Except that motorized use must be prohibited, these landowners decide what activities are appropriate on their segment. The USDA National Forest Service is the largest landowner along the trail, thus decisions they make concerning the trail are very important.
For more specific answers on this question contact Clare Cain, NCTA Director of Trail Management
 What does "certified trail" mean?
There are a list of about nine requirements for trail to be certified by the National Park Service. However, three of them are most important and obvious to the user. Certified trail must be closed to motorized use, it must be properly blazed and signed (which should include blue blazes, and the logo shown here), and it must have a group or individual commited to maintain it.
For more specific answers on this question contact Fred Szarka, National Park Service Manager for the NCT
Why aren't the rules the same everywhere on the NCT?
Because of the pattern of individual land ownerships described in the paragraph above, each landowner decides what rules and regulations to apply. In some places you may be able to camp anywhere along the trail; while in other places you must use designated sites, and even have a permit. The one distinct exception to this is that official North Country Trail can not allow any motorized use. Bicycle use is covered in a separate question.
Are bicycles allowed on the NCT?
The vision for the NCT is that of a footpath. Bicycles are appropriate on hardened sections of trail designed for this extra use. The National Park Service will not certify single-track, natural surface trail which is open to bicycles. However, some sections that were certified in the past have since been opened to bicycles by the land managers. Thus the message to the public is mixed. NPS and the NCTA continue to believe that a national trail should afford the highest quality hiker experience, and continue to strive for "hiker-only" status on backcountry treadway.
Are dogs allowed on the NCT?
In most locations dogs are welcome, subject to rules concerning leashes and control by local land managers. Known locations (this list may not be complete) which do not allow dogs are Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (MI), Copper Falls State Park (WI), Tamarack Wildlife Refuge (MN)), and Fort Custer National Cemetery (MI).
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