North Country Trail 

Grand Traverse Hiking Club 

Section Trail Notes    (West to East) 

Last Updated November 2004*

* Some of this information may be dated.  If in doubt, refer to current NC trail maps available at:

http://www.northcountrytrail.org/shop.php?category_id=4

GENERAL: Hiking is mostly along a ridge above the Manistee River with intermittent ravines. Tent sites interspersed along trail. Blue blazes mark the trail and 2 blazes on a tree mark a turn. 

Sect 1 : Benton Road trailhead to M-115 Roadside Park

You may start on this trail @ Hodenpyl Dam (campground @ 3 ½ Rd). From Mesick, drive west past M-37 south & turn left on Hodenpyl Dam Rd.; past the pond the road becomes Beers Rd & look for NCT signposts. Parking on the south, hike north. NCT markers are silver diamonds for a few miles, then change to blue (beginning of GTHC trail @ a boundary marker).

Sect 2 Roadside Park north side of M-115 to No. 8 Road

3.5 miles. Rolling trail through hardwoods. Limited roadside parking at No. 8 road which is dirt, but good parking, water, & toilets at Roadside Park on M-115.

Sect 4: M-37 to No 17 Road

Sect 5: No. 17 Road to Anderson Creek

Sect 6: Anderson Creek to Highbanks Rollaway

6.2 miles. Hilly trail. Scenic views overlooking Manistee River. Parking good @ Highbanks Rollaway w/ handicap access. No camping. Overlook east( left) of parking lot.

Sect 7: Highbanks Rollaway to Baxter Bridge

Sect 8: Baxter Bridge (29 ½ Mile Rd) to Dell Road

2.7 miles. Gravel & paved roads, Temporary connector. Parking roadside limited at Dell Road.

Sect 9: Dell Road to Townline Road

3.4 miles. Hilly trail, scenic; 2 tent sites. Parking good @ Townline Rd. NCT trailhead @ end of Townline Road. Gravel Road extends south at Townline Road.

Sect 10: Townline Rd to Spur Trail Junction

4.2 miles, Rolling trail, Two tent sites both overlooking Manistee River @each end of this section

Spur Trail intersection to US 131 Campground.

1.0 miles, US 131 Campground has good parking, camping @ conventional drive-in sites, water, toilets & dumpster. Canoe put-in. Trail is blazed in white & immediately crosses a bridge over 2 streams, moving eastward over rolling terrain through pine & hemlock.  Another spur trail (.9 miles) continues east to a beautiful lookout over the river.

Sect 11: Spur Trail Junction to M-113

Sect 12: M-113 to M-186

Hodenpyl Dam From Mesick, drive west past M-37 south & turn left on Hodenpyl Dam Rd. You are driving north of the pond & past the pond the road becomes Beers Rd; look for NCT signposts. Parking on the south &hike north. Markers are silver for first couple miles & then change to blue.

Take M-37 south through Buckley to Mesick & turn right onto M-115.Continue 5.1 miles to a Roadside Park on your right. Best parking plus a water pump & toilets.

No. 10 ½ Road: Easiest driving is from M-115 Roadside Park toNo.10 ½ Rd. Turn right (west) from the park & go on M-115 for 1.3 miles& turn right on Harlan Rd. Go 1 mile to No.10 ½ Rd (gravel) and turn right. The trail crosses the road at 1.5 miles (limited parking)

Temporary connector (4.6 miles to trailhead). To avoid the bad section of this road between

No.11 & No.9 roads, from Traverse City take M-37 to County 137 (County Line Road) just north of Buckley. Turn right and go two miles to No.9 road (paved) and turn left. Go 3 miles to No.8 road (dirt) and turn right. The trail will be approximately 1½ miles on your left. (parking limited on side of road).

Hint: Even numbers (e.g. No.8 Rd) run east & west, Odd numbers (e.g. No.9 & 11) run north & south)

Connectors: No.7 Rd south (gravel) is good (hang a right at the Y). Harlan Road is good.

Drive south on M-37 through Buckley for 3.5 miles. Just past No. 8 road on the right, look for a 2-track & trail marker on the left. The trailhead& parking area are a short way in (parking to right of trail sign).

Go to Buckley & turn left at the light (2 ½ Rd) & go until it dead-ends, then take a right onto No. 17 road. Continue straight and when pavement ends continue on the gravel road for 3 miles to the trailhead (marked on both sides of the road). Look for parking off-road north of the trail (You can continue south 1½ mile to Harvey Bridge; on the south side of the bridge is a parking area on your left with toilet NCT Page 3 facilities and canoe put-in (good views along the road between the bridge & the trail).

At Buckley turn left at the light (2 ½ Rd) & go until it dead-ends, take a right onto No. 17 road and then a left onto No. 4 road (all paved). Continue for 1 mile and turn right onto No. 19 road (From Kingsley: Go south @ stop sign, turn right onto Fenton Road, then left on Blackman Rd which dead-ends at County Line Rd – turn right here & stay on pavement which becomes No. 4Rd, & continue to #19 Rd & turn left.) Turn left on No. 6 Road &at 1.1 miles (just past Anderson Creek) take the 2-track on the right (this is a sandy, rutted road). Bearing right, continue 1.4 miles & down a hill to the river where you will see some large boulders along the bank where you can park. Walk a few hundred feet west & you will see the bridge that spans the stream. For a nice campsite, drive the 2-track east until it wants to leave the river & heads north. Take a 2-track right to a nice camping spot here. (Do not attempt continuing north which is No. 23 Rd as it is a mess & narrow.)

From T.C. west – At Buckley turn left (east) at the light & go until it dead-ends, take a right on No. 17 road and then a left onto No. 4 road (all paved). Follow until you come to a sharp left (Scenic Overlook sign here) -leave pavement & go straight ahead onto a dirt/gravel road which will turn right & meander south & east (stay to mainly-used road). You will come to a sign for the Overlook parking lot (1.4 miles from pavement).

From T.C. east – Go south @ the stop sign in Kingsley & turn right onto Fenton Road, then left onto Blackman Rd which dead-ends at County Line Rd – turn right here & continue until pavement takes a sharp right (Scenic Overlook sign here) Go straight ahead onto a dirt road which turns left and then meanders south & east (stay to mainly-used road) You will come to a sign for Overlook parking lot (1.4 miles from pavement).

Baxter Bridge

Go east at Kingsley for 1 mile & turn right onto Summit City Road. Go 5miles to where pavement ends and continue on paved road to the right (County Line Road) then take first left onto paved 29 ½ mile Road. You will see the trail marker on your right at the beginning of a tree line. Continue ¼ mile down the road for parking at the bridge, or you can continue past the bridge to the State Forest Campground on your left.

Go east at Kinsley for1 mile & turn right onto Summit City Road. Go south5 miles to where pavement ends, turn left onto County Line Rd (gravel) and go 1mile to Dell Rd & trail marker. Turn right here and go down Dell Road until it ends. Look for NCT trail markers on the fire lane to your right. Trail starts here, due south. Parking roadside limited

From Kingsley, go 1 mile east to Summit City Road, turn right. Go 3 miles& turn left onto Walton Road. Go 3 miles to Townline Road (gravel) &turn right (there is a NCT trailhead sign at this intersection). Go south on Townline for 2 miles & as it curves east you will see a NCT sign; turn south on this 2-track for 1 mile to Trailhead marker (parking on the right).

From the east side of Traverse City, take your favorite route to US-131.After the intersection of M-113, go south for 2 miles then turn right. You will see a sign for the State Forest Campground. Park at the Campground & follow the trail markers West for 1 mile until you reach the Spur Junction.

From the blinking light in Kingsley, go east on M-113 until it ends atUS-131.  Turn right on US-131, drive 1 mile and turn right onto Union Rd. (which is called E. County Line Rd. on the east side of US-131). Immediately you will see No. 2 Rd. which is the seasonal road that will cross over the railroad tracks.  Go 1.2 miles west on No. 2 Rd. and look for the blue NCT posts where the trail crosses the road.  There is very limited random parking in the woods along the road.

From the blinking light in Kingsley, go east on M-113 for 9.5 miles. Look for the blue NCT posts where the trail will cross the road. There is parking along the roadside but use caution since this is a heavily traveled road.

M-186

From the blinking light in Kingsley, go east on M-113 for 6.5 miles and turn left onto M-186.  Go 1 mile on M-186 and look for the blue NCT posts where the trail will cross the road.  There is random parking along M-186 or along the seasonal road, especially on the north side.