SOME USEFUL LINKS

Here is a list of links which users of the North Country Trail, as well as hikers, campers, and backpackers anywhere  in Michigan, may find useful.  The Web is filled with resources for hikers and campers, and the following is only a sampling.  Plug just about any trail-, hiking- or camping-related term into your favorite search engine, and you'll reap pages of results that will keep you busy for hours!

If you've had good experience with a resource not listed here, let the Webmaster know.

(Note: This list is informational and for convenience only.  Except for the link to the NCTA Trail Shop, the North Country Trail Association and the Chief Noonday Chapter have no control over and do not endorse the content of any external Web site.)

A.  Organizations:

W. K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS)

American Hiking Society (AHS)

Michigan Audubon Society
 

B.  Government Agencies:

National Park Service (NPS)
NPS North Country Trail Web Site

USDA Forest Service
USDA Forest Service Eastern Region Home Page -- Source of information on National Forests in our region

U. S. National Forest Campground Guide -- Not an official government Web site, but this Web site is filled with highly useful information about using this valuable Federal resource.  The site is maintained by Fred and Suzi Dow, who to date have completed research on 138 National Forests and 2,051 campgrounds including Michigan's.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Michigan DNR Trails and Pathways Site
Michigan DNR Camping Information
Michigan DNR Locator Map for Campgrounds and Trails

Calhoun County Parks and Recreation
 

C.  Vendors:

The North Country Trail Association's own Trail Shop

Here is a sampling of vendors with a worthwhile selection of hiking and camping gear that can be ordered on line, by phone, or by mail:

Campmor
L. L. Bean of Freeport, Maine.
R.E.I.
Cabela's
Sierra Trading Post
 

D.  Publications:

Backpacker Magazine
 

E.  Maps and Navigation:

The NCTA Trail Shop is a good source for maps of the NCT.

http://www.learn-orienteering.org/old/    How to use a compass.  A lot of material.

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Falls/9200/navigation_map_compass.html    Navigation With Map and Compass

http://www.learn-orienteering.org/old/nocompass1.html   Compass tutorial

http://www.geocities.com/watch_crazy/compass/compass.htm    Using an analog wristwatch as a compass.

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/activity/hiking/skills/navigation/main.htm   GORP's page on using GPS

F.  Hiking and Camping tips and techniques:

http://www.forestcamping.com/dow/suzi/index.htm    Suzi Dow's "Camping w/ Suzi" page

http://www.outdoorplaces.com/index.html     Source of info on parks -- with a collection of links on their home page to a lot of instructional content

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_trail/north.htm    GORP

http://www.webwalking.com/hiking.html   Hiking & Walking Homepage --- gazillion links

http://www.llbean.com/outdoorsOnline/outdoorSports/hiking/   Drawing on the experience of L L Bean

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/activity/hiking.htm   GORP's basic page on hiking --- loads of links

http://www.lovetheoutdoors.com/camping/Outdoor_Cooking.htm    Outdoor cooking
 

G.  Gear:

http://www.backpacking.net/walkstik.html    All about walking sticks & staffs

http://www.patc.net/hiking/gear/boots.html    What you need to know to buy Hiking Boots

http://www.llbean.com/outdoorsOnline/outdoorSports/hiking/tips/choose_boots.html   One of LLB's "Field Skills" pages --- good one on choosing, breaking in and maintaining hiking boots. 

http://animals.about.com/cs/wildactivities/bb/hikingboots.htm    Page from the "About.com" series: Before You Buy Hiking Boots or Walking Shoes

http://www.rei.com/shop/Footwear.htm    REI's tutorial on choosing footware for hiking, etc.

Last modified: Tuesday, March 07, 2006 Site visitations since 02/15/2004: