SITUATION
The North Country National Scenic Trail stretches approximately 4100 miles across the northern United States from Lake Sakakwea in North Dakota eat to the New York/ Vermont state line.

The certified sections of the trail are marked to a standard prescribed in the North Country National Scenic Trail Comprehensive Plan for Management and Use and the North Country National Scenic Trail "A Handbook for Trail Design, Construction, and Mainteneance." A portion of the NCT mileage has been marked as a connector between certified portions. Some temporary road or trail mileage, not meeting certification standards, have poor to no marking. Other trail mileage, not yet certified, has excellent to poor marking. The current trail marking conditions provide a hiking experience that varies from excellent to poor, or none at all. A through hiker would have a difficult time following the trail, based on markings, from North Dakota to the New York/ Vermont state line. Local users may have trouble following the trail depending upon where they attempt to use it.

To mark the entire trail for public use will take many hours of volunteer and agency personnel time and thousands of markers and/or blazes. It will be a virtually endless job given the temporary nature of some trail segments and the eroding effects of weather, vandalism, and possible changes of trail location. The need for marking the trail route well is a high priority if people are to follow it end to end or for the segments they choose to hike. The marking must be visible at crossings with roads, other trails, or where nearby activities may make it difficult to follow the trail tread. In addition, markings must be visible at key locations so map users can orient themselves and know where they are and whether or not they are on the right trail.

POLICY

1. The North Country Trail Association generally supports the end to end marking of the NCT as well as identification of the trail route on maps to facilitate use of both certified and non-certified trail locations by through and local hikers using shorter segments.
2. The priority for achieving such marking is left to managing agencies, local chapters, and affiliated trail clubs and depends upon the availability of labor, volunteers, and available routes.
3. Local managing agencies, chapters, and affiliates should provide and publicize the best temporary routing between certified trail segments and shuld distribute the information through NCTA and National Park Service offices, World Wide Web sites, and maps and brochures.
4. Production and maintenance of high quality maps for the entire trail, both certified and temporary segments, are to be of the highest priority in identifying the trail location for through and local hikers.
5. End to end marking priority is recomended as follows;
   • A. short connectors or temporary segments of not over 5 miles in length, and
   • B. segments longer than 5 miles.
6. Blazes and trail markers, etc. should not be provided on roads or other temporary segments over 5 miles in length unless agencies [sic], chapters [sic], and affiliates [sic] resources permit and priority A segment marking has been completed. The trail route should, however, be shown and marked on all maps to be used by local or through hikers.
7. If marking is accomplished, it should be to the following standards;
   • Paint blazes- intermittently as necessary but at least double blazes at road junctions.
   • Connector Decals (Carsonite #NCT 3599)- at end of each certified segment.
   • Connector Emblems- Intermittently as necessary along connector segments