Explore by State

Michigan

Upper Peninsula

The North Country trail passes into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula near the community of Ironwood before entering the Ottawa National Forest. Existing segments run along the Black River canyon, cross the wild country of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, cut through historic copper mining sites near Old Victoria and bring hikers to grand views at Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness.

East of the Ottawa, the route traverses Copper Country State Forest, Craig Lake State Park, McCormick tract Wilderness and Presque Isle City Park en route to the City of Marquette. While on this stretch, take a jaunt on a spur trail for a look at the state’s highest waterfall, Laughing Whitefish Falls.

East of Marquette, the route passes through public and private lands before reaching Hiawatha National Forest and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Within Pictured Rocks, enjoy the 43-mile Lakeshore Trail along the Lake Superior shore, one of the greatest hits of the entire North Country Trail.

Continuing east, the trail passes through Lake Superior State Forest, Muskallonge Lake State Park and Tahquamenon Falls State Park (home to the second largest waterfall in the eastern United States) before turning south to head through Hiawatha National Forest toward St. Ignace and the “Big Mac” bridge, which can only be crossed on foot during the famous Labor Day Bridge Walk.

The U.P.’s prime scenery includes large lakes, old growth forests, rugged hills and the Lake Superior shoreline, all set amid some of the most remote, uninhabited country found on the North Country Trail.

Lower Peninsula

The trail enters the Lower Peninsula and goes through Mackinaw City before entering Wilderness State Park, where it follows the Lake Michigan shoreline. Heading south, the route passes through Petoskey, Mackinaw State Forest and Pere Marquette State Forest before reaching Manistee National Forest, south of Traverse City. On the way, the trail follows the Jordan River Pathway, which offers a scenic loop hike near Alba and a fabulous new trail along the Hodenpyl Dam Pond. Within Manistee National Forest, enjoy sandy soils that support a pine-hardwood forest and great hiking along the Manistee River Trail, which forms a great loop hike opportunity.

Leaving the Manistee, the route heads south through primarily privately owned lands for the Rogue River and Lowell State Game Areas, where existing trail segments can be enjoyed. In Lowell, hikers can walk down East Main Street and stop in at North Country Trail headquarters to purchase some official trail gear. South of Lowell, the route threads through a mix of forest and farm country and passes through Middleville and Barry State Game Areas, as well as Yankee Springs State Recreation Area (near Hastings) and Fort Custer National Cemetery (near Battle Creek). The final stop before Ohio is a segment within the Lost Nation State Game Area near Pittsford.

In Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, the trail changes from a wilderness track to a pathway through rural landscapes of rolling farmlands.