North Country National Scenic Trail

Videos

About

Minnesota is home to an approximately 800-mile long segment of the 4,600-mile long North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT for short) - a non-motorized footpath.

Currently, about 70% of the NCT's route is complete here in Minnesota. There is a 196-mile, contiguous segment located in northcentral Minnesota between Detroit Lakes and Remer and a 400-mile, contiguous segment from near Ely to Jay Cooke State Park south of Duluth. Other isolated segments include a 3-mile segment in Maplewood State Park, a 4-mile segment near Grand Rapids, and a 10-mile loop in Fergus Falls.

Minnesota's only component of the National Trails System, this NCT segment is also one of our State's longest backpacking opportunities. The NCT threads its way around numerous lakes and wetlands and up and down glacial moraine hills in a mixed pine and hardwood forest. NCT hikers will be able to observe soaring bald eagles, spot amazing spring wildflowers, and take in majestic fall colors. There are numerous primitive campsites found along the NCT. An interactive map is available online at http://northcountrytrail.org/Minn and free hiking map downloads are available at https://northcountrytrail.org/the-trail/trail-map-and-downloads/.

Dates

Open year-round for non-motorized uses and opportunities like hiking, snowshoeing, hunting/fishing, and cross-country skiing. Generally speaking, the Trail is closed during the deer rifle hunting season in early November. Wear blaze orange in Fall.

Rates

No fee required.