North Country National Scenic Trail

Sequenced checkpoints

1. 1Lake Sakakawea State Park, ND

   The western terminus of the North Country Trail. The park lists the terminus as its own, and a sign with the NCT's blue triangle and eight-pointed star crest marks the start, just steps from the ranger station. The pin is at the visitor center. The park has a big campground, and sites can be booked 95 days ahead. The marina store sells ice, drinks, food and camping gear, but it is a Memorial Day to Labor Day operation. Dogs are welcome in the park on a leash. Farther east the trail crosses Audubon National Wildlife Refuge, where camping is prohibited, so plan your first night before you go. Call the park to check what is open.

2. 2Maine Junction, near Sherburne Pass, VT

   The eastern end of the North Country Trail. This is where the Appalachian Trail splits off the Long Trail in Killington and heads east, and the NCT, which has been sharing the Long Trail from the north, ends. The Green Mountain Club counts 23 miles of the NCT on the Long Trail, including this terminus. There is no road here. Reach it from the AT/LT parking lot on US 4: from the lot, cross US 4 (a very busy road) and follow the Long Trail north for 1.0 mile to the junction. Tucker Johnson Shelter is 0.4 miles north of the junction on the Long Trail, if you finish late in the day.

All markers

• North Country Trail Association Headquarters, Lowell, MI· Information

  The North Country Trail Association's headquarters, on East Main Street in Lowell, where the trail comes through town. It is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern, and closed weekends and federal holidays. If you are coming from a distance, call ahead. The association says its staff will give hikers information, internet access and bathrooms. You can collect the trail's Passport To Your National Parks stamp here, though the passport books themselves are sold only online, and the headquarters no longer sells merchandise. The National Park Service points visitors here for trail information.

  229 E. Main St. | Lowell, MI 49331

• National Park Service North Country Trail Office, Lowell, MI· Information

  The National Park Service's office for the whole North Country Trail, on East Main Street in Lowell, a short walk from the association's headquarters. The Park Service lists it as its mailing address and phone line. For walk-in help and the passport stamp, it sends visitors to the association instead. The Park Service charges no fee to hike the trail, but parking, camping or entrance fees may apply on some sections. It asks you to check with the local land manager about fees and registration before you go, and on this trail the manager changes many times.

  318 East Main Street, Suite K Lowell, MI 49331

• Jorgen's Hollow Campground, ND· Campsite

  A Forest Service campground in the oak savanna of the Sheyenne National Grassland with direct access to the North Country Trail; extra parking is at the trail's East Trailhead. It has 14 primitive sites, seven of them for horse camping, each with a picnic table and fire ring. All sites are first-come, first-served, and the stay limit is 14 consecutive days. It's open year-round, with limited services between Labor Day and Memorial Day; one vault toilet by the kiosk stays available in winter. Pack out your trash. Fire restrictions can apply, so check the grassland's alerts first. The agency page doesn't promise drinking water, so call the Sheyenne Ranger District before you count on it.

• Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site, ND· Historic site

  Fort Abercrombie was the first permanent US military fort in what became North Dakota, and the North Country Trail passes the site. The trail crosses into Minnesota just east of it. The grounds are open year-round. From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day the site is open daily; the rest of the year it opens for events, tours and by appointment, so call before you plan around a visit.

• Kawishiwi Ranger Station, Ely, MN· Information

  The Superior National Forest's Kawishiwi district office on Highway 169 in Ely. The association says this is where to get permits for the Kekekabic and Border Route Trails, and the Forest Service lists it as the contact office for the Kekekabic's west end. Both trails cross the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, where permits are required year-round. North Country Trail thru-hikers have their own entry points (#91 west, #90 east), and the Forest Service offers early permit issuance when your logistics need it; see the Kekekabic trailhead pin for how to ask. Office hours change by season, so call first.

  1393 Highway 169 Ely, MN 55731

• Kekekabic Trail West Trailhead, Snowbank, MN· Trailhead

  The west end of the Kekekabic Trail, near Snowbank Lake east of Ely. The Kek is about 46 miles, and most of it is inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, where you need a permit. Thru-hikers use entry point #91, and the Forest Service will issue overnight hiking permits early when your logistics require it: text your reservation number at least two weeks ahead, or call. The Forest Service is blunt about this trail: no cell coverage, no easy way to get help in or people out, and a compass and accurate map are essential. Treat or filter all water. Use only the facilities already provided for fires, tents and waste, keep to nine people per site, and keep dogs leashed. For a car shuttle between the Kek's two ends, the association's Kekekabic Trail Chapter lists Julie's Shuttle Service.

• Gunflint Ranger Station, Grand Marais, MN· Information

  The Superior National Forest's Gunflint district office on Highway 61 in Grand Marais, a few kilometres from the trail. The Forest Service lists it as the contact office for the Border Route Trail and the Kekekabic's east end, and the Border Route Trail Association gives its number as the local contact. NCT thru-hikers going west from here into the wilderness use BWCAW entry point #90, and can text or call for early permit issuance. Hours change by season, so call before you go.

  2020 W. Highway 61 Grand Marais, MN 55604

• Two Lakes Campground, WI· Campsite

  A Forest Service campground near Drummond, where the North Country Trail comes out of the Porcupine Lake Wilderness by the fee station. It has drinking water and vault toilets, and some sites can be reserved on Recreation.gov. Heading back into the wilderness, remember the rule there: no camping within 100 feet of water or of the North Country Trail.

• Bessemer Ranger Station and Supervisor's Office, Ironwood, MI· Information

  The Ottawa National Forest's supervisor's office and Bessemer ranger station, on US 2 at Ironwood. Two North Country Trail segments cross the forest: Ironwood to Cascade Falls, and Cascade Falls to Alberta. They take in the Black River falls, the Trap Hills and the Porcupine Mountains shore, with shelters or campgrounds along the way. The office is open weekdays and closed on federal holidays. It also manages the Black River Harbor campground.

  E6248 US HWY 2 Ironwood, MI 49938

• Porcupine Mountains Visitor Center, MI· Information

  The Michigan DNR's visitor center for Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, which the trail crosses. A backcountry camping permit is required in the park, and backcountry reservations check in here in summer to collect it. A reservation receipt is not a permit. The DNR strongly recommends reserving for May 15 to October 15; sites open six months ahead and close to booking 72 hours before arrival. Off-season, check-in is at park headquarters. The park has 65 numbered, site-specific backcountry campsites with metal fire rings. Groups are limited to six. Bear bags must hang at least 12 feet up and away from the trunk, and human waste must be buried a quarter mile from any campsite, trail or water. Staff also give trail conditions and bear sightings.

• Munising Ranger District Office, Hiawatha National Forest, MI· Information

  The Hiawatha National Forest's Munising district office, on the trail's route through town. West of Munising the Forest Service's NCT segment runs 20.3 miles from the forest boundary near Eben to M-94, through rolling, wooded country with lakes, blazed blue. From there the trail follows M-94 for 3.3 miles, a road walk, to the Munising Interagency Visitor Center, where the Pictured Rocks segment starts. The Forest Service says full-color maps of the Munising/AuTrain and Munising/Grand Marais sections are available at that visitor center. Dispersed camping is allowed in the Hiawatha National Forest and the Lake Superior State Forest. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, just east, is the opposite: camping by reservation only, with a permit. Sort that out before you leave town. The office is open weekdays and closed on federal holidays.

  400 E. Munising Ave Munising, MI 49862

• Munising Falls Visitor Center, MI· Information

  Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore's main visitor center, on the park's western end, with access to the western segment of the North Country Trail. Every overnight stay in the backcountry needs a permit, year-round, through Recreation.gov or by phone. Camping is by reservation only, with no dispersed camping. Print your permit and carry it. With a backcountry permit and a park pass you can leave a car overnight in any park lot. Most, but not all, backcountry campgrounds are a short walk from a stream, inland lake or Lake Superior; boil the water for a full minute or filter it. Do not expect your phone to work in the park. On hot, humid days with a south wind, stable flies bite legs and ankles along the shore and repellent does not stop them, so carry long, loose pants. Pets are not allowed on any NCT segment through the park or at any backcountry campground. Fires go only in the NPS fire rings, and there are no beach fires. ALTRAN, Alger County's transit, runs a reservation-only backpacker bus along H-58 toward Grand Marais. The Park Service suggests riding at the start of a trip and hiking back to your car. Call this visitor center for current backpacking conditions. Passport stamps are here too.

  1505 Sand Point Road, Munising

• Grand Sable Visitor Center, MI· Information

  Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore's eastern visitor center, at the foot of the Grand Sable Dunes two miles west of Grand Marais, with access to the North Country Trail. Most of the park's 13 backpacking campgrounds are on the NCT. Every overnight stay needs a permit, and camping is only at the numbered site on it. Pets are not allowed on the NCT through the park. The Sable Creek Trail runs from here to the Sable Falls lot. It's one of the park's passport-stamp stops.

  E21090 County Road H-58

• St. Ignace Ranger District Office, Hiawatha National Forest, MI· Information

  The Hiawatha National Forest office for the St. Ignace and Sault Ste. Marie districts, on US 2 west of St. Ignace. The Forest Service names it as the number to call about the North Country Trail in the forest's east zone, which runs 83 miles across both districts between the Mackinac Bridge and Lake Superior. The office keeps weekday hours with a lunch break and is closed on federal holidays. The east-zone trail is fairly flat, through hardwoods and pine, and blazed blue. Dispersed camping is allowed in the national forest, and three Forest Service campgrounds sit near the trail: Brevoort Lake, Lake Michigan and Soldier Lake. Many road crossings give access, but parking is at your own risk wherever the map does not show a designated parking area. The trail is not groomed in winter.

  W1900 US 2, St. Ignace St. Ignace, MI 49781

• Mackinac Bridge Authority, St. Ignace, MI· Checkpoint

  You cannot walk the Mackinac Bridge. The Bridge Authority says pedestrians must cross in a vehicle, and it runs a transport service for walkers around the clock, every day. Going south, you ask for it inside the administration building here. Going north from Mackinaw City, you call Bridge Services from the booth on the wide shoulder just north of exit 339. Anyone using the service has to sign a liability waiver and be 18 or older, which matters if you are hiking with a teenager. The North Country Trail Association says the bridge is open to walkers only during the annual Labor Day Bridge Walk. Call the Authority with questions before you get to the bridge.

  N 415 I-75 St Ignace, MI 49781

• Timber Creek Campground, MI· Campsite

  A small Huron-Manistee National Forests campground with a North Country Trail trailhead inside it; the Forest Service says the trailhead is the campground's busiest use. It is open year-round and plowed in winter, all sites are first-come, first-served, and there is potable water and a vault toilet. North of here the trail climbs through the Ward Hills and past McCarthy Lake toward the Freesoil trailhead, through what the Forest Service calls very steeply hilled terrain. Coming from the south, you cross US 10 just before you reach it. Away from campgrounds, the association says dispersed camping is allowed in the Manistee National Forest without a permit unless posted, but not within 200 feet of water except at designated sites. The trailhead beside the campground parks about eight cars and has a vault toilet. Parking there needs a day-use pass, sold on site or on Recreation.gov, and snowmobiles use the trailhead in winter.

• Marienville Ranger Station, Allegheny National Forest, PA· Information

  The Marienville Ranger District office of the Allegheny National Forest, in the town of Marienville, a few miles off the trail. The Forest Service manages 96.3 miles of the North Country Trail through the forest, and this is one of the three offices to call about it. Hours are weekday only, with a midday break, and closed on federal holidays. Two rules catch people out in Pennsylvania. A forest order prohibits bicycles on the North Country Trail system in the Allegheny National Forest, and the association notes that overnight camping is prohibited on state game lands.

  131 Smokey Lane, Marienville, PA 16239

• Hector Ranger Station, Finger Lakes National Forest, NY· Information

  The Forest Service office for the Finger Lakes National Forest, on State Route 414 in Hector. In New York the North Country Trail shares about 400 miles of the Finger Lakes Trail, and that shared route crosses the national forest, where Dunham Shelter is the Forest Service's North Country Trail/Finger Lakes Trail shelter. The office is open three weekdays and closed on federal holidays, so call before you plan on stopping in.

  5218 State Route 414 Hector, NY 14841

• Dunham Shelter, Finger Lakes National Forest, NY· Shelter

  The Forest Service's North Country Trail/Finger Lakes Trail shelter in the Finger Lakes National Forest, right on the trail. The Finger Lakes Trail Conference's camping table lists it as a lean-to with a privy, fire ring and table, with tent sites, and warns there is no nearby stream, so carry water in. The shelter is on the Forest Service's Hector District list, so the Hector Ranger Station is the office to ask about it.

• North Country Trail Town: North Creek, NY· Resupply

  An official North Country Trail Association Trail Town in the Adirondacks, on the section the Adirondack Mountain Club maintains. The association's town page lists a grocery store (Tops), a laundromat, a hardware store, a pharmacy and a bank, and says the town offers just about every amenity a hungry and tired hiker is looking for. The pin is at the Main Street supermarket. DEC lists North Creek among the communities near the Siamese Ponds Wilderness where food, supplies, dining and lodging can be found.

• Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests Supervisor's Office, Mendon, VT· Information

  The supervisor's office for the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests, on US 4 in Mendon, the same highway as the AT/LT parking lot you use to reach Maine Junction. The association lists the Green Mountain National Forest and the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area among the land units the trail crosses in Vermont. The forest requires proper food storage, which the Green Mountain Club also points out to Long Trail hikers. The office is open three weekdays and closed on federal holidays, so call ahead.

  4387 U.S. Route 4 East Mendon, VT 05701

• Audubon National Wildlife Refuge West Boundary, ND· Checkpoint

  Eastbound, this is where the trail enters Audubon National Wildlife Refuge. About 13 miles of the North Country Trail run across the refuge, a mowed path through grassland along the south side of Lake Audubon, ending on the east side near the McClusky Canal headgate. Camping and fires are on the refuge's list of prohibited activities, and the refuge is open from sunrise to sunset. That means the whole crossing has to be done in daylight in one push: camp before you enter and plan to walk out the far side the same day. Pets must be leashed. The visitor center is 3 miles north of Coleharbor off US 83 and keeps weekday office hours.

• Audubon National Wildlife Refuge East Boundary, McClusky Canal Headgate, ND· Checkpoint

  The east edge of Audubon National Wildlife Refuge, near the McClusky Canal headgate. Westbound, this is where the no-camping stretch begins: camping and fires are prohibited on the refuge, the refuge is open sunrise to sunset, and the trail runs about 13 miles across it to the main entrance. Start early enough to get through in daylight. Eastbound, this is where you leave the refuge and pick up the McClusky Canal, which starts at the east end of Lake Audubon. The trail follows the canal for more than 70 miles, part of the Garrison Diversion water project. Along the canal the association says water comes from the canal itself or nearby water bodies and has to be treated, dispersed camping is allowed beside the canal, and long stretches follow gravel roads. It also warns of extreme winter weather and few places to shelter.

• Lonetree Wildlife Management Area West Boundary, ND· Checkpoint

  Where the North Country Trail enters Lonetree Wildlife Management Area, run by North Dakota Game and Fish. The association says Lonetree hosts a 32-mile segment of the trail through prairie and wetlands. The land was meant to be a storage reservoir between the McClusky and New Rockford canals. State wildlife management areas allow primitive camping unless a road entry point is posted against it, and no stay may run longer than 10 consecutive days. WMAs are also open to hunting, fishing and trapping, so check Game and Fish season dates before a fall walk. Through Lonetree the trail isn't mowed; follow the yellow carsonite posts. Game and Fish gives the area as 5 miles south, 7.75 miles west and 0.75 miles north of the Highway 52 and Highway 3 junction.

• Fort Ransom State Park Campground, ND· Campsite

  A state park in the wooded Sheyenne River Valley with a campground. The park lists a 2.2-mile piece of the North Country Trail, and a North Dakota Game and Fish feature calls its trailhead popular with campers and day hikers. The park's standard sites have electricity and water, and there are primitive and group sites too. The park lists a water hydrant for filling at the visitor center or dump station. The park office is also a National Park Service passport stamp location. The Sheyenne River Valley chapter maintains the trail from here north along Lake Ashtabula.

  5981 Walt Hjelle Parkway Fort Ransom, ND 58033

• Sandager Park, Lisbon, ND· Campsite

  Lisbon's city park on the Sheyenne River, and the trail runs right through it. The association names Lisbon as a Trail Town and says camping is available in the park. Reservations are required for the campground; book online or by phone. Lisbon is a real resupply stop: the association lists motels, camping with showers, restaurants, gas stations, and grocery, convenience, drug and hardware stores. From town the trail crosses the Sheyenne on a pedestrian bridge and heads southeast toward the Sheyenne National Grassland.

• Sheyenne Ranger District Office, Lisbon, ND· Information

  The Forest Service office for the Sheyenne National Grassland, on Main Street in Lisbon. It is the contact the agency gives for the grassland's 30-mile stretch of the North Country Trail and for Jorgen's Hollow Campground. It keeps weekday hours and is closed federal holidays. Call ahead about fire restrictions and conditions before you head out onto the grassland.

  1601 Main Street, Lisbon, ND 58054

• Sheyenne National Grassland West Trailhead, ND· Checkpoint

  The west trailhead of the North Country Trail on the Sheyenne National Grassland, a little over three miles south of Highway 27 on County Road 54. The Forest Service describes a 30-mile stretch across rolling prairie, oak savanna and wetlands, with clear signage and three trailheads. Dispersed camping is free on the grassland but primitive: no toilets, water, picnic tables or trash service. You can stay up to 14 days in any 30-day period. Camp 100 to 200 feet from lakes and streams, and stay clear of active grazing allotments, water troughs, corrals and livestock infrastructure. This is working rangeland, with gates to keep the livestock in. The association's trail alerts say to expect grazing sheep and their guard dogs between May 1 and October 1, between mileposts 10 and 31, and to read the Forest Service's sign on how to act around the guard dogs. The trail is non-motorized only, e-bikes included. The association warns that some sections in southeastern North Dakota have fence stiles you climb over.

• Aber Park Campground, Abercrombie, ND· Campsite

  The city park and campground in Abercrombie, an NCTA Trail Town near the Red River and the Minnesota line. The city has run the park, museum, pavilion and campground since 2008, and the park's splash pad is easy to reach from the trail. Town has a post office and the Fort Saloon. For camping reservations, services or facilities, the association gives two local numbers to call. Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site is next door, and the trail crosses into Minnesota just east of it.

• Fergus Falls Trail Town, MN· Resupply

  Fergus Falls is an NCTA Trail Town on the Otter Tail River. The trail enters town on the northeast side and follows the river past Central Dam, through tallgrass prairie and DeLagoon Park to the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service environmental education center. It picks the river up again downtown in Wright Park before heading west. The association's business list includes Service Food Market, laundromats, several motels, Lake Region Healthcare, the public library and the post office, which is where this pin sits. The Minnesota Waters and Prairie chapter maintains this section.

• Frazee Trail Town, MN· Resupply

  Frazee was Minnesota's first NCTA Trail Town, and the trail goes right through downtown, so resupply is on the route. The association lists a grocery store (Frazee Family Foods, where this pin sits), a city campground and the Wildflower Campground, a gas station, a cafe, a drugstore, a hardware store and a post office. North of town the trail heads into Becker County Forest, White Earth State Forest and the lake country around Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, where camping is prohibited.

• Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge South Boundary, MN· Checkpoint

  Northbound, this is where the North Country Trail enters Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge lists hiking the trail among its activities, but its rules are strict: camping and overnight parking are prohibited, fires are allowed only in the grills at the Chippewa Picnic Site, and visitor hours run from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Keep pets leashed or under control. Plan your nights outside the refuge. The visitor center is on County Highway 26.

• Itasca State Park, Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center, MN· Information

  The main visitor center at Itasca State Park, where the North Country Trail passes the headwaters of the Mississippi. The National Park Service lists it as a Passport to Your National Parks stamp location for the trail, with its address and phone. The trail crosses the park and continues east toward the Chippewa National Forest; the Itasca Moraine chapter maintains it from the park to Minnesota Highway 84, passing the Trail Town of Walker. Don't plan to pitch a tent just anywhere here. The association says dispersed camping is generally allowed on this stretch of the trail, but not inside Itasca, Greenwater Lake Scientific and Natural Area or Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, and that designated backcountry campsites are provided. Ask staff where to stay.

  36750 Main Park Dr. Park Rapids MN

• Shingobee Recreation Area, Chippewa National Forest, MN· Trailhead

  A Chippewa National Forest day-use area in the Shingobee River hills, five miles southwest of Walker on Highway 34, with 6 miles of trail. The Forest Service lists it among its North Country Trail sites. There's no restroom and no potable water here. In the Chippewa you may camp anywhere on National Forest land: pick a spot away from the path. Cleared primitive campsites line the trail, and some have fire rings, picnic tables and latrines. Burn only dead and downed wood, pack out everything, and treat all water: the forest lists the water along the trail as non-potable. Overnight parking is allowed at designated trailheads.

• Walker Ranger Station, Chippewa National Forest, MN· Information

  The Chippewa National Forest's Walker district office, in the Trail Town of Walker. It is the contact the Forest Service lists for the Shingobee Recreation Area. Weekday hours, closed federal holidays. Ask here about dispersed camping, which is allowed anywhere on National Forest land in the Chippewa, and about the forest's current alerts.

  201 Minnesota Ave. E. Walker, MN 56484

• Walker Trail Town, MN· Resupply

  Walker, on Leech Lake, is an NCTA Trail Town, but it is off the trail: the North Country Trail passes about six miles southwest and seven miles southeast of town. You get in on the Paul Bunyan and Heartland State Trails or the Shingobee Connection Trail. The association says Walker gives long-distance hikers plenty of chances to restock. Its list includes a Super One Foods grocery, a pharmacy, laundry, cafes, lodging and the post office, which is where this pin sits.

• Grand Rapids Trail Town, MN· Resupply

  Grand Rapids and neighboring Cohasset are a joint NCTA Trail Town, and the trail runs straight through downtown Grand Rapids. The association says the post office is one block off the trail on 1st Avenue NW; this pin is on the post office building. Lodging, food, gear and groceries are all here. The trail doesn't go through Cohasset's business district: its post office, a Dollar General, a gas station and a restaurant are about 2 miles off the trail. The Arrowhead chapter's section also runs along the Mesabi Trail. Between Grand Rapids and the Kekekabic Trail, the association has pointed long-distance hikers to the multi-use Mesabi Trail for most of the route. The Mesabi is a paved trail of more than 150 miles running from the Mississippi to the Boundary Waters, Grand Rapids to Ely, and its operator says lodging, campgrounds and other services are available all along it.

• Ely Trail Town, MN· Resupply

  Ely is the NCTA Trail Town at the edge of the Boundary Waters, and the trail runs into town. The association points hikers to its outdoor gear stores and outfitters; the pin is at the post office, near downtown. Camping is outside town at the Fall Lake and Fenske Lake campgrounds and at dispersed National Forest sites. The association says permits for the Kekekabic and Border Route come from the Superior National Forest office in Ely; the Forest Service lists the Kawishiwi Ranger District office at 1393 Highway 169. Wilderness permits are required year-round and the trails ahead are very remote, so sort out food and permits here.

• Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Kekekabic Trail West Boundary, MN· Checkpoint

  Eastbound, this is where the Kekekabic Trail enters the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Most of the Kekekabic east of here is inside the wilderness, and a permit is required year-round (NCT thru-hikers: entry point #91). The rules that matter on foot: no more than nine people together; camp at designated Forest Service sites or at least 200 feet from trails, lakes, streams, portages and other campsites; fires only in the steel grates at designated sites; no cans or glass bottles; dogs on a 6-foot or shorter leash; and hang your food or use a bear-resistant container. Blazes are not allowed in federal wilderness, so carry a map.

• Kekekabic Trail East Trailhead, Gunflint Trail, MN· Trailhead

  The Kekekabic's east trailhead on the Gunflint Trail, shared with the Centennial Trail. Thru-hikers starting west from here use BWCAW entry point #90. Large parts of the Kek's eastern half burned in the 2007 Ham Lake Fire. Expect open, sunny ground and few good trees for hanging food; the Forest Service recommends a bear-resistant food container. Regrowth is vigorous and the path grows over fast, so it can be hard to find in places. Bring or filter or boil water from streams and lakes. No cell coverage. For a car shuttle between the Kek's two ends, the association's Kekekabic Trail Chapter lists Julie's Shuttle Service.

• Loon Lake Campsite, Border Route Trail, MN· Campsite

  A designated campsite on Loon Lake, reached by the Brice-Breon Trail off the west end of the Border Route Trail. The Border Route Trail Association lists it first among the trail's campsites, west of the Crab Lake Cutoff, before the wilderness section begins. Border Route campsites have a steel fire grate and a backcountry latrine, and hold at most nine people. Most are near water; treat everything you drink. The BRT is very remote and for experienced backpackers with navigation skills; count on no cell service.

• Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Border Route Trail West Boundary, MN· Checkpoint

  Eastbound, this is where the Border Route Trail enters the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, near Crab Lake. The association says more than half the BRT is in the wilderness, between Crab Lake and McFarland Lake, and a permit is required year-round. Backpackers starting May 1 to September 30 need a quota permit from Recreation.gov; from October 1 to April 30 you self-register at a trailhead kiosk. NCT thru-hikers can use entry points #90 or #91. Inside: nine people maximum, camp at designated sites or at least 200 feet off trails and water, no cans or glass, dogs on a 6-foot leash, and hang food or use a bear-resistant container. Other than occasional signs at spurs there are no trail markings inside the wilderness, and the trail can be heavily overgrown.

• Topper Lake Campsite, Border Route Trail, MN· Campsite

  The first designated campsite inside the Boundary Waters on the Border Route Trail, going east from the Crab Lake Cutoff. A BWCAW permit is required to use it. Border Route campsites have a steel fire grate and a backcountry latrine and hold at most nine people. Most are near water, and all water must be treated. Canoeists use these sites too; hikers are asked to share, and canoeists aren't required to. Under wilderness rules you camp at a designated site or at least 200 feet from trails, lakes and streams.

• South Lake Campsite, Border Route Trail, MN· Campsite

  South Lake is one of the Boundary Waters lakes on the Border Route Trail with designated campsites the association lists for hikers; the Partridge Lake West site is reached by the South Lake Trail. This pin is on the Forest Service site nearest the trail. A BWCAW permit is required. Sites have a steel fire grate and latrine, hold nine people at most, and are shared with canoeists. Treat all water.

• Rose Lake Campsites, Border Route Trail, MN· Campsite

  Rose Lake has two designated Border Route campsites in the association's list, Rose Lake West and Rose Lake East. This pin marks a Forest Service site on the lake beside the trail. They're inside the Boundary Waters, so you need a permit. Sites have a steel fire grate and latrine and take nine people at most. Canoe parties use them too. Treat all water. Leave glass and metal food and drink containers at home; they're prohibited in the BWCAW.

• Clearwater Lake Campsites, Border Route Trail, MN· Campsite

  Clearwater Lake has two designated Border Route campsites, Clearwater Lake West and East, inside the Boundary Waters, reached after the Daniels Lake Trail spur. This pin marks a Forest Service site on the lake near the trail. A BWCAW permit is required. Expect a steel fire grate and latrine, a nine-person limit, and canoeists sharing the lake. Treat all water.

• Gogebic Lake Campsite, Border Route Trail, MN· Campsite

  A designated Border Route campsite on Gogebic Lake, inside the Boundary Waters. A BWCAW permit is required. Like the other BRT sites it has a steel fire grate and latrine and holds nine people at most. Most sites are near water, and all of it needs treating. Further east the association lists Pine Ridge as having no water access, so fill up before you go on.

• McFarland Lake Campground, Border Route Trail, MN· Campsite

  The campground at McFarland Lake, at the east end of the Border Route Trail's wilderness section; the association lists it as a fee site. Westbound, this is where you enter the Boundary Waters; the association names McFarland Lake as one end of the stretch that needs a permit (entry point #83 is the BRT's east entry). Between here and the BRT's eastern end the association lists campsites at Portage Brook, Otter Lake (by the Otter Lake Cutoff Trail) and Swamp River.

• Portage Brook Campsite, Border Route Trail, MN· Campsite

  A designated Border Route campsite at Portage Brook, between McFarland Lake and the trail's eastern end. The association lists the BWCAW permit requirement for the sites between Crab Lake and McFarland Lake, not for this one. Like the other BRT sites it has a steel fire grate and backcountry latrine and holds at most nine people. Treat all water. The BRT asks hikers to keep dogs leashed and to pack out all trash. Hunting is allowed on Superior National Forest land along the trail, so wear blaze orange in season.

• Superior Hiking Trail Northern Terminus, 270 Degree Overlook, MN· Checkpoint

  The official northern terminus of the Superior Hiking Trail, at the 270 Degree Overlook near the Canadian border. The North Country Trail shares its route with the Border Route Trail to here and with the Superior Hiking Trail from here southwest along the North Shore. The camping rules change at this point. On the Superior Hiking Trail, stealth or dispersed camping is strictly prohibited for its whole length: stay at the designated SHT campsites, which need no permit, fee or reservation but must be shared. No camping is allowed at any SHT trailhead. Use a bear canister or hang your food, and keep dogs leashed. This end is remote, with limited cell reception and no regular transportation. Otter Lake Road is about a mile back along the Border Route Trail.

• Otter Lake Road Trailhead, MN· Trailhead

  A road access near the Superior Hiking Trail's northern end, on Otter Lake Road off Jackson Lake Road. Overnight parking is okay. From here the trail runs a short roadwalk on Otter Lake Road, then about a mile on the Border Route Trail to the 270 Degree Overlook. There is no regular transportation at this end, and shuttles book up in late summer and early fall, so arrange your ride well ahead. SHTA lists Superior Shuttle and Superior by Nature among the services, both seasonal.

• Andy Creek Campsite, Superior Hiking Trail, MN· Campsite

  A Superior Hiking Trail campsite on Andy Creek, between Otter Lake Road and Jackson Lake Road. SHT campsites have tent pads, a fire ring, benches and a backcountry latrine, and most are near water that must be treated. No permit, fee or reservation is needed, but sites are shared. If you sleep in a hammock, note that SHTA names Andy Creek among the sites where hammock hangers have reported difficulties, and suggests planning an alternate.

• Jackson Lake Road Trailhead, MN· Trailhead

  A trailhead on Jackson Lake Road, 3.1 miles off the Arrowhead Trail. Overnight parking is okay. North of here to Otter Lake Road SHTA describes 8.7 remote miles with overlooks of the Jackson Lake and Swamp River valleys, occasional logging, and the Superior Hiking Trail's high point at 1,829 feet, in balsam forest with no view.

• Arrowhead Trail Trailhead, MN· Trailhead

  A trailhead on the Arrowhead Trail (Cook County Road 16), 3.3 miles up from Highway 61 near Hovland. Overnight parking is okay. North toward Jackson Lake Road the trail runs through lichen-draped spruce on rocky ridges, with views of Lake Superior and Isle Royale for half the section. Past here the trail is remote, and cell reception gets thinner toward the northern end.

• Cook County Road 70 Trailhead, MN· Trailhead

  A small trailhead on Cook County Road 70 (Camp 20 Road). There's room for six cars only, and you must not park on the road: big logging trucks use it. Overnight parking is okay. Coming from Judge C.R. Magney State Park, the last 1.7 miles before this trailhead are a roadwalk, and that section has no SHT campsites. North toward the Arrowhead Trail the trail follows branches of the Flute Reed River and Carlson Creek past many ponds.

• Devil's Kettle Falls, Judge C.R. Magney State Park, MN· Landmark

  The Brule River's Devil's Kettle Falls, in Judge C.R. Magney State Park. The Superior Hiking Trail follows the Brule for more than 2 miles past the falls before climbing to a high bluff above the river. The park's trailhead has drinking water; the stretch north to County Road 70 has no SHT campsites.

• Judge C.R. Magney State Park, MN· Trailhead

  The state park on the Brule River, and a drinking-water stop: SHTA lists an outhouse, drinking water and picnic tables at the trailhead. You need a state park sticker to park; a day-use permit can be bought by self-registration on site. Overnight parking is okay. There are no SHT campsites in the section north to County Road 70. The park has its own campsites, and they need a reservation; don't stay at a state park site unless you've reserved it.

• Kadunce River State Wayside, MN· Trailhead

  A state wayside on Highway 61 at milepost 119 where a spur reaches the Superior Hiking Trail. There's no overnight parking here, so for a multi-day trip use the County Road 14 or County Road 58 lots instead. The trail crosses many creeks and the Kadunce River, with deep river gorges. North toward Magney the section passes the Blueberry Overlook, then walks 1.6 miles on the sand shore of Lake Superior.

• Cook County Road 14 Trailhead, MN· Trailhead

  An alternate parking lot for the section between County Road 58 and the Kadunce River, 0.7 miles up Cook County Road 14 from Highway 61 milepost 117.6. Overnight parking is okay.

• Cook County Road 58 Trailhead, MN· Trailhead

  The trailhead on Lindskog Road (Cook County Road 58), 0.8 miles up from Highway 61 at milepost 113.8. Overnight parking is okay. The section north to the Kadunce River is 9.2 miles with six campsites, crossing many creeks.

• Pincushion Mountain Trailhead, MN· Trailhead

  The Grand Marais trailhead, 2 miles up the Gunflint Trail and a quarter mile along Pincushion Drive. Overnight parking is okay, and there's an outhouse. It is a busy ski area in winter, and SHTA asks hikers to stay off groomed ski trails. A steep quarter-mile spur climbs to the Pincushion Mountain summit view. North of here the trail drops steeply into the Devil Track River gorge and follows the canyon rim, crossing several branches of the river on bridges.

• Lake Superior Trading Post, Grand Marais, MN· Resupply

  An outdoor and general store on 1st Avenue West in Grand Marais. The shop sells outdoor gear, camping supplies, trail maps and clothing. It is a store, not a confirmed package hold. SHTA's advice for any business is to make arrangements before you mail a package, because an unexpected box may be sent back. Call first.

  10 S. 1st Ave W. Grand Marais, MN 55604

• Downstream Campground, Garrison Dam, ND· Campsite

  A Corps of Engineers campground on the east bank of the Missouri River below Garrison Dam, close to the trail about 5 km from the western terminus. It has a primitive loop of 16 sites as well as the electric loops, and the amenities a thru-hiker cares about: showers, drinking water, and flush and vault toilets. Reservations go through Recreation.gov. The Corps gives different information numbers for summer and the rest of the year.

• East Ashtabula Crossing Campground, Lake Ashtabula, ND· Campsite

  A Corps of Engineers campground on a wooded hillside above Lake Ashtabula, the reservoir behind Baldhill Dam on the Sheyenne River. The trail follows the lake here, and the Corps says nearly 35 miles of the North Country Trail are close by. The Sheyenne River Valley chapter maintains the trail along the lake. The campground has drinking water, flush toilets, a swimming beach and a picnic shelter, and a restaurant is within walking distance. No outside firewood is allowed, and no alcohol. Valley City, the nearest town, is less than 15 miles away.

• Mel Rieman Campground, Baldhill Dam, ND· Campsite

  A Corps of Engineers campground at the south end of Lake Ashtabula, close to Baldhill Dam. It has 27 sites with drinking water, showers and flush toilets, and the Corps notes the North Country Trail is within a short drive. Valley City is 10 miles away. No outside firewood is allowed. Call the Lake Ashtabula office for current details.

• Sundling Creek Campsite, MN· Campsite

  A Superior Hiking Trail campsite on the stretch between Grand Marais and Bally Creek Road that the SHTA describes as scenic Sundling Creek and a large beaver pond. SHT campsites need no permit, fee or reservation, and they are shared: make room for whoever walks in after you. Camping anywhere other than a designated site is prohibited along the whole SHT, so plan your day around the campsites. Use a bear canister or hang your food. Hammock users take note: the SHTA lists Sundling Creek among the campsites where hangers have reported difficulties.

• Lookout Mountain, Cascade River State Park, MN· Viewpoint

  The SHTA's panoramic viewpoint on the Caribou Trail to Cascade River State Park section, above the Cascade River. If you leave the trail at the Cascade River Wayside on Highway 61, know that the wayside has no overnight parking. Overnight parking is by the state park campground with a state park sticker, after checking in with park staff. The spur on the east side of the river has a crossing of Trout Creek with no bridge, which the SHTA says may not be passable in spring or after rain. There is a bridge 0.2 miles upstream of the wayside lot.

• Jonvick Creek Campsite, MN· Campsite

  A Superior Hiking Trail campsite on Jonvick Creek, between the Caribou Trail and Cascade River State Park. That stretch follows maple ridgelines with views of Lake Superior and crosses several scenic creeks. No permit, fee or reservation is needed, and the site is shared. Dispersed camping is prohibited on the SHT, so this and the other designated sites are where you stop. Carry a bear canister or hang your food. The SHTA lists Jonvick Creek among the sites where hammock hangers have had trouble.

• Lutsen Mountains Recreation Area Trailhead, MN· Trailhead

  A trailhead at the Lutsen Mountains ski area, up the road past the gondola. The SHTA lists a bathroom, restaurants and drinking water here, which makes it a useful stop on the stretch between Onion River Road and the Caribou Trail. A separate 0.8-mile spur to the gondola is closed November 1 to June 1 for ski season. Overnight parking is allowed. The section to the southwest takes in the Oberg Mountain loop and the steep climbs of Moose and Mystery Mountains.

• Oberg Mountain, MN· Viewpoint

  The Oberg Mountain loop, which the SHTA describes as 1.8 miles of spectacular overlooks, sits on the Onion River Road to Lutsen section. The Onion River Road Trailhead has an outhouse and allows overnight parking.

• Britton Peak, MN· Viewpoint

  A short 0.2-mile spur to Britton Peak, at the Sawbill Trailhead end of the section toward Onion River Road. The SHTA rates the view highly, particularly in fall color season. The Sawbill Trailhead is 2.7 miles up the Sawbill Trail (Cook County Road 2) from Highway 61 and allows overnight parking. Expect considerable mud on this section except in dry spells.

• Carlton Peak, MN· Viewpoint

  The trail climbs out of the Temperance River gorge to the top of Carlton Peak, which the SHTA lists for its views, with a spur to the Ted Tofte Overlook. The Temperance River State Park trailhead on Highway 61 has no overnight parking. If you need to leave a car overnight, use the other parking area in the park with a state park sticker and check in with park staff.

• George H. Crosby Manitou State Park Trailhead, MN· Checkpoint

  The trailhead inside George H. Crosby Manitou State Park, 7.8 miles up Cramer Road from Highway 1. Parking here needs a state park sticker. You can buy a day permit by self-registration on site, or an annual sticker at another park. There is an outhouse at the trailhead. The section east of here to the Caribou Falls wayside is rugged and challenging, with bridges over the Manitou and Caribou Rivers. The trail also passes several state park campsites, which need a reservation and fee through the state parks. Don't use one unless you have booked and paid for it.

• Caribou Falls, MN· Landmark

  The SHT climbs the Caribou River gorge past Caribou Falls. The Caribou Falls State Wayside on Highway 61 has no overnight parking. For an overnight car, use the Sugarloaf Road lot 1.5 miles up from Highway 61 instead.

• South Sonju Lake Campsite, MN· Campsite

  A Superior Hiking Trail campsite at Sonju Lake, on the 11.8-mile stretch between Finland and Crosby-Manitou State Park, which has seven campsites. The SHTA points out Egge and Sonju Lakes and a boardwalk to Lily Island on Sonju Lake. There is no permit, fee or reservation. Sites are shared, and stealth camping is prohibited the length of the SHT. Use a bear canister or hang your food. The Sonju Lake Road lot, 2.3 miles in from Cramer Road, allows overnight parking.

• Clair Nelson Community Center, Finland, MN· Resupply

  The Finland community center, right at the Superior Hiking Trail trailhead on Cramer Road. The Friends of Finland hold resupply boxes for hikers for free. Mark the package as a resupply box with your name, phone number and pickup date range. Boxes go out in the entryway for your pickup window, so you can collect them outside open hours. The outer doors are always unlocked. Call if your dates change. Use the street address for package carriers and the PO box for USPS. The trailhead allows overnight parking and has an outhouse.

  6866 Cramer Road Finland, MN 55603

• Section 13 Campsite, MN· Campsite

  A Superior Hiking Trail campsite near the Section 13 cliffs, which the SHTA describes as high cliffs overlooking the Sawmill Creek and Baptism River valleys. The same section crosses a 440-foot boardwalk over a beaver dam. No permit, fee or reservation is needed, and the site is shared. Dispersed camping is prohibited along the SHT. Use a bear canister or hang your food. The SHTA names Section 13 as one of the campsites where hammock hangers have reported difficulties.

• High Falls of the Baptism River, Tettegouche State Park, MN· Landmark

  The SHT crosses the Baptism River on the bridge over High Falls, which the SHTA calls the highest falls entirely in Minnesota. Just before it, coming from Silver Bay, is the Drainpipe, a steep descent on giant rock steps. Tettegouche State Park's own lot allows overnight parking with a state park sticker, after checking in with park staff. The trail also passes state park campsites, which need a paid reservation. Don't camp at one without it.

• Bear Lake Campsite, MN· Campsite

  A Superior Hiking Trail campsite at Bear Lake, on the ridge above Silver Bay. The main trail reaches Bean and Bear Lakes 3.6 miles from the Penn Boulevard Trailhead, and the Bean and Bear Lakes loop joins 0.2 miles past the campsite spur. No permit, fee or reservation. Sites are shared, and camping outside designated sites is prohibited. Use a bear canister or hang your food. The SHTA lists Bear Lake among the sites where hammock hangers have struggled.

• Silver Bay Multi-Modal Trail Center, MN· Restroom

  A trail center in Silver Bay with parking, restrooms and coin-operated showers, at 109 Outer Drive. It sits 0.4 miles from the Bay Area Historical Society trailhead and 1.3 miles from the Penn Boulevard Trailhead. A 2.3-mile spur runs from the historical society's visitor center to the Bean and Bear Lakes loop, starting on Silver Bay ATV trails.

  109 Outer Drive, Silver Bay, MN

• Split Rock River Crossing, MN· Hazard

  There is no bridge over the Split Rock River on the SHT. Many hikers cross at the former bridge site, and the SHTA urges caution if you do. Its Trail Conditions page lists an alternate route. The loop runs 2.5 miles up one side of the river and 2.5 miles down the other, past cascading waterfalls and the towering Split Rocks. The Split Rock River Wayside on Highway 61 has no overnight parking. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park allows overnight parking with a sticker, about 2.3 miles from the SHT spur on park trails.

• Gooseberry Falls State Park Visitor Center, MN· Information

  The state park visitor center sits at the bottom of a long spur, more than three miles, down to the waterfalls and Lake Superior. Overnight parking is allowed with a state park sticker, but not in the day-use lot. Check in with park staff for where to park. North of the park, the trail runs along the Breadloaf Ridge overlooking Lake Superior before dropping toward the Split Rock River.

• Encampment River Crossing, MN· Hazard

  The section from Lake County Road 301 to Castle Danger has no bridge over the Encampment River. It is a stepping-stone crossing in low water and is not crossable after rain or during spring runoff. A roadwalk around the section is posted at the trailhead parking lot. This section is mostly private land, with no campsites. Stay on the trail, and do not camp anywhere in it.

• Superior Hiking Trail Association Office and Trail Store, Two Harbors, MN· Information

  The SHTA's office and trail store in Two Harbors, a few miles off the trail. The association maintains the SHT, which the North Country Trail shares along the North Shore. Call with trip-planning questions, and buy the guidebook, databook and maps here or online. There are 94 SHT campsites, and none of them need a permit, fee or reservation. Camping anywhere else is prohibited. Leashed dogs are welcome, but no pack animals or livestock.

  618 1st Avenue

• Sucker River Campsite, MN· Campsite

  A Superior Hiking Trail campsite near the Sucker River, on the section reached from the Western Fox Farm Road (Sucker River) Trailhead. The access spur starts on a ridge overlooking wetlands and crosses the river. The trailhead allows overnight parking. No permit, fee or reservation is needed, and campsites are shared. Camping anywhere else is prohibited along the SHT, and the trail crosses more than 80 parcels of private land, usually unmarked. Use a bear canister or hang your food.

• Martin Road Trailhead, MN· Trailhead

  The trailhead at the northern edge of Duluth, where the SHTA says a traditional SHT thru-hike starts. There are 93 SHT campsites between here and the northern terminus, and none south of here except one at the Red River. The lot closes for a while after the spring thaw to protect it from rutting. It is managed by the MN DNR, which opens it by Memorial Day weekend. Overnight parking is allowed, and there is an outhouse. Wasps nest under boardwalks and puncheon in late July and August. Space yourselves out on boardwalks, and carry antihistamines (or an epi-pen if you're allergic).

• Rose Garden Trailhead, Duluth, MN· Checkpoint

  The trail's route through Duluth, at the Rose Garden on London Road. Inside city limits there are no SHT campsites and campfires are strictly prohibited. Plan on fee campgrounds near the trail instead: the SHTA names Spirit Mountain, Bagley Nature Area and Indian Point. The SHT inside the city closes during the spring thaw, roughly April 1 to mid-May, and again in the fall freeze-thaw, roughly mid-October to mid-November. The city's partners ask hikers to respect both. Most Duluth trailheads have no overnight parking, and this lot is posted for three hours. South of here the trail follows paved paths and sidewalks past Canal Park and the Lakewalk.

• Enger Tower, Duluth, MN· Viewpoint

  A short spur off the SHT in Enger Park leads to Enger Tower and its views over Duluth. The section between North 24th Avenue West and Twin Ponds runs through Forgotten Park and crosses Coffee Creek. None of the Duluth trailheads on this stretch allow overnight parking.

• Spirit Mountain Campground, Duluth, MN· Campsite

  There are no SHT campsites in Duluth, and Spirit Mountain is one of the fee campgrounds near the trail that the SHTA points thru-hikers to. Campfires are prohibited inside city limits. Part of the trail's Spirit Mountain Loop closes every year from November 1 to May 1, for the safety of hikers and ski-hill users. Check the SHTA's Trail Conditions page for the route. The trail here runs nearly a mile along Knowlton Creek.

• Ely's Peak, Duluth, MN· Viewpoint

  The trail climbs to Ely's Peak and Bardon's Peak on the western edge of Duluth, then goes through the old-growth forest of the Magney-Snively Natural Area. The section starts on the paved Munger Trail for 0.4 miles from the 123rd Avenue West (Becks Road) trailhead. There is no overnight parking at that trailhead.

• Jay Cooke State Park Visitor Center, MN· Checkpoint

  Jay Cooke State Park, where the trail follows park trails and the historic Grand Portage route above the St. Louis River. Day parking needs a state park sticker. Overnight parking is allowed with a sticker after checking in with park staff. There are no SHT campsites between Wild Valley Road and this visitor center. The park has four backcountry fee sites (Lost Lake, Ash Ridge, High Landing and Silver Creek). They must be reserved and paid for in advance, and the SHTA is blunt: don't camp there without a paid reservation.

• Wild Valley Road Trailhead, MN· Trailhead

  The closest trailhead to the Minnesota-Wisconsin border. The SHT's southern terminus is an out-and-back walk from here. The lot, on state forest land, closes seasonally from mid-March to late May and is not plowed in winter. Overnight parking is allowed when it's open. The trail between here and the Jay Cooke visitor center is remote and rugged, with steep climbs.

• Minnesota-Wisconsin Border (Superior Hiking Trail Southern Terminus)· Landmark

  The remote state line where the Superior Hiking Trail ends and the North Country Trail carries on into Wisconsin, just south of Jay Cooke State Park. The SHTA has one campsite near here, at the Red River a third of a mile north of the border, and no others until north of Duluth. There is no trailhead at the border itself. The nearest car access is Wild Valley Road, an out-and-back walk.

• Big Manitou Falls, Pattison State Park, WI· Landmark

  Pattison State Park is one of the land units the North Country Trail crosses in Wisconsin. Big Manitou Falls is 165 feet high, and the DNR calls it the highest waterfall in Wisconsin. The park also has Little Manitou Falls, a lake with a beach, and a campground. Backpackers have three backpack campsites about 1.6 miles from the parking area.

• Pattison State Park Backpack Campsites, WI· Campsite

  Pattison State Park's three backpack campsites, about 1.6 miles from the parking area. They have vault toilets, tables and fire rings. There is no water, so carry it in, and carry your garbage out. Reserve online. Don't move firewood: Wisconsin restricts it. Firewood is sold at the park office.

• Solon Springs, WI (NCTA Trail Town)· Resupply

  An NCTA Trail Town on Upper St. Croix Lake. The trail walks marked village streets past Swanson's Motel, the laundromat and Lucius Woods County Park. Franny K's Country Foods covers most resupply needs. The business district also has a post office, a restaurant, a library with free wifi, and a bank with a 24-hour ATM. Post office hours can be limited, so the NCTA warns it may be hard to rely on for resupply boxes. Swanson's Motel and the St. Croix Inn both accept boxes; write your dates and phone number on the package. Trail campsites sit about a mile each way from town, at Leo Creek to the south and Aden Creek to the north. For gear, Solon Springs Mercantile, a large hardware and outdoor store, is about a mile away near US 53.

• St. Croix Inn, Solon Springs, WI· Lodging

  A hotel on Lake St. Croix, about two blocks off the trail in downtown Solon Springs. The NCTA says it takes resupply boxes; write your dates and phone number on the package. Showers are available for a fee, and there is a small lounge with hot food and wifi.

• Brule-St. Croix Portage, WI· Historic site

  Four miles north of Solon Springs the trail follows the Brule-St. Croix Portage, a two-mile path between the Great Lakes and Mississippi watersheds that crosses the St. Lawrence Continental Divide. Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut crossed it in 1680, and it saw heavy use in the fur trade. The portage is in the Brule River State Forest. Just before it, the Brule Bog Boardwalk carries the trail through the cedar wetland where the St. Croix and Bois Brule rivers rise.

• Brule River State Forest Headquarters, WI· Checkpoint

  The Brule River State Forest carries a 23-mile stretch of the North Country Trail. The DNR names the NCT as the most suitable trail for backcountry camping in the forest, but there are rules. You need a free camp registration permit from the state forest station before you camp. You must hike at least a mile from your vehicle and camp at least 100 feet from any trail, out of sight of any water body. Camping along the Brule River and the Lake Superior shore is prohibited. A vehicle admission sticker is required on the property. The trail is foot traffic only, with no horses. The town of Brule is a two-mile walk on Highway 27 from the Samples Road trailhead.

• Brule, WI· Resupply

  A small town two miles off the trail by road. It's a walk along Highway 27 from the NCT trailhead at Samples Road, 27 trail miles past Solon Springs. The NCTA lists a convenience store, two restaurants, a bar that serves food, a post office, a bank with a 24-hour ATM, and two places to stay. Brule River Canoe Rental will shuttle hikers in the warm months as part of its canoe rental service.

• Rainbow Lake Wilderness, WI· Checkpoint

  Where the North Country Trail enters the Rainbow Lake Wilderness in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The NCT runs the length of it, north to south, partly on old logging grades, with lakes and bogs along the way. Wilderness rules apply. You may not camp within 200 feet of water or of the North Country Trail itself, so walk well off the tread to pitch. The stay limit is 14 consecutive days. No motorized or mechanized equipment is allowed, bicycles included. Carry a map and compass, and tell someone your plans. Water is not a big worry in this part of the Chequamegon: the association says filterable water is available from numerous small streams and lakes. Filter or treat it.

• Porcupine Lake Wilderness, WI· Checkpoint

  Where the North Country Trail enters the Porcupine Lake Wilderness, south of Drummond. The NCT runs the length of the wilderness, and branded posts mark the route at some intersections. The trail comes into Two Lakes Campground from the wilderness. Wilderness rules apply, with a shorter setback than Rainbow Lake's. No camping within 100 feet of water or of the North Country Trail, a 14-consecutive-day limit, and no motorized or mechanized equipment, bicycles included. Dispose of human waste at least 100 feet from campsites, trails and water.

• Mellen City Hall, WI (NCTA Trail Town)· Resupply

  Mellen, named Wisconsin's first NCTA Trail Town in 2013, is the link between Copper Falls State Park and the trail through the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The historic 1892 city hall stands on the trail's route through town. The NCTA lists several restaurants, gas stations and other amenities along the trail in Mellen, plus a library and places to rest. The city's Hike and Bike Trail along the Bad River is a certified section of the NCT and leads toward Copper Falls on a raised boardwalk.

• Copper Falls State Park Backpack Campsite, WI· Campsite

  Copper Falls State Park has one backpack campsite, on the Bad River above the sandstone ledges, about a two-mile walk from the parking lot. It is reservation only and very primitive: a stone-lined fire ring and a nearby primitive latrine. There is no water at the site, so plan for it. Depending on the weather, the park offers drinking water and showers from Memorial Day weekend to October 1, and a concession stand in the main picnic area sells snacks and camping supplies in season. Pets are not allowed on the Doughboys Trail, so a dog means following the campsite's signed route instead. Cell service may be limited or absent. In winter most of the campground becomes a groomed ski trail, closed to walkers beyond site 6 except hikers on the North Country Trail.

• Rainbow Falls, Black River, MI· Landmark

  A 40-foot waterfall on the Black River. From the east bank, the North Country Trail reaches it in 3/4 mile from the suspended footbridge at the Black River Harbor picnic area, and the Forest Service says that side gives photographers a better angle. In September, salmon run up the river to the falls. There is no potable water and no restroom at the falls.

• Black River Harbor Recreation Area, MI· Campsite

  An Ottawa National Forest recreation area where the Black River meets Lake Superior. The North Country Trail crosses the river here on a suspended footbridge from the picnic area. The campground has 39 sites with fire rings and vault toilets, and is open mid-May to mid-October. Do not count on drinking water: the Forest Service lists the pressurized water system as not potable and says potable water is not available at the site, so treat what you use. Some sites can be reserved on Recreation.gov. The Forest Service limits a stay to 14 days, and a site holds up to eight people and three tents. Contact the camp host or the Bessemer Ranger District for current information, and check the forest's alerts page before you go.

• Trap Hills, MI· Landmark

  The North Country Trail runs east-west through the Trap Hills, north of Bergland in the Ottawa National Forest. The Forest Service calls the terrain demanding but rewarding: large tracts of undisturbed forest, rugged slopes and ridges, streams, waterfalls and ponds, and a real sense of remoteness. The association warns of very remote, long stretches of trail in the Ottawa, with challenging navigation and terrain and few places to restock nearby, so carry enough food. The Forest Service limits a stay to 16 days at one camping spot, and there is no potable water at the site. Bergland is about 3 miles south of the area.

• O Kun de Kun Falls Trailhead, MI· Trailhead

  A Forest Service parking lot on the east side of US 45, about 8 miles north of Bruce Crossing. It is both the trailhead for O Kun de Kun Falls and a trailhead for the North Country Trail. There is a portable toilet and no potable water. The Forest Service calls the falls trail one of the most popular on the forest, and it gets busy in summer. Watch for slick spots after rain.

• Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness, MI· Checkpoint

  The North Country Trail follows the northern and eastern boundaries of the Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness for about eight miles. The gorge reaches 350 feet deep and a mile wide. There are few established trails inside, and the old logging roads are overgrown and hard to follow. There is no safe drinking water or waste disposal, so pack in your water and pack out your trash. Fires are allowed, but the Forest Service recommends a stove. Camping is limited to 16 days at a site, and no motorized vehicles are allowed in the wilderness. The Forest Service calls this part of the trail challenging: very rugged terrain, often several miles from the nearest road, and most stream crossings have no bridge. Plan for wet feet.

• Craig Lake State Park, MI· Checkpoint

  The Michigan DNR calls Craig Lake the most remote park in the state system, and the North Country Trail runs through it. Backcountry campsites are reservation only, numbered, with a fire ring and a six-camper limit per site. Bear bags must hang at least 12 feet up and away from the trunk. The access road is rough enough that the DNR strongly recommends high clearance and four-wheel drive. From November to mid-May the roads into the park are impassable to vehicles. Cell coverage is limited to non-existent.

• Sugarloaf Mountain, Marquette County, MI· Viewpoint

  The Marquette Area Chapter's stretch of the North Country Trail goes up and over Hogback and Sugarloaf Mountains on its way into Marquette, past waterfalls and along the Lake Superior shore. The chapter publishes a trail segment guide with maps for the section.

• Marquette, MI (NCTA Trail Town)· Resupply

  An NCTA Trail Town, and the trail runs right through it. For long-distance hikers, the NCTA points to the historic downtown post office. Downtown has restaurants, breweries (Drifa Brewing is right on the trail), the Marquette Food Co-op, outfitters, a laundromat, a pharmacy and urgent care. To camp in town, use the Tourist Park campground on the Dead River, a short walk from the trail. It has hot showers, and in summer you should call ahead to reserve.

• Tourist Park Campground, Marquette, MI· Campsite

  The NCTA's suggestion for a night in Marquette: a city campground beside a basin on the Dead River. It has hot showers and modern restrooms, and campsites are a short walk from Lake Superior, downtown and the North Country Trail. Summer is busy, so call ahead to reserve.

• Miners Castle, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, MI· Landmark

  The Park Service calls the Miners Castle overlook the most popular spot in the park; you see the formation from three viewing platforms near the parking lot. The North Country Trail runs from Miners Castle down to Miners Beach, crossing the Miners River. Stay off Miners Castle itself: the Park Service says climbing it can earn you hefty fines, and cliff edges here are unstable. Every overnight stay in the park needs a backcountry permit, and pets are not allowed on any NCT segment through the park.

• Mosquito River Backcountry Campground, MI· Campsite

  A Pictured Rocks backcountry campground on the Mosquito River, on the North Country Trail along the cliffs. Campfires are not allowed here, so bring a stove. As at every park backcountry campground, you need a Recreation.gov permit for the specific campground and numbered site, pets are not allowed, and food goes in the bear-proof lockers. Mosquito Beach, bordered by rock cliffs and sandstone terraces, is reached from the Chapel/Mosquito trailhead at the end of Chapel Road. That road is 5 miles long and rough, and the trailhead parking is limited.

• Chapel Beach Backcountry Campground, MI· Campsite

  A backcountry campground at Chapel Beach, by Chapel Rock and Chapel Falls on the North Country Trail. Like Mosquito River, it allows no campfires. Camp only at the numbered site on your permit, and store food in the bear lockers. Stay off Chapel Rock (climbing it is fined), and keep back from the cliff edges along this stretch. The Chapel Loop from the Chapel/Mosquito trailhead is 10.5 miles.

• Beaver Basin Wilderness, Pictured Rocks, MI· Checkpoint

  The 11,740-acre Beaver Basin Wilderness covers 13 miles of shoreline from Spray Falls to Sevenmile Creek, including 8.4 miles of the North Country Trail and backcountry campgrounds with individual and group sites. Pets are not allowed on any trail, beach or lake in the wilderness. The park's backcountry rules apply: a permit for every night, a numbered site, and no beach camping or beach fires. Day access is mainly from the lot near the end of Little Beaver Lake Road.

• Twelvemile Beach Campground, MI· Campsite

  One of Pictured Rocks' three drive-in campgrounds, on a high sandy plateau above Lake Superior, and the North Country Trail runs right through it. Every site in the park needs a reservation on Recreation.gov; there is no drop-in camping, which catches hikers who planned to grab a site on the way past. The drive-in campgrounds are open May 15 to October 15. They have vault toilets and well water, but the park shuts the water systems and toilets down after October 15, so a late-season hiker should not count on water here. Leashed pets are allowed in the campground and on its beach, but not on the NCT itself. The Twelvemile Cabin, a hike-in cabin with no water or electricity, is about a mile away by the NCT. Buy firewood locally; ash firewood is banned in the park.

• Log Slide Overlook, MI· Viewpoint

  A short walk through mature hardwoods to the western edge of the Grand Sable Dunes, where logs were once slid down to the lake in a wooden chute. The overlook platform was destroyed in a winter storm, but the path to its site remains, with views of the dunes and Au Sable Light. The North Country Trail runs from here to the Au Sable Light Station. Pets are not allowed at the Log Slide or the nearby dunes.

• Au Sable Light Station, MI· Historic site

  An 86-foot lighthouse on Au Sable Point, about 12 miles west of Grand Marais, lit in 1874 and staffed for 84 years. The North Country Trail follows the old access road 1.5 miles from Hurricane River Campground. Exposed shipwreck remains dot the shore along the way. Guided tours run in summer, and the station is one of the park's passport-stamp stops. Bicycles are not allowed on the road.

• Hurricane River Campground, MI· Campsite

  A 21-site Pictured Rocks drive-in campground on the Lake Superior shore where the Hurricane River comes in, on the North Country Trail. From the lower campground a level 1.5-mile walk east on the NCT follows the old road past shipwreck remains to the Au Sable Light Station. Every site needs a reservation on Recreation.gov; there is no drop-in camping. The drive-in campgrounds are open May 15 to October 15, with vault toilets and well water, and the water systems and toilets are shut down after October 15. Leashed pets are allowed in the campground, on its beach and on the road to the light station, but not on the NCT elsewhere in the park. Drive-in campers must buy firewood locally, and ash firewood is banned.

• Sable Falls, MI· Landmark

  The trail to Sable Falls, part of the North Country Trail, drops 168 steps from the Sable Falls lot to the base of the falls, then follows Sable Creek to a rock and sand beach on Lake Superior. The Sable Creek Trail links it to the Grand Sable Visitor Center. Leashed pets are allowed on the stairs and the trail to the beach.

• Grand Marais, MI (NCTA Trail Town)· Resupply

  A small NCTA Trail Town on Lake Superior at the eastern end of Pictured Rocks. The NCTA lists two markets (Superior Shores Market and Bayshore Market), a hardware store, a bank branch with an ATM, the post office, several restaurants, and motels. Woodland Park Campground runs half a mile along the lakeshore in town and is the NCTA's suggested place to rest.

• Tahquamenon Falls (Upper Falls), MI· Landmark

  The Upper Falls of the Tahquamenon, more than 200 feet wide and amber with tannins. The North Country Trail runs 16 miles through Tahquamenon Falls State Park, including a route between the Upper and Lower Falls, four miles downstream. Food is close: the privately owned Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub is in the Upper Falls day-use area, and the Lower Falls day-use area has a cafe and gift shop. The park has three reservable backcountry campsites on or near the NCT, each with a table, fire ring and open-air latrine. Hike-in distances run 1 to 5 miles, and a reservation is required.

• Soldier Lake Campground, MI· Campsite

  A rustic Hiawatha National Forest campground off M-28, with the North Country Trail just off its parking area. The Forest Service lists potable water and vault toilets, a picnic area with water, and a large picnic shelter the Civilian Conservation Corps built in the 1930s, which is somewhere dry to sit out a sudden shower. There are no hookups. Some sites are first-come, first-served and some can be reserved on Recreation.gov, with a maximum of 8 people per site. It is a seasonal campground: the Forest Service lists its season of use as mid-May to mid-September. Make sure every fire is dead out before you leave.

• Brevoort Lake Campground, MI· Campsite

  A Hiawatha National Forest campground on a peninsula in Brevoort Lake, about 20 miles west of St. Ignace off US 2, and one of the three Forest Service campgrounds the forest lists as convenient to the trail's east zone. It has potable water and flush toilets but no hookups. Some sites are first-come, first-served and some reservable on Recreation.gov, and you have to occupy a reserved site the first night. Gear cannot be left unattended for more than 24 hours. The Forest Service lists its season as mid-May to late September; check-in is 2 p.m. and quiet hours run 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. The forest's Lake Michigan Campground nearby says boat and canoe rentals are at the store here.

• Lake Michigan Campground, MI· Campsite

  A rustic Hiawatha National Forest campground on US 2, 16 miles west of the I-75 junction, with sites tucked into sand dunes up to 30 feet high and miles of Lake Michigan beach over the top. It is one of three Forest Service campgrounds the forest lists as convenient to the trail's east zone. There is potable water and vault toilets, no hookups, and a limit of 8 people per site. Some sites are first-come, first-served and some reservable. The Forest Service lists its season as mid-May to mid-September. Expect wind: the forest names dunes, waves, sand and wind as what defines the place.

• North Country Trail Town: St. Ignace, MI· Resupply

  The first North Country Trail Town in the Upper Peninsula. The association says the trail's route through town starts at the St. Ignace Welcome Center, where you come off the Mackinac Bridge, then runs through Straits State Park and downtown along the Huron Boardwalk on the Lake Huron shore, before heading into the Hiawatha National Forest. The association lists a wide range of motels, hotels, B&Bs and restaurants in town. Northbound, this is where your walk resumes after the bridge transport; southbound, the Bridge Authority's administration building is where you ask for a ride across. The Hiawatha Shore-to-Shore Chapter maintains the trail here.

• North Country Trail Town: Mackinaw City, MI· Resupply

  Mackinaw City sits at the south end of the Mackinac Bridge. The association says the trail enters town from the south on the North Western State Trail and ends at the North Central Trailhead, where there is parking, restrooms, a shelter and information, but only during the summer months. To cross the bridge, follow the trail from the trailhead to Nicolet Street, then about a block and a half north past the light; just past the bridge entrance is a booth with a direct phone to the Bridge Authority. Most shops, restaurants and motels are open Memorial Day to Labor Day; in winter most close, though the association lists Coffman Hardware and the Village Market grocery as open all year. The Harbor Springs Chapter maintains the trail here.

• North Country Trail Town: Petoskey, MI· Resupply

  Petoskey, on Little Traverse Bay. Coming from the south, the association says you first see Lake Michigan from an overlook on the Skyline Trail section, then follow the Bear River through the Bear River Valley Recreation Area to the lake and turn east through Bayfront Park, where an underpass gets you into downtown. Downtown the association lists the Grain Train Natural Foods Market (with a bulk section), Bear Cub Outfitters, a post office, a hardware store, banks and a library. Farther along the bay the trail runs right behind a second shopping area with a larger grocery store and a laundromat, and then reaches Petoskey State Park. Motels, hotels and B&Bs sit right along the trail where it parallels US 31. The Jordan Valley 45° Chapter maintains this stretch.

• Petoskey State Park, MI· Campsite

  A state park on Little Traverse Bay that the North Country Trail passes just after Petoskey's bayside shopping area. The association says it has lots of camping options, which makes it the obvious place to sleep if you are resupplying in Petoskey. A little farther north the association points out the Petoskey Brewing Company beside the trail.

• North Country Trail Town: Kalkaska, MI· Resupply

  The trail leaves the Pere Marquette State Forest at Kalkaska Road and walks nearly four miles of road through Kalkaska, past the fairgrounds and through the middle of town, then out on County Road 612 past Blue Lake and Log Lake before re-entering the state forest. The pin is the county historical museum in the old train depot downtown. About two miles east of town, the association lists Log Lake County Park and Campground, with 44 sites including six rustic ones, indoor bathrooms and showers, and a small store in the office selling ice, drinks, snacks and firewood. Call for reservations. The Grand Traverse Chapter maintains this stretch.

• Spring Lake State Forest Campground, MI· Campsite

  A state forest campground on Spring Lake, at the north end of the 21-mile Fife Lake loop. The association says it is a North Country Trail trailhead with overnight parking, and that it was the very first state forest campground in Michigan. It is 1.5 miles from the village of Fife Lake. Fife Lake is a North Country Trail Town reached by a one-mile spur off the main trail, with shops and places to eat in a walkable downtown.

• Old US-131 State Forest Campground, MI· Campsite

  A state forest campground on the Manistee River, at the south end of the 21-mile Fife Lake loop. The association says both campgrounds at the ends of the loop are North Country Trail trailheads with overnight parking, which makes this a practical place to leave a car or meet a ride. The village of Fife Lake, a North Country Trail Town, is reached by a one-mile spur off the main trail.

• Marilla NCT Trailhead, MI· Trailhead

  The northernmost access to the North Country Trail on the Huron-Manistee National Forests. From here the trail runs south along a ridge high above the Manistee River, and with the Manistee River Trail on the far bank it forms a 23-mile loop, reachable from Marilla, Upper River Road, Red Bridge and Seaton Creek. Water is the thing to plan around: the Forest Service says the only water source on this stretch is the Eddington Creek crossing, 1.5 miles south of the trailhead, and there is no potable water at the trailhead itself, only a vault toilet. The Forest Service rates Marilla to Red Bridge as advanced/difficult. Mountain bikes are allowed from the Dilling Road crossing up to Marilla. It is a fee site for parking; the Forest Service sells daily and 7-day passes on site or on Recreation.gov.

• Eddington Creek crossing, MI· Water source

  Where the North Country Trail crosses Eddington Creek, about 1.5 miles south of the Marilla trailhead. The Forest Service names this crossing as the only water source on the Marilla stretch of trail, which follows a ridge high above the Manistee River, so fill up here. The Forest Service gives no reliability note for the creek, so treat it like any surface water and filter or treat it.

• Seaton Creek Campground, MI· Campsite

  A rustic Forest Service campground at the upper end of the Hodenpyl Dam Pond backwater, in mostly pine forest. A connector trail runs to the Manistee River Trail, and you reach the North Country Trail by crossing the suspension bridge over the Manistee River. There is potable water and vault toilets. Sites can be reserved on Recreation.gov. The Forest Service lists its season as late April to early October. This is one of the access points for the 23-mile loop that the North Country Trail and Manistee River Trail make along the river.

• Red Bridge River Access, MI· Water source

  A Forest Service river access on the Manistee River at the south end of the 23-mile loop with the Manistee River Trail, and a water stop: the Forest Service lists potable water and vault toilets here. Between Tippy Dam and the Hodenpyl Dam Pond, the North Country Trail and the Manistee River Trail run along opposite sides of the river. Red Bridge's parking is designated for vehicles with boat trailers; hikers are pointed to the Upper River Road Trailhead. The Forest Service lists the access as open April 1 to November 30. Going north to Marilla is rated advanced/difficult.

• High Bridge River Access, MI· Trailhead

  A Big Manistee River access where the North Country Trail crosses High Bridge, opposite the access road. You can reach the trail here, but the Forest Service says it is not a designated trailhead. There is a vault toilet and no potable water. The name comes from the Pere Marquette Railroad's 96-foot-high iron truss bridge over the river, torn down in 1955; its foundations and some pilings are still visible half a mile east. South of here the trail runs on to the Udell trailhead. The access is open year-round and plowed in winter. The Forest Service posts current trail conditions for High Bridge on its North Country Trail page; check them before you plan around this crossing.

• Udell NCT Trailhead, MI· Trailhead

  A North Country Trail trailhead on the Cadillac/Manistee Ranger District. North toward Upper River Road you climb many hills, particularly around Dilling Road. South toward Freesoil the trail crosses the Udell Hills and the Little Manistee River, then follows an old narrow-gauge logging railroad grade through wetland and swamp, with a boardwalk through the wet section about 3.5 miles north of Freesoil. There is a vault toilet but no potable water. Parking here is a fee site; passes are sold on site or on Recreation.gov. Mountain bikes are allowed south of here, so expect to share the tread.

• Bear Track Campground, MI· Campsite

  A Forest Service campground on the Little Manistee River, connected to the North Country Trail by a 1.5-mile trail. It has potable water and vault toilets, and all sites are first-come, first-served. The Forest Service lists its season as early May to Labor Day. The Forest Service lists it as a nearby site for the Freesoil trailhead.

• Freesoil NCT Trailhead, MI· Trailhead

  A small North Country Trail trailhead (six cars) on the Cadillac/Manistee Ranger District, with no restrooms and no potable water. South to Timber Creek the trail goes through the Ward Hills and past McCarthy Lake, in what the Forest Service calls very steeply hilled terrain. North toward Udell it crosses the Little Manistee River and runs through wetland and swamp on an old raised railroad grade, with a boardwalk about 3.5 miles north of the trailhead. Mountain bikes are allowed both ways from here. No fee is required to park.

• Bowman Lake NCT Trailhead, MI· Trailhead

  A North Country Trail trailhead on the Baldwin/White Cloud Ranger District, with parking for about ten cars and no restrooms or potable water. North to Timber Creek the trail runs through the Bowman Lake Semi-Primitive Nonmotorized Area and along the Pere Marquette National Scenic River, then crosses US 10. South toward the 76th Street trailhead it follows the Pere Marquette and gets less hilly as you go, past glacial depressions that hold a lot of wildlife. Mountain bikes are allowed on the 41 miles between M-55 and here, but not south of it toward Nichols Lake. The Bowman Lake backcountry campsites are close by.

• Bowman Lake Backcountry Campsites, MI· Campsite

  Walk-in campsites at Bowman Lake, near the North Country Trail's Bowman Lake trailhead, with carry-in canoe access. The Forest Service calls them quiet and secluded and says they are very popular with anglers and hunters, so expect company in season. There is no restroom and no potable water, only picnic tables; bring water or treat it from the lake. All sites are first-come, first-served and there is no fee. They are open year-round but not maintained from November 1 to April 30.

• 76th St. NCT Trailhead, MI· Trailhead

  A small North Country Trail trailhead (eight cars, no restrooms, no potable water) in Lake County. North toward Bowman Lake the trail travels toward and along the Pere Marquette National Scenic River and gets hillier as it nears Bowman Bridge. South toward Nichols Lake it runs through heavily wooded red pine with several stream crossings, on raised tread through Sterling Marsh, and through Stiles Swamp. Bicycles are not allowed on the 17 miles between Bowman Lake and Nichols Lake North. The site is open year-round but not plowed in winter, and there is no fee.

• Highbank Lake Campground, MI· Campsite

  A Forest Service campground on 20-acre Highbank Lake, completely surrounded by national forest, and popular with anglers and hikers. It has potable water and vault toilets, and a shallow, sandy swimming beach. All sites are first-come, first-served. The Forest Service lists its season as mid-May to early September, and it lists the Nichols Lake North Country Trail trailhead among the nearby sites.

• Nichols Lake North NCT Trailhead, MI· Trailhead

  A North Country Trail trailhead and day-use area on Nichols Lake, popular for fishing and swimming, a short distance from the Nichols Lake campground. Parking holds about 22 cars; there are no restrooms and no potable water at the trailhead itself. North toward 76th Street the trail runs through Stiles Swamp and Sterling Marsh, and bicycles are not allowed on that 17-mile stretch to Bowman Lake. South of here, the trail to M-20 is open to bicycles. Open year-round, not plowed in winter.

• M-20 NCT Trailhead, MI· Trailhead

  A North Country Trail trailhead on M-20 in Newaygo County, with a vault toilet. The Forest Service says the trail north of M-20 to Nichols Lake is open to bicycles and bicycles are prohibited south of it. South from here to Croton Dam is 19 miles, through heavily wooded red pine with several stream crossings and Bigelow Creek. Open year-round, not plowed in winter.

• 40th St. NCT Trailhead, MI· Trailhead

  A North Country Trail trailhead in Newaygo County on the Baldwin/White Cloud Ranger District, with parking for 12 cars and no restrooms or potable water. North to M-20 the trail is in heavily wooded red pine with several stream crossings. South to Croton Dam you cross Bigelow Creek, and the trail gives access to the Coolbough Nature Preserve; a spur trail goes to Twinwood Lake Campground. Bicycles are not allowed between M-20 and Croton Dam. The site is open year-round, not plowed in winter, and there is no fee.

• Baldwin/White Cloud Ranger Station, MI· Information

  The Huron-Manistee National Forests office for the Baldwin/White Cloud Ranger District, in Baldwin. The Forest Service lists it as the contact office for the district's North Country Trail trailheads, such as 40th Street. It keeps weekday hours, 9 to 4, and is closed on federal holidays. On the national forest, motorized vehicles, over-snow vehicles and pack and saddle animals (llamas excepted) are prohibited on the trail, and bicycles on some segments. The forest's 128.8 miles of North Country Trail are blazed with blue rectangles, with white blazes on connector trails. Dogs are welcome if you follow the forest's rules.

  650 North Michigan Ave. Baldwin, MI 49304

• North Country Trail Town: White Cloud, MI· Resupply

  White Cloud, at the southern edge of the Manistee National Forest and about an hour north of Grand Rapids. The association says a connector trail links the North Country Trail to the White Cloud Park and Campground, two blocks west of downtown, which has abundant tent sites for hikers, laundry and a bathhouse. Thru-hikers can take the connector in to camp, walk to restaurants and the motel, and stock up at the grocery or hardware store. The town also has a post office, a pharmacy and a laundromat on the association's list. Along the 4.3-mile Campground Connector loop you pass Flowing Wells Park, where locals fill water containers from artesian wells. The Western Michigan Chapter maintains the trail here.

• Cadillac/Manistee Ranger Station, MI· Information

  The Huron-Manistee National Forests office for the Cadillac/Manistee Ranger District, on Nursery Road in Wellston. The Forest Service lists it as the contact office for the North Country Trail's northern Manistee stretch: the Marilla, Udell and Freesoil trailheads, High Bridge, and the Bear Track and Seaton Creek campgrounds. It keeps weekday hours, 9 to 4, and is closed on federal holidays. Call here about conditions on the Manistee River stretch before you commit to it; the forest posts current conditions and closures on each site's page.

  1170 Nursery Road Wellston, MI 49689

• North Country Trail Town: Lowell, MI· Resupply

  Lowell, where the Flat River meets the Grand, and home to both the North Country Trail Association headquarters and the National Park Service's trail office. The association lists a long run of hiker services in town: the Main Street Inn, a post office, a laundry (Curtis Cleaners), a library branch, a Dollar General, a bakery, several restaurants and breweries, and gas stations. It also lists the Bin Walkin Hiker Hostel, with a contact for trail angel help; see the association's Lowell page. The association says you can hike more than eight miles of the trail from the Lowell area, and suggests the Lowell Riverwalk and a picnic at Fallasburg Park. The Western Michigan Chapter maintains the trail here.

• North Country Trail Town: Middleville, MI· Resupply

  Middleville, on the Thornapple River, was the first North Country Trail Town in Michigan. Here the trail shares the Paul Henry-Thornapple Trail, a rail-trail on the old railroad bed. The association lists two restaurants right next to the trail, Champs Bar and Grill and Faro's Italian Pizza, and a pharmacy, grocery store and gas stations within a mile on M-37. To the east, Whispering Waters Campground is open May to September. The Chief Noonday Chapter maintains the trail near Middleville.

• North Country Trail Town: Battle Creek, MI· Resupply

  Battle Creek, where the trail follows a good part of the paved, 26-mile Battle Creek Linear Park along the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo rivers right through town. The association lists a gas station supermarket at Raymond Road and Emmett Street, eateries and two breweries downtown, and drug stores, hardware stores and gas stations a block or two north of the Jackson Street and South Bedford Road crossing in Urbandale. Westbound you leave town past the VA hospital and walk about 3 miles through the Fort Custer National Cemetery grounds toward Augusta. The association gives NCT mile figures for its listed businesses (UpRoot Market, mile 1083, for example). The Chief Noonday Chapter maintains the trail here.

• Fort Custer National Cemetery, MI· Landmark

  The North Country Trail runs about 3 miles through the Fort Custer National Cemetery property between Battle Creek and Augusta. The association describes mature pine forest, low marshy ground with boardwalk, and a stream. You won't see the cemetery itself from the trail, but you will often hear the gun salute during military honors. This is a national cemetery, so walk it quietly. From the far end it is a few minutes to Augusta, where the association says there are restaurants.

• North Country Trail Town: Albion, MI· Resupply

  Albion, on the Kalamazoo River. The pin is Victory Park, one of the trailheads and parking areas the association lists, just south of downtown, with picnic shelters along the Albion River Trail. The association's list of services includes Superior Street Mercantile Grocery, a pharmacy, a bakery and deli, restaurants, a brewery, a library, an express medical clinic (Oaklawn Express Medical Care), the Courtyard by Marriott a block from the trail, the Palmer House B&B, and an Amtrak station. The Chief Noonday Chapter maintains this stretch.

• North Country Trail Town: Litchfield, MI· Resupply

  Litchfield, on the St. Joseph River in Hillsdale County. The association says the trail comes into town from Mosherville Road and M-49 on the north and from Herring Road on the south. Firemen's Park, the pin, is just south of downtown on M-49 on the river, and the association mentions a small fishing pond near the city nature trail and the North Country Trail. The association lists a diner, a pizza place, a hardware store and the district library. Hillsdale, about 10 minutes south, has more food and supplies. The Chief Baw Beese Chapter maintains the trail here.

• Henry County Camping Shelter, OH· Shelter

  A three-sided, log-sided hiking shelter facing the Maumee River near Liberty Center, close to Buckeye Trail Point 14 in the Defiance Section, just east of State Route 109 and next to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' North Turkeyfoot Wilderness Area. The Buckeye Trail Association lists it as a primitive site; leave no trace. The Association's Defiance Section page gives the shelter's coordinates, which is where this pin is.

• Buckeye Trail Town: Napoleon, OH· Resupply

  Napoleon, on the Maumee River in Henry County, is a Buckeye Trail Town on the stretch the North Country Trail shares with the Buckeye Trail. The pin is the post office. The Buckeye Trail Association says the trail follows the Maumee through town, and lists a downtown grocery about a 12-minute walk from the trail, with a Circle K closer. Restrooms are at East Riverdowns, Ritter, Meyerholtz and Vorwerk parks. For a bed, the Association lists two chain hotels; for camping, the Henry County shelter near Liberty Center, a primitive Black Swamp Conservancy site you must call ahead for, and Mary Jane Thurston State Park, which has showers and charges a fee.

  206 W. Washington Street, Napoleon, OH 43545

• Independence Dam State Park Campground, OH· Campsite

  The campground at Independence Dam State Park, on the Maumee River just east of Defiance, where the trail runs along the old Miami and Erie Canal towpath. The Buckeye Trail Association lists 25 reservable, non-electric tent sites with non-potable water, plus four primitive sites, with restrooms and parking. Camping here costs a fee and sites are booked through Ohio State Parks reservations. The water here is not drinkable, so carry what you need in from Defiance.

• Buckeye Trail Town: Defiance, OH· Resupply

  Defiance, where the trail crosses the Maumee River and passes through Pontiac Park before picking up the Miami and Erie Canal towpath east. The pin is the post office. The Buckeye Trail Association lists a supermarket on South Clinton Street right on the trail, restaurants downtown along the route, restrooms at Pontiac Park, and Uptown Bike Shop. For camping, the Association lists a free carry-in, carry-out site at Defiance Reservoir West in a city park; call the Defiance police before you arrive. Independence Dam State Park, just east of town, charges for camping. Both chain and independent hotels are in town.

  601 Clinton Street, Defiance, OH 43512

• Buckeye Trail Town: Delphos, OH· Resupply

  Delphos, on the Miami and Erie Canal towpath, where the trail passes Lock 24 North at Stadium Park. The pin is the post office. The Buckeye Trail Association says trail users are welcome to camp in any of the city parks (Waterworks, Stadium, Leisure, Suever or Garfield), with restrooms at Waterworks, Stadium and Leisure from April to November and showers at Stadium Park in season. There is a convenience store and gas station on the trail and a grocery store about 10 blocks off it. North of town the route moves onto county and township roads.

  127 N. Main Street, Delphos, Ohio 45833-9998

• Deep Cut Historical Park, OH· Historic site

  A canal-era cut on the Miami and Erie Canal towpath, early in the Buckeye Trail's Delphos Section: 6,600 feet long and 50 feet deep, dug by hand. The Buckeye Trail Association calls it a remarkable feat of canal-era labor. From here the trail follows the towpath north through Spencerville and Delphos.

• Buckeye Trail Town: Spencerville, OH· Resupply

  Spencerville, a Buckeye Trail Town on the Miami and Erie Canal towpath. The pin is the post office. There is no hotel in town; the Buckeye Trail Association points you to Delphos or St. Marys for a room. You can camp at Old Acadia Park with permission from the Spencerville police. Supplies are thin: the Association lists a discount dollar store and gas stations, plus three places to eat. Restrooms are at Old Acadia Park and the gas station, and showers at the swimming pool in season.

  121 S. Broadway Street

• Buckeye Trail Town: St. Marys, OH· Resupply

  St. Marys, a canal town on the Miami and Erie Canal. The pin is the post office. The Buckeye Trail Association says tent camping (with a shelter) is available north of Mill Park if you notify the St. Marys Police Department, and the state park on Grand Lake St. Marys is about three miles from downtown. Restrooms are at the Mill Park shelter house, KC Geiger Park and the public library; there are no showers. There is a Kroger near the trail and several chain hotels around Route 33.

  120 N. Chestnut Street, St. Marys, OH 45885

• Lake Loramie State Park Campground, OH· Campsite

  Lake Loramie, a feeder lake for the old Miami and Erie Canal, half a mile east of Fort Loramie. The Buckeye Trail Association says the park has walk-in sites available year-round for a fee, and that showers are available at the park. Call the park or camp office for a site. Fort Loramie is a Buckeye Trail Town with a grocery (Shafer Market), a Dollar General, a hardware store and several places to eat. The canal summit, the high point of the Miami and Erie Canal, is on this section.

• Lockington Reserve, OH· Checkpoint

  The Miami Conservancy District's Lockington Reservation, north of Piqua, with two Buckeye Trail campsites managed by the Buckeye Trail Association. You need a one-night permit to use them, and every adult over 18 has to fill out an individual permit form from the Association. The sites are for backpackers only, with no vehicle parking, and they sit in the floodplain, so they can be closed by flooding. The historic Lockington Locks are near State Route 66 and Hardin Road.

• Buckeye Trail Town: Piqua, OH· Resupply

  Piqua, at the north end of the Buckeye Trail's Troy Section, where the shared route leaves the canal and follows the Great Miami River south. The pin is the post office. The Buckeye Trail Association lists Ulbrich IGA on South Wayne Street, Parker's Sport Shop, and restaurants downtown. Restrooms and bike repair stations are at Lock 9, Fountain and French parks. There are no showers. For camping, the Association points to the Miami County Fairgrounds south of town; call ahead.

  220 N. Wayne Street, Piqua, OH 45356

• Buckeye Trail Town: Troy, OH· Resupply

  Troy, where the shared Buckeye and North Country route runs on the paved Great Miami River Recreation Trail past downtown. The pin is Treasure Island Park, where the Buckeye Trail Association lists restrooms; there are also portable toilets along the trail through town. Convenience stores are close to the trail and grocery stores are out near I-75. When high water floods the river trail inside the levees, Troy has a high-water bypass through the historic downtown. For camping, the Association lists the Miami County Fairgrounds north of town and the Five Rivers MetroParks trailside sites to the south.

• Taylorsville MetroPark Trailside Campsite, OH· Campsite

  A one-site trailside campsite on the south side of Taylorsville MetroPark, a short way off the Great Miami River Trail, under trees and below the grade of the trail at the edge of a grass field. Five Rivers MetroParks says the Buckeye and North Country trails both pass through the park. The site holds up to two small tents, and fires are not allowed. There is no drinking water nearby: the closest is about a mile away in West Park on Brown School Road, and only April 1 to October 31. A portable restroom is within 1,000 feet. The Buckeye Trail Association says the site is open year-round and needs a permit, booked through the MetroParks reservation site.

• Island MetroPark Trailside Campsite, OH· Campsite

  A one-site trailside campsite at the north end of Island MetroPark in Dayton, along the Great Miami River and close to the Great Miami River Trail. Five Rivers MetroParks says the Buckeye and North Country trails both pass through the park. The site holds up to two small tents, and fires are not allowed. Drinking water is about a quarter mile away from April 1 to October 31, and a restroom is within 1,000 feet. The Buckeye Trail Association says this site is open April to October only and needs a permit, booked through the MetroParks reservation site.

• Buckeye Trail Town: Dayton, OH· Resupply

  Dayton, a Trail Town of both the North Country Trail Association and the Buckeye Trail Association. The pin is the main post office on East Fifth Street. The Buckeye Trail Association says there are multiple places to resupply across the city and numerous outdoor outfitters, with restaurants, breweries and convenience stores along the trail. Camping in the city is at three Five Rivers MetroParks trailside sites, by permit only: Eastwood and Taylorsville year-round, Island from April to October. Book them through the MetroParks reservation site. East of the city the route passes the Wright brothers' Huffman Prairie Flying Field.

  1111 E. Fifth Street, Dayton, OH 45401

• Eastwood MetroPark Trailside Campsite, OH· Campsite

  A one-site trailside campsite on the northeast side of Eastwood MetroPark, along the Mad River Trail, under trees behind a tall-grass prairie. Five Rivers MetroParks says the Buckeye and North Country trails both pass through the park. The site holds up to two small tents, and fires are not allowed. A restroom is within 1,000 feet, shared with the Harshman Road Trailhead. Drinking water is in the park about a mile away, April 1 to October 31 only. The Buckeye Trail Association says the site is open year-round and needs a permit, booked through the MetroParks reservation site.

• Huffman Prairie Flying Field, OH· Historic site

  The pasture where the Wright brothers learned to fly after Kitty Hawk. In 1904 and 1905 they worked out controlled, powered flight here and built the world's first practical airplane; in 1905 Wilbur flew more than 24 miles in 39 minutes. The Buckeye Trail Association lists the flying field among the points the shared route passes east of Dayton. The field is on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and is part of Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. The Park Service points visitors to the Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center for information about visiting.

• Glen Helen Nature Preserve, OH· Checkpoint

  The nature preserve on the edge of Yellow Springs, with stone steps, boardwalks, waterfalls and the Yellow Spring itself. The Buckeye Trail Association lists it among the Caesar Creek Section's points of interest. Know the rules before you plan a day here: no tents, hammocks, campfires or camping of any kind, and trails are open sunrise to sunset only. Dogs must be on a leash six feet or shorter. Bikes are prohibited, and so are swimming and wading. For a campsite, the Buckeye Trail Association points to John Bryan State Park.

  405 Corry Street Yellow Springs, OH 45387

• Buckeye Trail Town: Yellow Springs, OH· Resupply

  Yellow Springs, a college town on the Little Miami Scenic Trail. The pin is the post office on Corry Street. The Buckeye Trail Association lists two groceries, Tom's Market on Xenia Avenue and Rosie's Natural Food on Dayton Street, plenty of places to eat downtown, and Village Cyclery, which may have some gear. Restrooms are at Yellow Springs Station. The nearest camping is John Bryan State Park, which has showers at its campground. Glen Helen, at the edge of the village, does not allow camping.

  120 Corry Street, Yellow Springs, OH 45387

• John Bryan State Park Campground, OH· Campsite

  The state park campground east of Yellow Springs, which Greene County Parks & Trails lists as 1.7 miles off the Little Miami Scenic Trail. It has 50 non-electric and nine electric sites with fire rings, grills, picnic tables and restrooms, and the Buckeye Trail Association says it has showers. It is the camping the Association lists for Yellow Springs. Call the park to check availability and reserve a site.

  3790 State Route 370, Yellow Springs, Ohio

• Old Town Reserve Campsite, OH· Campsite

  A Greene County Parks & Trails primitive tent site right beside the Little Miami Scenic Trail north of Xenia, with drinking water, a picnic shelter with a grill, and a portable restroom. It is tents only, four tents at most, and you need a permit from the county park district, by phone on weekdays or online. County rules: permit holders must be 18 or older, and no permit covers more than three consecutive nights or more than six nights in 30 days across the park system. After hours, call Central Dispatch and ask for the ranger on duty. The Buckeye Trail Association lists it as a campsite on the Caesar Creek Section.

  1360 Old Springfield Pike, Xenia, Ohio

• Buckeye Trail Town: Xenia, OH· Resupply

  Xenia, a Buckeye Trail Town. The pin is Grocerylan on North Detroit Street, which the Buckeye Trail Association lists as right on the trail, so this is an easy resupply. Restrooms are at Xenia Station, Old Town Reserve Park and Shawnee Park, and there is a bike repair station at Xenia Station. For camping the Association lists Greene County's primitive sites at Old Town Reserve and Jacoby Road (permit required), and the Greene County Fairgrounds, which has restrooms and showers. There are numerous chain hotels in town.

• Constitution Park Campsite, OH· Campsite

  A two-acre Greene County park on the Little Miami River where Spring Valley's Main Street ends, a quarter mile off the Little Miami Scenic Trail, with primitive tent camping. The county lists no facilities beyond a canoe launch and picnic area, so bring water. It is tents only, and Greene County Parks & Trails requires a permit and charges a fee. In summer the lot fills quickly with paddlers. The same county rules apply as at Old Town Reserve: permit holders 18 or older, at most three consecutive nights.

• Buckeye Trail Town: Spring Valley, OH· Resupply

  Spring Valley, a small village on the Little Miami Scenic Trail. The pin is the post office on West Main Street. Supplies are limited: the Buckeye Trail Association says the gas station in the village has a limited supply, there is no outdoor store and no shower, and there is a portable toilet and bike repair station at the trail's rest stop at the village intersection. Lodging is in Xenia, about four miles away. Camping is at Constitution Park, on the river at the end of Main Street, with a permit from Greene County.

  9 W. Main Street, Spring Valley, OH 45370

• Buckeye Trail Town: Morrow, OH· Resupply

  Morrow, a Buckeye Trail Town on the Little Miami Scenic Trail. The pin is the post office on West Pike Street. The Buckeye Trail Association lists three markets (Morrow Village Market, Hawk's Run Market, and Fresh to Morrow Cafe & Market), several outdoor and bait shops, and a bike shop. For camping it lists Todd's Fork Adventures, which may be seasonal and is fairly primitive, with portable toilets and a hand-washing station, and charges a fee. The Morrow Trailhead has a large parking lot. Fort Ancient's earthworks and trails are nearby.

  531 W Pike St, Morrow OH

• City of Loveland Buckeye Trail Campsite, OH· Campsite

  A free primitive campsite the City of Loveland keeps for Buckeye Trail hikers, about a quarter mile north of Nisbet Park on the Little Miami Scenic Trail. The city asks you to get a camping permit first, so it knows you are there in an emergency; the request form is on the city's Buckeye Trail Town page. Nisbet Park, downtown, has restrooms, picnic shelters and a bike repair station. The Buckeye Trail Association gives the same coordinates for the site, which is where this pin is.

• Buckeye Trail Town: Loveland, OH· Resupply

  Loveland, where the Little Miami Scenic Trail runs through the middle of the historic downtown. The pin is the post office on Loveland Madeira Road. The Buckeye Trail Association lists a grocery store on the trail plus convenience stores, Vertical Drop (a full outdoor store), and a two-block run of restaurants, coffee shops and breweries north from where the trail crosses East Broadway Street. Restrooms are along the trail and at Nisbet Park; there are no showers. The city keeps a free primitive campsite for hikers a quarter mile north of Nisbet Park; ask for a permit first. Chain hotels are near the I-275 interchange.

  200 Loveland Madeira Road, Loveland, OH 45140

• Milford, OH (Buckeye Trail Town)· Resupply

  Milford was the first Buckeye Trail Town, and it sits where the Buckeye Trail, the North Country Trail and the Little Miami Scenic Trail meet at a spot called "The Junction." The trail follows sidewalks through town, past Main Street's shops and restaurants, so this is an easy place to eat and resupply. The BTA lists a grocery, Harvest Market on Main Street, a post office on Castleberry Court, and Roads Rivers and Trails for gear. There are no public showers. For a night here, Jim Terrell Park has a shelter and Valley View Nature Preserve has campsites. Both need a permit.

• Jim Terrell Park Shelter, Milford, OH· Shelter

  A shelter in Jim Terrell Park in Milford, on the Little Miami River. The BTA describes it as an Appalachian Trail-style shelter. It's a seasonal site and you need a permit before you stay. Restrooms are in the park. If the shelter doesn't work out, the Valley View Foundation has a site between BT Points 28 and 29, also by permit.

• East Fork State Park Backpack Camp 2· Campsite

  One of the backcountry sites the BTA lists along the trail in East Fork State Park. The BTA says primitive camping areas #1 and #2 have shelters; #3 has a fire ring, benches and tent space but no shelter. Through here the BT and NCT share the Steve Newman Worldwalker Perimeter Trail, and the BTA counts more than 23 miles of nearly continuous off-road hiking through the park and the East Fork Wildlife Area, with steep climbs and rolling hills. The permit is free, but you do need one: call 513.724.6521. If you leave a car, the park office lot at Point 17 allows overnight parking with a permit. The park's family campground is on the north side of the lake, and the BTA says it isn't convenient to reach from the trail.

• Vogel Shelter· Shelter

  A shelter on private land in the woods on the west side of West Fork Road, between BT Points 22 and 23 of the West Union Section. There's a No Trespassing sign at the road, but the owner still welcomes BT hikers. The catch is that you must call the number posted inside the shelter so the owner knows someone is back there. Practice Leave No Trace. Southbound (clockwise), it's 0.6 mi after Seip Road. Northbound, it's the first woods on the west side of West Fork Road, 0.22 mi after Point 23 at Delhi-Arnheim Road.

• Creek's Bend Overlook, Edge of Appalachia Preserve· Trailhead

  The Nature Conservancy's overlook of Ohio Brush Creek, where the BT/NCT's footpath through the Edge of Appalachia meets the road. Heading west, the trail leaves the woods here and spends most of the West Union Section on roads through farm country. The lot is day use, with 26 spaces, and the site has an accessible restroom, a pavilion with picnic tables and a canoe and kayak launch. It's open dawn to dusk year-round. The Portman Trail shares about three-quarters of a mile with the BT/NCT here, and the NCT/BT runs about 16 miles inside the preserve.

• Moon Hollow Road Trailhead (Edge of Appalachia)· Trailhead

  A trailhead at BT Point 22 in The Nature Conservancy's Edge of Appalachia Preserve. The Moon Hollow campsite is on the trail between this trailhead and Blue Creek Road. You can't just turn up. The preserve requires a free, written permit, and The Nature Conservancy describes camping on its Buckeye Trail land as single-night camping for backpackers. Email ohio@tnc.org or call the preserve before you go. The Conservancy says it's the only campsite it has in Ohio, and you can reach it only on foot. There are no facilities at the campsite and fires aren't allowed. If you leave a car overnight at the preserve's Blacks Run Road or Sunshine Ridge trailheads, the BTA says it must display a parking permit from the preserve. The BT sections are the only public trails in the preserve open to hunting, so wear blaze orange in deer season.

• Shawnee State Forest Camp 7 Side Trail· Campsite

  BT Point 15, where a white-blazed state forest side trail runs about 850 feet to Shawnee State Forest Camp 7. The BTA lists a privy and water there. The Shawnee Section is one of the most rugged and remote stretches of the Buckeye Trail: steep ridges, deep hollows and dense forest, with long stretches of backcountry trail and few road walks. The BTA lists no towns on the trail in this section, so carry what you need.

• Shawnee Backpack Trail Trailhead (Shawnee State Park)· Trailhead

  BT Point 14, the Shawnee Backpack Trail trailhead in Shawnee State Park. The BT follows the Shawnee Backpack Trail through this part of the forest, and the BTA says the route here follows the ridgetops rather than the valleys. The day-use lot has 131 spaces. For a developed campground, Shawnee State Park has Class A camping at the west end of Roosevelt Lake, about 1.5 miles southeast by State Route 125 or by the Knighton Trail from near the swimming beach.

• Peebles, OH (Buckeye Trail Town)· Resupply

  A small Trail Town in Adams County, near Serpent Mound. The BTA says Peebles has both a Dollar General and a Family Dollar close to the trail, plus a Save A Lot grocery, a post office and Ace Hardware for gear. There's no public camping or shower in town. Restrooms are at the convenience store, gas station and public library. The nearest motels are in Seaman and West Union.

• Serpent Mound· Historic site

  The Great Serpent Mound, a 1,348-foot effigy mound and National Historic Landmark, sits right on the BT/NCT at Point 18 of the Sinking Spring Section. The state memorial has a large day-use lot. For a night nearby, the BTA lists the Andy Jones Shelter on the McKenzie family's private land at Point 18: a small shelter plus a few tent or hammock sites on or near the trail. Call the owners about 24 hours before you arrive. If a support car needs to get onto the property to set up camp, or a ride wants to park for a pickup, arrange that with them ahead of time too.

• Fort Hill Earthworks & Nature Preserve· Historic site

  A 1,495-acre preserve around a roughly 2,000-year-old earthen-walled enclosure on a flat ridgetop, managed by the Arc of Appalachia for the Ohio History Connection. The Fort Trail leads to the earthwork. The BT/NCT passes through the preserve, and its gorge has limestone cliffs, stone arches and big old trees. Hiking hours are sunrise to sunset. This pin is the parking lot by the shelter house. Check the BTA's Sinking Spring Section trail alerts before you walk through.

  13614 Fort Hill Road, Hillsboro, OH 45133

• Pike Lake State Park· Campsite

  BT Point 1 of the Sinking Spring Section, on Pike Lake Road just east of the park store. Pike Lake State Park has family camping south of the dam, where the BTA counts 112 sites, and heated cabins you can reserve. Camping there charges a fee.

• Scioto Trail State Park Parking Area (BT Point 21)· Trailhead

  BT Point 21 in Scioto Trail State Park. The day-use lot has 23 spaces and a pit toilet. The park's walk-in primitive campground is close by: follow an unblazed bridle trail west to the end of the picnic area below Stewart Lake Dam. The camp is on the lawn across Stoney Creek Road from the dam. It charges a fee and has parking, a privy, picnic tables and seasonal water. The Scioto Trail Section crosses three state forests and is mostly off-road.

• Brush Ridge Fire Tower, Tar Hollow State Forest· Landmark

  A fire lookout on Brush Ridge in Tar Hollow State Forest, at BT Point 4 of the Scioto Trail Section. The BTA lists five dispersed primitive campsites about 1,200 feet southeast of the tower. Camping there charges a fee. One BTA trail update says water tanks were added at this camp and at the former group camp in Dulen Hollow, while another BTA listing calls the tower sites dry camping, so confirm water with the Tar Hollow State Park office before you count on it. Near Point 5 the BTA says dry camping may also be available in an Adirondack shelter. Contact the park office in advance for either. If the tower sites are full, the Dullen Campsite on the Logan Backpack Trail is about two miles southeast of the BT. It's a designated state forest campsite with a privy and picnic table, and it's low enough to have filterable water nearby. Follow the red-blazed Logan Backpack Trail to Point R, then on to Point S. The Logan Backpack Trail isn't maintained by the BTA.

• Londonderry, OH resupply· Resupply

  A small resupply stop on U.S. Route 50, east of BT Point 9 of the Scioto Trail Section. The BTA lists a Family Dollar and a Marathon gas station convenience store, both east of the point. Londonderry is the village the BTA lists on this section, which crosses three large state forests. If you need more, the BTA also lists Izzy's One Stop near Waverly and Frednecks Mini-Mart near Nipgen.

• Old Man's Cave (Hocking Hills State Park)· Landmark

  The sandstone gorge at the heart of Hocking Hills State Park. The BT/NCT runs through it on a stretch named for Emma "Grandma" Gatewood, and a granite monument to her is on the Old Man's Cave Section. This is one of Ohio's most popular natural areas, so expect company. The 392-space lot at BT Point 19 is day use only, so don't plan to leave a car. The nearest camping the BTA lists is Top O' the Caves Campground, half a mile west of Point 19 on Chapel Ridge Road. It charges a fee.

• Pretty Run Preserve (Buckeye Trail Association)· Campsite

  A remote, roughly 230-acre ridge in northern Vinton County owned by the Buckeye Trail Association. About 2.7 miles of the BT cross it. BTA members can camp free at three sites. Campsite A ("Apogee") has a shelter on the high point, B ("Base") is a big grass field, and C ("Constellation") is off a spur trail. There's no water, electricity or any other facilities, so carry water in. Contact the BTA before you camp. Volunteers have seen black bears and bobcats here. The lot at Point 24 is for high-clearance vehicles only.

• Burr Oak State Park Dock 3 Primitive Campground· Campsite

  A primitive campground at Boat Dock 3 on Burr Oak Lake, right on the trail at BT Point 6 of the New Straitsville Section. Camping here carries a fee. There are 8 overnight parking spaces and pit toilets. The park has a second on-trail camp at Boat Dock 2 (Point 11), and rooms at the lodge or cabins near the park office (Point 10). The Forest Service's Burr Oak Cove Campground is about a mile by trail from Point 13.

• Burr Oak Cove Campground (Wayne National Forest)· Campsite

  A small, wooded Forest Service campground on the northwest tip of Burr Oak Reservoir, on the North Country and Buckeye trails. It has 19 sites, including walk-in sites, with drinking water, pit toilets, tables and fire rings. The Forest Service calls it a staging area or stopover for backcountry trips. The BTA warns that water elsewhere in this part of the Wayne isn't drinkable or filterable, so fill up here. It's open from early spring to winter. From the trail, it's about a mile from Point 13.

• Wildcat Hollow Trailhead (Wayne National Forest)· Trailhead

  BT Point 4 of the New Straitsville Section, a Wayne National Forest trailhead with 8 overnight parking spaces and a pit toilet. The NCT runs together with the Buckeye Trail here, and its Athens Unit segment is about 20 miles. Plan your water before you leave Burr Oak. The BTA warns that water in this part of the Wayne is nonpotable and non-filterable because of the area's mining history, and the Forest Service lists no water on the NCT. Mountain bikes aren't allowed on the Athens section of the NCT. Dispersed camping is allowed in the forest.

• Shawnee, OH (Buckeye Trail Town)· Resupply

  An old coal boomtown on the edge of the Wayne National Forest, and home of the Buckeye Trail Association. It's the main town on the New Straitsville Section. For supplies, the BTA lists Shawnee Crossing and the RoadDog Marathon Station. RoadDog also has restrooms. There's no post office or shower in town. Food is at the Black Diamond Tavern, Shawnee Crossing and RoadDog. Shawnee Hills Campground behind RoadDog has primitive sites, and dispersed camping is allowed in the national forest. Because of the mining, there's no drinkable water in this part of the Wayne, so fill up in town.

• Buckeye Trail Association Office, Shawnee, OH· Information

  The Buckeye Trail Association's office in Shawnee. The BTA cares for most of the shared BT/NCT route across Ohio and publishes the Section maps (paper and digital) and the Trail Alerts and Map Updates. Check the alerts for reroutes and closures before each section. For general questions, email info@buckeyetrail.org. To report a trail problem, use the BTA's report form.

• Tecumseh Lake, Shawnee, OH· Checkpoint

  BT Point 22, at Tecumseh Lake in Shawnee. There's a day-use picnic area and lot with 15 spaces. You can't camp here: the Village of Shawnee doesn't allow camping in this area. The BTA points you to dispersed camping in the Wayne National Forest instead, or to Shawnee Hills Campsite, private tent camping off a short spur from Upson Hollow Road. Call ahead to reserve. The BTA also lists Camp Bell, a garage shelter marked with a blue blaze.

• Old Stone Church Trailhead (Wayne National Forest)· Trailhead

  A Wayne National Forest trailhead west of Shawnee, named for the ruins of an old stone church nearby. It serves the Stone Church Horse Trail System and the BT/NCT. The BTA lists it as a multi-day parking area with overflow camping. There's no fee and no trail permit for hiking, and it's open to hikers year-round. There's no water and no restroom, so fill up in Shawnee. North of BT Point 24 the BTA lists three small campsites just off the trail in the pines.

• North Country Trail Trailhead (T-190), Wayne National Forest· Trailhead

  The North Country Trail's own trailhead and lot on T-190 in the Wayne National Forest. A white-blazed spur leads east to BT Point 26, and there are dispersed campsites in the woods just northeast of the lot. It's a multi-day lot. The BTA also lists the 100 Acre Shelter, an Adirondack-style shelter on the BTA's Imhoff Preserve, about 0.3 mi west of Point 27 plus a short side trail. Purify water from Dan's Run. Elsewhere in this part of the Wayne, the BTA says water isn't drinkable or filterable.

• Lane Farm Campground (Wayne National Forest)· Campsite

  A small Forest Service campground on the Little Muskingum River, about 5 miles north of Marietta along the Covered Bridge Scenic Byway (State Route 26). It has four sites and a vault toilet, and it charges a fee. There's no drinking water. The BTA names Caldwell and Marietta as the nearest resupply for the Whipple Section, and Marietta is reached from Point 10. In the Whipple Section you can also camp dispersed on Wayne National Forest land: camp out of sight of the trail, use minimum-impact methods, and make sure you're on Forest Service property and not a park site.

• Hune Bridge Campground (Wayne National Forest)· Campsite

  Four Forest Service campsites on the Little Muskingum River, just below the historic Hune Covered Bridge off State Route 26. It's also a canoe access and the start of a 5-mile trail to the Rinard Covered Bridge. The Forest Service lists Hune Bridge as a trailhead for the North Country Trail on the Marietta Unit. There's a vault toilet but no drinking water. It's open from early spring to winter, and it charges a fee.

• Irish Run Natural Bridge· Landmark

  A natural bridge on the Archer's Fork Loop in the Wayne National Forest's Marietta Unit. The Forest Service calls this loop maybe the most scenic area on the forest. The Forest Service says the NCT on the Wayne takes in a natural bridge, a large rock shelter, covered bridges and a historic rock house. About 41 miles of it are on the Marietta Unit. The Forest Service lists no water on the NCT here. The Archers Fork Trailhead is the closest parking.

• Archers Fork Trailhead (Wayne National Forest)· Trailhead

  A small trailhead at St. Patrick's Cemetery. The BTA lists it as a multi-day lot with 5 spaces at Road Fork Section Point 28, and the Forest Service lists it as the North Country Trail access for the Natural Bridge and Great Cave. The Road Fork Section is one of the most remote, least populated stretches of the Buckeye Trail, and the BTA lists no resupply near it. Belle Valley is the main stop. Dispersed camping is allowed on the national forest land.

• Ring Mill Campground (Wayne National Forest)· Campsite

  Three Forest Service campsites and a picnic shelter at an old mill site near the North Country Trail. The 1846 stone house of the mill's owner still stands here and is on the National Register of Historic Places. There's a vault toilet but no drinking water. It's open from early spring to winter, and it charges a fee. It's 3 miles off State Route 26 on County Road 68, and the Forest Service lists it as an NCT access on the Marietta Unit.

• Lamping Homestead Recreation Area (Wayne National Forest)· Campsite

  An old family farmstead in Monroe County with six walk-in campsites, a picnic shelter and a 2-acre pond in a stand of pines. It charges a fee. It's open 24 hours a day. There's a vault toilet but no drinking water. The BTA lists it as a multi-day parking area at Road Fork Section Point 18. It's on State Route 537, 2 miles from State Route 26.

• Belle Valley, OH resupply· Resupply

  A small village in Noble County. The BTA calls it the main resupply point for the remote Road Fork Section. The Belle Valley Section beyond it is mostly quiet dirt roads, and the BTA says the villages along it have limited services.

• Wolf Run State Park Campground· Campsite

  The state park campground by Wolf Run Lake, near BT Point 24 of the Belle Valley Section. The BTA lists it as open year-round, with a fee. The dam area has a small day-use lot with restrooms.

• USS Shenandoah Crash Site· Historic site

  The USS Shenandoah crash site, at BT Point 22 of the Belle Valley Section in Noble County. There's a small day-use lot with 3 spaces. The Belle Valley Section is mostly quiet, hilly dirt roads between the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District lands, the Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area and Wolf Run State Park.

• Seneca Lake Park (MWCD)· Campsite

  A Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District park on Seneca Lake, the district's largest lake. The BTA lists year-round tenting here at Belle Valley Section Point 17. It charges a fee. The public boat ramp lot allows overnight parking and has restrooms. The park has a beach and a marina, with a restaurant above it.

  22172 Park Road Senecaville, Ohio 43780

• Deersville, OH (Buckeye Trail Town)· Resupply

  A small Harrison County village near Tappan and Clendening lakes. The Deersville General Store is 0.4 mi east of BT Point 17 on Main Street. It carries some groceries and limited outdoor supplies, and it has restrooms. The post office is at 107 Main Street. For a night, Tappan Lake Park has a big campground, cabins, a camp store and showers. Clendening Lake has more than 80 sites. BTA members can camp free at the BTA's Century Barn on Tappan Lake, about a mile away, which has no amenities.

• Camp Tuscazoar· Campsite

  A camp near Zoar run for youth groups, mainly Scouting, with primitive areas (a few with shelters), cabins and lodges, and an RV park. Backpackers can camp here by permit, and the BTA says to allow several weeks before your date. Call 330.859.2288. The main entrance is at 6066 Boy Scout Road NE, south off State Route 212. Sign in when you arrive. The camp's museum, which houses the Trading Post, is the check-in station.

  6066 Boy Scout Rd. NE Dover, Ohio 44622-7541

• Zoar Campsite (North Country Trail)· Campsite

  A free primitive campsite on the North Country Trail at the east end of Fifth Street in historic Zoar, set aside by the village and the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District for NCT and BT backpackers. Carry in and carry out, and no fires. Before you stay, call the Bolivar Police Department, which patrols the site: 330-874-2113, the number in the BTA's Massillon Section listing and on the Village of Bolivar's own contact list. (The BTA's Zoar town page prints a different number.) Zoar has a market on State Route 212, a post office on First Street and seasonal public restrooms.

• Lisbon, OH (NCTA Trail Town)· Resupply

  The Columbiana County seat and an NCTA Trail Town. The NCT here roughly follows the old Sandy and Beaver Canal and passes east to west through downtown on the route of the 1928 Lincoln Highway. The NCTA's town page lists a motel, a restaurant, a grocery store, a gas station and the post office, and says the town's businesses and residents welcome thru-hikers with lodging, camping, shopping and food. Call ahead before you count on any one business. This stretch is maintained by the NCTA's Wampum Chapter.

• Darlington, PA (NCTA Trail Town)· Resupply

  An NCTA Trail Town in Beaver County. The NCT comes in from the west on a blue-blazed footpath through the woods at the south end of town, just over the North Fork of Little Beaver Creek. The trailhead at Kathy's Country Kitchen is 10 trail miles from the Ohio line, all through the woods. The NCTA lists gas stations, a small shopper and a post office in town. For a full grocery or medical help, Chippewa is five miles east on PA Route 51.

• Wampum, PA (NCTA Trail Town)· Resupply

  The first NCTA Trail Town, a small Lawrence County borough in the Beaver River valley. Businesses next to the trail include a laundromat, the Stop & Shop Food Mart, a post office and a cafe. The NCTA mentions a campground at the Mines in the Meadow ATV Park in nearby Darlington. The Wampum Chapter maintains the trail here, from Zoar to east of McConnells Mill.

• McConnell's Mill (McConnells Mill State Park)· Landmark

  The historic gristmill and covered bridge on Slippery Rock Creek. The NCT follows the west bank upstream to the covered bridge, and north of the mill it continues as the Alpha Pass Trail along the east bank. DCNR provides restrooms and water for public use along the trail near the mill. Treat any water you take from the creek. The park is open sunrise to sunset every day, and day-use areas close at dusk.

• Hells Hollow Trailhead (Slippery Rock Gorge Trail)· Trailhead

  The Hells Hollow lot, where the NCT's Slippery Rock Gorge Trail begins. DCNR rates it most difficult hiking. It runs 6.2 miles point to point down Hell Run and through the gorge to Eckert Bridge, over very steep terrain with big elevation changes. DCNR says to allow at least six hours to get to Eckert Bridge and back, so arrange a shuttle if you're going one way. The trailhead has non-flush restrooms. Carry drinking water, and treat anything from the streams.

• Link Road Backpacking Shelters (Moraine State Park)· Shelter

  Backpacking shelters on the Glacier Ridge Trail, the 14.8-mile stretch of NCT across Moraine State Park to Jennings. DCNR rates it the most difficult hiking in the park, with forest, stream crossings and views of Lake Arthur. The shelters are by reservation only. Contact the park office (724-368-8811) for backpacking information.

• Jennings Environmental Education Center· Wildlife

  A DCNR education center where the NCT uses the Glacier Ridge, Ridge and Black Cherry trails for just under a mile. Its 20-acre prairie is home to the endangered massasauga rattlesnake, so watch your feet and stay on the trail. Jennings was the first reserve in Pennsylvania established to protect an individual plant species. The prairie's showiest flower is the blazing star.

• State Game Lands 95 (Bear Creek), PA· Checkpoint

  Pennsylvania State Game Lands 95, which the NCT crosses on the way into Parker. It winds three miles along the Bear Creek Valley, crossing at the Dead Crow Bridge (this pin) and the Bears Mouth Bridge. The rule that matters: overnight camping is prohibited on state game lands, so plan to finish the game lands before you stop for the night. Trailheads are on El Dorado Road, Route 268 and Jackson Avenue in Parker.

• Parker, PA (NCTA Trail Town)· Resupply

  A small Allegheny River city and NCTA Trail Town. The NCT leaves State Game Lands 95 on a right-of-way and follows Bruin Road and Jackson Street for a one-mile road walk to SR-268 in town. The NCTA lists three restaurants, a bakery, a market with gas pumps, a hotel and a post office. There's also a riverside park with a canoe and boat launch. The Butler County Chapter maintains the trail as far as the Allegheny River.

• Cook Forest State Park, PA· Information

  The park office at Cooksburg in Cook Forest State Park, where a scenic 13-mile stretch of the Clarion River flows through the park. The association lists Cook Forest among the state parks the trail crosses in Pennsylvania, and the Forest Service's North Country Trail page ends its route description at the forest boundary with Cook Forest State Park. The park is known for old-growth white pine and hemlock; its Forest Cathedral is a National Natural Landmark. DCNR says the park allows overnight parking with the proper registration, which matters if you are leaving a car for a section hike. The park is open every day, sunrise to sunset, but the office keeps its own hours, so call ahead. Black bears live here: put all food away after use in a tight, secure container, and don't feed wildlife. Cell service is unpredictable, so download a map before you arrive.

  100 Rt 36 P.O. Box 120 Cooksburg, PA 16217-0120

• Amsler Spring Shelter, Allegheny National Forest, PA· Shelter

  An Adirondack-style shelter at Amsler Springs on Forest Road 145, near the southern end of the North Country Trail's run through the Allegheny National Forest. The Forest Service says there is ample space for tents and parking here. From the shelter it is 3.2 trail miles south to the forest boundary, and 11.2 miles north to Forest Road 127. Amsler Springs is not among the sites the Forest Service lists for potable water along the trail, so treat anything you collect here.

• Minister Creek Campground, Allegheny National Forest, PA· Campsite

  The Allegheny's smallest campground: six first-come, first-served family sites along Minister Creek on State Route 666. It is not on the North Country Trail itself. The Minister Creek Hiking Trail starts across SR 666 from the campground and connects to the NCT at its northernmost point, and the NCT follows the Minister Trail for just over half a mile after Minister Road. Drinking water comes from a hand pump, and there are vault toilets. The campground is open from the end of March through October, and campfires must stay in the fire rings.

• Tionesta Scenic Area Parking (FR 148), PA· Trailhead

  Parking for the Tionesta Scenic and Research Natural Areas, off Forest Road 148. Through here the North Country Trail follows part of the Tionesta Scenic Area Interpretive Trail, which is marked with gray diamonds, so watch for both blaze styles. The Forest Service warns that parking is limited at the scenic area. North of here the trail parallels the East Branch of Tionesta Creek toward US 6, about 6.5 miles away; south, it is 9 miles to SR 666 at Henry's Mills. The Forest Service names Twin Lakes Recreation Area as the campground for that southern stretch, but Twin Lakes is at the far end of the 15.8-mile Twin Lakes Trail, which runs west from the campground to join the NCT, so it is not a stop you walk past. You may camp on National Forest land outside the reservoir buffer.

• Red Bridge Recreation Area, Allegheny National Forest, PA· Campsite

  A Forest Service campground on State Route 321, about 10 miles north of Kane, beside the Allegheny Reservoir. The North Country Trail crosses SR 321 only 0.2 miles south of the campground. Campsites are first come, first served (the cabins need a reservation), and there are flush toilets, hot showers and drinking water from faucets. Know the reservoir rule before you look for a spot to pitch: a forest order bans camping on the shores and within 1,500 feet inland of the tree line around the Allegheny Reservoir, and within 1,500 feet of either side of the Longhouse Scenic Drive, except in designated sites. Use the campground.

• Tracy Ridge Campground, Allegheny National Forest, PA· Campsite

  A ridge-top Forest Service campground three miles east of the Allegheny Reservoir, just south of the New York line. It holds one of the two trailheads of the 33-mile Tracy Ridge Hiking Trail system, with a loop circling the campground, and the Forest Service says the North Country Trail connects to that system. Work out the connecting trail on your map before you count on this as a night's stop. Water is the catch: the Forest Service says potable water is not available at the site except in Loop E from May to October. The campground is open April 1 to December 15, and you may collect dead and downed wood in the campground for fires in the rings.

• Willow Bay Recreation Area, Allegheny National Forest, PA· Campsite

  A Forest Service campground on State Route 346 above Willow Bay, an arm of the Allegheny Reservoir. The North Country Trail crosses near the campground and is reached by SR 346; the Forest Service's trail page puts the NY border 11.3 miles north of Nelse Run, with Willow Bay just west of the SR 346 crossing. About 100 sites, with drinking water from faucets, flush toilets and hot showers. The Deer Grove loop is walk-to and tent-only. Some sites can be reserved through Recreation.gov, and first-come sites are also available. The reservoir's no-camping buffer applies here too, so use the campground rather than the shore.

• Willis Creek Lean-to, Allegany State Park, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on the Finger Lakes Trail in Allegany State Park. At the state line in Allegany State Park the North Country Trail joins the Finger Lakes Trail, which carries it east across central New York, and the FLT runs 18 miles through the park. The conference's camping table lists Willis Creek with a privy, a stream, a fire ring and a table, and one tent site below the privy. The park has three main lean-tos on the trail: Willis Creek, Stony Brook and Beck Hollow. Registration is required to camp in New York state parks, so call the park first.

• Old Seneca CCC Camp Bivouac, NY· Campsite

  A tent area at the site of an old Civilian Conservation Corps camp, just west of Hungry Hollow Road on state land. The Finger Lakes Trail Conference lists it as a bivouac (tent sites, no lean-to) with a stream, a pavilion and a table, about a tenth of a mile off the trail. A second bivouac with a stream sits just east of Hungry Hollow Road.

• Boyce Hill State Forest Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to in the middle of Boyce Hill State Forest, where the North Country Trail runs between Route 242 in the west and Jackson Forest Road in the east. DEC also has one designated primitive tent site at the eastern end of the forest, by the pond at the end of Jackson Forest Road, and allows at-large camping at least 150 feet from roads, trails and water. The conference's table lists the lean-to with a privy, a stream, a fire ring, a table and a bench. The Foothills Trail Club maintains this section.

• BSA Camp Sam Wood Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on Boy Scout land (Camp Sam Wood), on a section of the Finger Lakes Trail that crosses private property. The conference's table lists a privy, a pond and a table, with tent sites, and is blunt about the water: the pond is scummy, so filter carefully or carry in. On private land the conference's rules apply: no fires or camping unless explicitly permitted, dogs on a leash, and every private-land section of the trail is closed for 24 hours on the first Monday in February. Some landowners also close their sections during hunting seasons; closures are posted in the conference's Trail Condition Notices.

• Bossard's Cabin, NY· Shelter

  A small cabin on private land a tenth of a mile off the Finger Lakes Trail. The conference's camping table lists a privy but no water, and warns the cabin can smell of mice, so carry water in and bring a tent as backup. Remember you are a guest here: on private land there are no fires or camping unless explicitly permitted, and some landowners close their trail sections during hunting seasons. Check the conference's Trail Condition Notices.

• Bully Hill Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on the Finger Lakes Trail in Bully Hill State Forest, where the conference maintains a white-blazed trail. Its camping table lists a privy and a stream here. For anything on Bully Hill State Forest, the DEC office in Almond is the contact.

• Kanakadea Lean-to and Almond Dam Recreation Area, NY· Shelter

  A county lean-to near Almond Dam Recreation Area. The conference's camping table lists the lean-to with a privy and a stream, and about 0.8 miles on by the conference's map mileage, the county recreation area has a public campground with water, toilets, tables and showers (and electric hookups) right on the trail.

• Burt Hill Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  The only designated campsite in Burt Hill State Forest, on the Finger Lakes Trail / North Country Trail along the northern border of the property. The conference's table lists a privy, a stream, a fire ring and a table. At-large primitive camping is also allowed on the forest at least 150 feet from roads, trails and water. Groups of ten or more, or stays of more than three nights, need a permit from a Forest Ranger.

• Hickory Hill Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on private land, right on the trail. The conference's camping table lists a privy and a table and says there is no water except a pond 0.2 miles away, so arrive with water. A private campground, the Hammondsport-Bath KOA, sits 0.7 miles off the trail nearby, with water, toilets and showers. Private land rules apply: no fires or camping unless explicitly permitted, and dogs on a leash.

• Sugar Hill Recreation Area and Fire Tower, NY· Campsite

  A DEC camping area and fire tower on Sugar Hill State Forest, which the Finger Lakes Trail crosses as part of the North Country Trail. The conference's camping table puts the campground 0.4 miles off the trail by signs, and the twin Sugar Hill lean-tos 0.2 miles north on a blue trail, south of the rec area on the Seneca Trail. The rec area has 22 designated sites, first come, first served, with no reservations: fill out the self-issued permit at the restroom when you arrive. The gate opens and the water is turned on from the third Monday in May to the third Monday in October, but DEC has posted notices about the water system, so check its page before you count on refilling here. Carry out your trash; there is no pickup.

• Buck Settlement Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on the Finger Lakes Trail in Sugar Hill State Forest, north of Templar Road and near Glen Creek. The conference's table lists a privy, a stream, a fire ring and a table, with tent sites. About 0.7 miles on, Ebenezer's Crossing has an unlevel tent bivouac on the north side of Glen Creek. DEC's lean-to rule: lean-tos are shared to capacity, first come, first served, and cannot be reserved. Watkins Glen State Park is the next stop east.

• Watkins Glen State Park Campground, NY· Campsite

  The campground at Watkins Glen State Park. The Finger Lakes Trail (here also the North Country Trail) enters Watkins Glen State Park at mile 231 of the main FLT, just east of Sugar Hill State Forest, and follows the park's South Rim Trail; the conference's table puts the campground 0.2 miles off the trail. After the park the trail passes through the town of Watkins Glen and along the southern end of Seneca Lake. Camping here is by reservation (Reserve America or the park). Pets are not allowed on the Gorge Trail, and elsewhere they must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet, so with a dog, stick to the South Rim route the trail already uses.

  1009 N Franklin St Watkins Glen, NY 14891

• Rogers Hill Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on private land, right on the trail. The conference's table lists a privy and a pond as the water source, with lots of tent sites. Treat pond water. You are a guest of the landowner: no fires or camping unless explicitly permitted, dogs on a leash, and the private-land sections of the trail close for 24 hours on the first Monday in February.

• Connecticut Hill WMA Parking (Connecticut Hill Road pond), NY· Checkpoint

  A DEC parking area by the pond on Connecticut Hill Road, in Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area, which carries a portion of the Finger Lakes Trail. Wildlife management area rules apply here: camping without a permit is prohibited, dogs must be leashed except while hunting, and DEC asks you to stay on the designated trails. Don't plan an at-large camp here. DEC lists white-tailed deer, waterfowl and small game hunting here.

• Locust Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A Finger Lakes Trail Conference lean-to with a privy, a fire ring and a table, and no water, so fill up before you get here. A tent bivouac on top of the hill 0.2 miles west of Porter Hill Road is also dry. By the conference's map mileage, a private campground with water sits on the trail about a mile farther on, and Sierra Shelter and Robert H. Treman State Park come a few miles after that.

• Sierra Shelter, Robert H. Treman State Park, NY· Shelter

  A backpackers-only shelter in Robert H. Treman State Park. The Finger Lakes Trail Conference says thru-hikers can use it for one night, free, with no permit. Potable water and toilets are nearby. It is one of only two camping options in the park for backpackers; the other is the park campground near the eastern edge. Just after leaving the park, the trail reaches its lowest point on the Finger Lakes Trail, 432 feet.

• Robert H. Treman State Park Campground, NY· Campsite

  The state park campground near the eastern edge of Robert H. Treman State Park. The conference recommends that thru-hikers follow the blue-blazed South Rim Trail after the main junction: it leads past Fish Kill Overlook and to potable water and restrooms near the Old Mill. The park's gorge, Enfield Glen, has trails past 12 waterfalls, including 115-foot Lucifer Falls. Campsite reservations are strongly recommended and cabins need one; call the park or Reserve America. The park is open year round, dawn to dusk.

  105 Enfield Falls Rd. Ithaca, NY 14850

• Chestnut Lean-to, Danby State Forest, NY· Shelter

  One of the two lean-tos the Cayuga Trails Club maintains on the Finger Lakes Trail in Danby State Forest, 7/10 of a mile east of Bald Hill Road. The conference's table lists a privy, a stream, a fire ring and a table, with tent sites, about 0.1 miles off the trail. Danby has a seasonal rule that catches people: its 10 designated primitive campsites along the FLT are by permit only from September 1 to January 1, so contact the Forest Rangers in that window. Parking for the lean-to is at Comfort and Bald Hill roads.

• Tamarack Lean-to, Danby State Forest, NY· Shelter

  The second Danby State Forest lean-to, about half a mile east of Travor Road. The conference's table lists a privy, a spring, a fire ring and a table, with tent sites, and notes the piped spring is downhill from the lean-to on a spur. Danby's 10 designated campsites along the trail are permit-only from September 1 to January 1. At-large camping is allowed elsewhere in the forest at least 150 feet from roads, trails and water.

• Shindagin Hollow Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A volunteer-built lean-to under tall eastern white pines on the Finger Lakes Trail in Shindagin Hollow State Forest, where about 5 miles of the FLT are maintained by the Cayuga Trails Club. The conference's table lists a privy, a stream, a fire ring and a table, with lots of tent sites. Primitive camping is allowed on the forest at least 150 feet from roads, trails and water. Stays of more than three nights, or groups of ten or more, need a permit from a Forest Ranger.

• Kimmie Lean-to, Robinson Hollow State Forest, NY· Shelter

  A Finger Lakes Trail Conference lean-to in the southwestern part of Robinson Hollow State Forest, 0.1 miles off the trail on a blue spur. The conference's table lists a privy, a stream, a fire ring and a table, and a separate tent bivouac at the site of the former lean-to, reached by a yellow trail. Primitive camping is allowed on the forest at least 150 feet from roads, trails and water.

• Woodchuck Hollow Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on DEC land just east of the trail. The conference's camping table lists a privy, a stream and a fire ring, with tent sites. The next lean-to east on the same map section is Hoxie Gorge. In between, the table lists a dry bivouac whose water is a pond 0.2 miles north along the trail.

• Hoxie Gorge Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on the Finger Lakes Trail near Hoxie Gorge, on DEC-listed land, with a stream, fire ring, privy, table and bench according to the conference's camping table. The conference says the main FLT carries the North Country Trail east to Madison County, where it turns north on the FLT's Onondaga Branch toward the Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area.

• Foxfire Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on DEC land right on the Finger Lakes Trail, which the conference's camping table lists with a privy, a spring, a fire ring and a table, and lots of level tent sites. A stream-side tent bivouac sits 0.2 miles before it on the same map section, 0.1 miles off on a blue trail.

• Taylor Valley Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on DEC land with a privy, a fire ring and a table, and no water, according to the conference's camping table. Fill up before you arrive: the table lists the Cheningo Day Use Area, a DEC campground with a stream, a pavilion and tables, 0.7 miles earlier on the same map, and a pond bivouac before that whose water it says is torpid and needs treating.

• Spruce Pond Camping Area, Morgan Hill State Forest, NY· Checkpoint

  A permit-only camping area at Spruce Pond in Morgan Hill State Forest, on the stretch where the Finger Lakes Trail system is also the North Country Trail. Don't just roll in and pitch a tent. From May 1 to September 30 camping at Spruce Pond requires a permit from DEC's Lands and Forests office (reservations open April 1); the rest of the year sites are first come, first served, but a permit is still needed for four or more nights or a group of ten or more. Sites are tent-only with a fire ring each, there is no potable water, and swimming or bathing in the pond is prohibited. The conference's table also lists a tent bivouac at Shackham Pond, at least 150 feet from the pond, about two trail miles on.

• Tioughnioga WMA Parking (Irish Hill Road), NY· Checkpoint

  A DEC parking area on Irish Hill Road in the Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area, which contains a portion of the Finger Lakes Trail. This is roughly where the Finger Lakes Trail Conference hands the North Country Trail to the NCTA's Central New York Chapter, which maintains it from the Tioughnioga WMA to Rome and the Adirondack Park. Wildlife management areas are managed for hunting and wildlife: DEC asks you to stay on the designated trails, and lists white-tailed deer, waterfowl and small game hunting here.

• North Country Trail Town: Canastota, NY· Resupply

  The first North Country Trail Association Trail Town designated in New York, on the Old Erie Canal between the Mohawk Valley and Oneida Lake. The trail passes through downtown Canastota, and the association says it offers resupply for long-distance hikers. The pin is at the Canal Town Museum on Canal Street. The association lists the Erie Canal towpath among the features the trail crosses in New York; at Canastota that is Old Erie Canal State Historic Park, which runs from DeWitt to Rome. Footbridges along it lead to the remains of stone aqueducts. Check the park page for trail notices before you go. The Central New York Chapter maintains this section.

• Pixley Falls State Park, NY· Landmark

  A small state park that the association lists among the state parks the trail crosses in New York. Its main attraction is a 50-foot waterfall close to the picnic area, with steep wooded hills and a mountain stream around it. Don't plan to sleep here: the park no longer has camping. State Parks points campers to Delta Lake State Park nearby.

• Chub Pond Lean-tos, Black River Wild Forest, NY· Shelter

  Two lean-tos on opposite sides of Chub Pond in the Black River Wild Forest, in the southwestern Adirondack foothills. DEC's Chub Pond Trail runs 5.3 miles from near the Bear Creek Parking Area to the pond and splits, with each branch ending at a lean-to. DEC amended this unit's management plan in 2018 in part for new hiking trail segments and parking in support of the North Country Trail. Lean-tos and designated tent sites here are first come, first served and cannot be reserved; designated sites are marked with a yellow "Camp Here" disc. Treat any water you take from the pond.

• Bear Lake Lean-to, Black River Wild Forest, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to at Bear Lake in the Black River Wild Forest. DEC says you can reach it from the Bear Lake Trailhead on the Bear Lake Trail, or from the Sand Lake Mill Creek Road Trailhead by the Big Woodhull and Bear Lake trails; the Bear Lake Trail continues on to Bloodsucker Pond and Big Woodhull Lake. First come, first served, no reservations. For trail conditions in this unit, call DEC's Herkimer office.

• Brooktrout Lake Trailhead (West Canada Lake Wilderness), NY· Checkpoint

  The Brooktrout Lake Trailhead parking on Indian Lake Road, the western door into the West Canada Lake Wilderness, at 168,920 acres the second largest wilderness in the Adirondack Forest Preserve. The Brooktrout Lake Trail runs nearly 8 miles from Indian Lake Road east to the Northville-Placid Trail; most of it rolls gently, with a 490-foot change between Falls Pond and the road. Wilderness rules start here: camp at designated sites (lean-tos and tent sites marked with a yellow "Camp Here" disc), and a Forest Ranger permit is required for groups of 10 or more or stays of more than 3 nights in one spot. Bait fish are prohibited on every water in the wilderness. In an emergency, or for search and rescue, call 911 or 1-833-NYS-RANGERS.

• Brooktrout Lake Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on the Brooktrout Lake Trail in the West Canada Lake Wilderness, about 2.5 miles west of the Northville-Placid Trail and 5.5 miles from Indian Lake Road. Lean-tos and designated tent sites in the wilderness are first come, first served and cannot be reserved. Camping is at designated sites, and groups of 10 or more or stays over 3 nights in one spot need a permit.

• West Lake Lean-to #2, West Canada Lakes, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on the northeastern shore of West Lake, 0.2 miles up the Brooktrout Lake Trail from its junction with the Northville-Placid Trail, with a designated tent site nearby. DEC calls the West Canada Lake Wilderness one of the more remote areas in the Adirondack Park. The interior of the wilderness has 16 lean-tos and 28 primitive tent sites, all first come, first served.

• South Lake Lean-to, West Canada Lakes, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on the eastern shore of South Lake, 0.5 miles north of the Northville-Placid Trail's junction with the French Louie Trail. West Creek Lean-to is near that junction, on the banks of West Creek. Camp at designated sites only; a Forest Ranger permit is needed for groups of 10 or more or stays over 3 nights in one spot.

• Sampson Lake Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on Sampson Lake, reached by a spur off the French Louie Trail. The French Louie Trail runs 8.0 miles between the Pillsbury Mountain Trailhead in the east and the Northville-Placid Trail near Mud Lake in the west, rising and falling with a high point of 2,745 feet near its midpoint. Lean-tos are first come, first served and can't be reserved.

• Pillsbury Lake Lean-to, NY· Shelter

  A lean-to on Pillsbury Lake, on a spur off the French Louie Trail. The 1.2-mile Pillsbury Lake Spur Trail heads north from the French Louie Trail and skirts the lake's western shore. From the Pillsbury Mountain Trailhead the French Louie Trail climbs 400 feet in 1.6 miles to the Cedar Lakes Trail junction. Lean-tos are first come, first served; camp only at designated sites in this wilderness.

• Pillsbury Mountain Trailhead (Perkins Clearing), NY· Trailhead

  Parking at the end of the Old Military Road in the Perkins Clearing Easement Tract, the eastern end of the French Louie Trail into the West Canada Lake Wilderness. It is 8.0 trail miles from here west to the Northville-Placid Trail near Mud Lake. DEC lists Speculator among the nearby communities for gas, food and lodging. Wilderness rules apply past the trailhead: designated sites only, and a permit for groups of 10 or more or stays over 3 nights.

• Speculator, NY· Resupply

  An Adirondack village between the West Canada Lake and Siamese Ponds wildernesses. DEC lists Speculator among the communities near both units where gas, food and supplies, dining and lodging can be found. The pin is at the village post office. Check hours and services directly with businesses before you count on them.

• Puffer Pond Lean-tos, Siamese Ponds Wilderness, NY· Shelter

  Lean-tos on Puffer Pond in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness, one of the wilderness's named points of interest. The East Puffer Pond Trail runs 4.3 miles from the East Branch Trail to the West Puffer Pond Trail at the westernmost lean-to on the pond. The West Puffer Pond Trail leads toward the King's Flow trailhead. The wilderness has 39 primitive tent sites and four lean-tos, all first come, first served, marked with yellow "Camp Here" discs. For conditions, call DEC's Warrensburg office.

• Crown Point State Historic Site, NY· Landmark

  The earth and stone ruins of two 18th-century forts on the Crown Point peninsula, on Lake Champlain. The Finger Lakes Trail Conference describes Crown Point as the North Country Trail's eastern New York terminus, where the trail leaves the Adirondacks and crosses into Vermont. The grounds are open sunrise to sunset, year round, free; the museum keeps seasonal hours, so call ahead if you want to go inside.

  21 Grandview Drive Crown Point, NY 12928

• Lake Champlain Bridge (NY–VT crossing)· Landmark

  The bridge across Lake Champlain between Crown Point, New York and Chimney Point, Vermont, where the trail changes states. Sidewalks across the bridge connect the paths at Crown Point to Chimney Point State Historic Site at the Vermont foot of the bridge, a museum in a c. 1785 tavern with a picnic area by the lake. In Vermont, the Middlebury Area Land Trust recommends a 44.3-mile route from here to the Long Trail while it works with the National Park Service and the association to add its Trail Around Middlebury and extensions to the North Country Trail.

• Chipman Hill, Trail Around Middlebury, VT· Landmark

  A forested hill of about 400 feet in Middlebury, with hardwoods and tall white pines, where the Middlebury Area Land Trust runs a Friends of the TAM group for its Trail Around Middlebury. The TAM is a footpath of more than 18 miles that circles the village and links town land, conserved properties and schools; the association notes the North Country Trail shares part of its Vermont route with it. Follow the blue blazes. MALT is working with the National Park Service and the association to add the TAM and its extensions to the North Country Trail, and recommends a 44.3-mile route for hikers going from Crown Point to the Long Trail.

• Moosalamoo Campground, VT· Campsite

  A small, remote Forest Service campground at the base of Mount Moosalamoo, near Voter Brook, in the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area, which the association lists among the land units the trail crosses in Vermont. Over 70 miles of trail surround it. There is a vault toilet but no potable water. Stays are capped at 14 days in 30, dogs must be on a leash, and quiet hours are 10 PM to 6 AM. The Forest Service warns not to rely on cell service in its remote campgrounds.

• Sucker Brook Shelter, VT· Shelter

  A shelter the Forest Service lists among its North Country Trail/Long Trail shelters on the Green Mountain National Forest. The Long Trail carries 23 miles of the NCT to its end at Maine Junction. Like other Long Trail overnight sites, it is free and first come, first served. The Green Mountain Club says each site has a composting privy and a natural, untreated water source, so treat your water. Proper food storage is required in the national forest.

• Joseph Battell Wilderness, VT· Checkpoint

  North of Brandon Gap the North Country Trail, here on the Long Trail, runs through the Joseph Battell Wilderness, which Route 73 borders to the south. Five of its mountains top 3,000 feet, including Mount Horrid and Romance Mountain. Rules to know: the national forest food-storage order requires food, food containers and trash to be kept in a closed vehicle or hung at least 12 feet up and 6 feet out from any object, and the Green Mountain Club notes that tenting is prohibited above 2,500 feet on the Long Trail. Wilderness restrictions also apply.

• Great Cliff of Mount Horrid, VT· Checkpoint

  A cliff overlook 0.4 miles north of Brandon Gap, reached by a 0.1-mile blue-blazed spur up rock steps off the Long Trail. Peregrine falcons nest on the 800-foot Great Cliff, and a Forest Service order closes the area when it is posted during March 15 to August 1. When the closure posters are up, skip the spur and stay on the trail.

• Brandon Gap (VT Route 73)· Trailhead

  Where the North Country Trail/Long Trail crosses Route 73 between Brandon and Rochester and continues north to Mount Horrid. The Green Mountain Club puts the crossing 9.2 miles west of Vermont 100 and 8.2 miles east of Brandon from US 7, with a lot for about thirty cars on the south side of the highway just west of the crossing. The Forest Service warns the lot sees vandalism, so leave nothing valuable in your car. Southbound toward Maine Junction, Sunrise Shelter is 2.6 miles on.

• Sunrise Shelter, VT· Shelter

  One of the Forest Service's North Country Trail/Long Trail shelters, 2.6 miles south of Brandon Gap; it is the first night in the Green Mountain Club's Brandon Gap to Route 4 itinerary. Like every Long Trail site it has a composting privy and a natural, untreated water source, so treat the water. Proper food storage is required in the Green Mountain National Forest.

• Chittenden Brook Campground, VT· Campsite

  A Forest Service campground off Route 73 east of Brandon Gap, linked to the Long Trail by the Chittenden Brook trail network. It has 17 sites and is open from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day. There is no potable water. Stays are capped at 14 days in 30, and dogs must be leashed.

• David Logan Shelter, VT· Shelter

  A Forest Service North Country Trail/Long Trail shelter on the quiet stretch between Brandon Gap and US 4. In the Green Mountain Club's itinerary it is 5.7 miles past Sunrise Shelter and 7 miles before Rolston Rest. Composting privy and a natural, untreated water source; treat the water.

• Rolston Rest Shelter, VT· Shelter

  A Forest Service North Country Trail/Long Trail shelter and the last night in the Green Mountain Club's Brandon Gap itinerary, which walks the final 4.9 miles from here to Route 4. Maine Junction, the end of the North Country Trail, is on that stretch. Composting privy and a natural, untreated water source; treat the water.

• Tucker Johnson Shelter, VT· Shelter

  A shelter on the Long Trail 0.4 miles north of Maine Junction, the North Country Trail's eastern end. The Forest Service lists it among its North Country Trail/Long Trail shelters. Composting privy and a natural, untreated water source; treat the water. Bear boxes can fill up at busy sites, so the Green Mountain Club says to carry a backup food-storage plan.

• US Route 4 AT/LT Parking (Killington), VT· Bailout point

  The AT/LT parking lot on US 4, about 8 miles east of Rutland, and the Green Mountain Club's starting point for Maine Junction, the North Country Trail's eastern end: the junction is 1.0 mile north on the Long Trail. US 4 is a very busy road, so cross with care. Killington/Rutland is one of the Green Mountain Club's listed resupply locations, and the Inn at Long Trail is about a mile east at Sherburne Pass.

• Inn at Long Trail, VT· Resupply

  An inn and pub on US 4 at Sherburne Pass, near Maine Junction and the end of the North Country Trail. It accepts resupply packages and letters for hikers, guests or not, at no cost: UPS and FedEx only (USPS does not deliver here), boxed packages only, with limits on number, weight and holding time. Bring ID, and use your legal name on the label. If the rooms are full, there is a free tent area across the street with a 3-night maximum and no campfires. Packs stay out of the public areas, dogs other than service animals are not allowed, and check-in days change by season, so read the hiker page first.

  709 Route 4, Sherburne Pass Killington, VT 05751

• Fort Stanwix National Monument, Rome, NY· Landmark

  Fort Stanwix, a Revolutionary War fort site run by the National Park Service in Rome. Rome is a handover point on the trail: the NCTA's Central New York Chapter maintains the section from the Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area to Rome and the Adirondack Park, and the Adirondack Mountain Club sponsors the route across the Adirondacks to Crown Point. Fort Stanwix played a vital role in the struggle for the Oneida Carrying Place, the six-mile portage between the Mohawk River and Wood Creek. Call the visitor center or check the park site for hours.

  112 East Park St. Rome, NY 13440

• Old Forge, NY· Resupply

  An Adirondack community next to the Black River Wild Forest, which DEC lists among the nearby communities with gas, dining, lodging, food and other supplies; Otter Lake, Forestport, Boonville and Remsen are the others. The pin is at the village library. Check hours and services directly with businesses before you count on them.

• Moose River Plains Camping Corridor, NY· Campsite

  Numbered roadside campsites in the Moose River Plains, between the Black River country and the West Canada Lake Wilderness. DEC counts 116 primitive roadside sites along the Limekiln Lake-Cedar River Road, Otter Brook Road, Rock Dam Road and their spurs; most have a picnic table, fireplace and privy. Interior tent sites are marked with yellow "Camp Here" discs and usually have only a fire ring and a pit privy. All sites are first come, first served, with no water or electric hookups. The Limekiln Lake-Cedar River Road is a seasonal road, 23 miles from the Limekiln Gate near Inlet to the Wakely Dam Gate near Indian Lake, and DEC posts road and campsite closures on its page, so check it before you plan around a site.

• Boonville, NY· Resupply

  A village near the Black River Wild Forest. DEC lists Boonville among the nearby communities where gas, dining, lodging, food and other supplies can be found for the Black River Wild Forest. The pin is at the post office. Check hours and services directly with businesses before you count on them.

• Forestport, NY· Resupply

  A hamlet near the Black River Wild Forest, one of the nearby communities DEC lists for gas, dining, lodging, food and other supplies. The pin is at the post office. Check hours and services directly with businesses before you count on them.

• New Rockford Canal, ND· Water source

  The New Rockford Canal, another piece of the Garrison Diversion water project, which the North Country Trail follows between Lonetree Wildlife Management Area and New Rockford. The association says water is available from the canal or nearby water bodies but has to be treated, and dispersed camping is allowed along the canal. The trail through central North Dakota runs on gravel roads for long distances, and a long road walk links New Rockford with the north end of Lake Ashtabula. The association warns of extreme winter weather and few places to shelter, so plan water and nights before you set out.

• Maplewood State Park, MN· Campsite

  Maplewood State Park in the Leaf Hills, where a short off-road stretch of the North Country Trail has what the association calls great views. This pin is on the park campground. Across northwestern Minnesota the trail is mostly a road walk over the flat Red River Valley and the rolling Leaf Hills, with road routes linking short pieces of off-road trail. The association says camping on this stretch is limited to campgrounds in towns and Maplewood State Park, so plan your nights around them.

• Mabel Lake Campground, Chippewa National Forest, MN· Campsite

  A small Forest Service campground on Mabel Lake, on Highway 200 east of Walker, near the North Country Trail. It has 22 sites, vault toilets and a sandy beach. The campground page says potable water is not available, so treat what you take from the lake. Call the Walker Ranger District for its status. Elsewhere in the Chippewa you may camp anywhere on National Forest land, away from the path. Use only dead and downed wood and pack out what you pack in.

  6715 Mable Lake Road NW Walker, MN 56484

• Red River Valley Campsite, Superior Hiking Trail, MN· Campsite

  The southernmost Superior Hiking Trail campsite, at the Red River a third of a mile north of the SHT's southern terminus on the Wisconsin line. The SHTA has no other backcountry campsite until north of Duluth, so hikers on this stretch use fee campgrounds or other lodging instead. Like every SHT site it needs no permit, fee or reservation, and it is shared. Camping anywhere other than a designated site is prohibited along the SHT. Use a bear canister or hang your food.

• Erick Lake, WI· Water source

  A lake right beside the North Country Trail on its western Wisconsin section. On the western Wisconsin section the association says filterable water is readily available from the many streams and lakes, but it names the stretch between Tower Lake and Erick Lake as the longest dry stretch, so fill up here. Land managers want you to camp at designated sites, and the association says backpacker campsites are spaced every 2 to 8 miles between West Mail Road and Bayfield County A.

• Lucius Woods County Park, Solon Springs, WI· Campsite

  A county park in Solon Springs on the North Country Trail's route through the village, with a developed campground, a swimming beach and big white and red pines. The village sits on the west shore of Upper St. Croix Lake. Town services are a short walk north: Franny K's grocery, the post office, and the library with free wifi. The Douglas County Forestry Department headquarters, just west across Business Highway 53, has area maps and information. If you'd rather sleep on the trail, campsites sit about a mile out of town each way, at Leo Creek and Aden Creek.

• Wren Falls Campsite, Iron County Forest, WI· Campsite

  A rustic Iron County Forest campsite at Wren Falls, beside the North Country Trail in the Penokee country between Mellen and the Michigan line. The county lists one established site here, with no water or electricity. The association also lists backpacker campsites on this stretch along the Potato River, at Tilted Gabbro (between Sullivan Road and the Upson junction) and at Gold Mine West (about a mile west of Casey Sag Road). On the Iron County Forest you may also camp anywhere for up to two weeks at no charge; the county asks campers to register for rustic camping with its Forestry and Parks Department in Hurley.

• Montreal River Bridge, Wisconsin-Michigan State Line· Landmark

  The North Country Trail crosses from Wisconsin into Michigan's Upper Peninsula on the State Highway 122 bridge over the Montreal River, southeast of Saxon Harbor. Wisconsin's share of the trail is 220 miles, through Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland and Iron counties. Fill up here if you are heading into Wisconsin. The association warns that filterable water can be hard to find along the first 13.5 miles of the road walk from the state line, even though there are permanent streams.

• Cascade Falls, MI· Landmark

  A waterfall north of Bergland in the Ottawa National Forest, and the point where the Forest Service divides the North Country Trail's two Ottawa segments: Alberta to Cascade Falls, 79.6 miles, and Cascade Falls to Ironwood, 79.4 miles. A mile-long main trail with mild grades reaches the falls from a parking area on Forest Road 400, and the steeper Bluff Trail loops off it to some fine views. There is no potable water at the site. Bergland is 7 miles southwest.

• Potawatomi and Gorge Falls, Black River, MI· Landmark

  Two of the Black River's waterfalls, which the North Country Trail reaches half a mile upstream of Sandstone Falls, north of Bessemer. Sandstone Falls itself is down a short, steep quarter-mile trail with a series of steps. The Black River waterfall trails and viewing platforms are maintained by the Ottawa National Forest; check its alerts before you go.

• Copper Peak, MI· Landmark

  Copper Peak Ski Hill, north of Ironwood, is where the Forest Service puts a North Country Trail trailhead, at the north end of Copper Peak Road. From here the trail parallels the Black River north past its waterfalls, crosses the river on the suspension bridge at Black River Harbor, and continues east toward Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The Forest Service suggests the stretch from this trailhead to the harbor as a 6-mile hike. Farther east the Forest Service calls the trail challenging: very rugged terrain, often several miles from the nearest road, and most stream crossings have no bridge.

• Foster Falls, Iron County Forest, WI· Landmark

  A 25-foot waterfall on the Potato River north of Upson, on the Iron County Forest, and one of the falls the Heritage Chapter names on its stretch of the North Country Trail. Iron County says the trail's parking area is on Sullivan Fire Lane, just before the river, and that walking the trail north a short distance shows you the top of Foster Falls; keep going and you pass two more waterfalls, the first about 0.2 miles from the lot and the next 0.6 miles beyond. The county lists one established rustic campsite at Foster Falls, with no water or electricity. You may also camp anywhere on the County Forest for up to two weeks at no charge; the county asks you to register for rustic camping.

• Gold Mine West Campsite, Iron County, WI· Campsite

  A backpacker campsite on the North Country Trail about a mile west of Casey Sag Road. The association lists it with the Tilted Gabbro and Wren Falls sites and the campsites along the Potato River as the backpacker camps on this Iron County stretch, where low-impact camping on the county forest is also allowed. Westbound toward Wren Falls, the Heritage Chapter points out a rock-outcrop vista about halfway between Casey Sag Road and Wren Falls.

• North Country Trail Town: Fife Lake, MI· Resupply

  Fife Lake, a small village and NCTA Trail Town about half an hour south of Traverse City. It is a one-mile spur off the main trail, and the village has a walkable downtown with a few shops and places to eat near the lakeshore. The pin is the post office. Here the NCT is part of a 21-mile loop with a state forest campground at each end: Spring Lake, 1.5 miles from the village, and Old US-131 on the Manistee River. The association says both are NCT trailheads with overnight parking. The Grand Traverse Chapter maintains the trail here.

• North Country Trail Town: Augusta, MI· Resupply

  Augusta, a village of about 900 in northeastern Kalamazoo County where Augusta Creek meets the Kalamazoo River, and an NCTA Trail Town. The association lists a Dollar General, a Shell gas station, the Augusta McKay Library and a few local places to eat (Player's Grill, Dig-In Cafe and Nina's Taqueria) on or near the trail. The pin is the village park. Just east of downtown the trail runs 2+ miles through the Fort Custer National Cemetery grounds. The Augusta Prairie, the first property the National Park Service bought for the trail, is a hillside of restored native prairie with an improved path to a view of the river valley. The Chief Noonday Chapter maintains the trail here.

• North Country Trail Town: Marshall, MI· Resupply

  Marshall, an NCTA Trail Town with a historic downtown main street at the junction of I-94 and I-69. Coming from the west, the association's route is on roads: C Drive North, 15 Mile Road across the Kalamazoo River, A Drive (which becomes West Hughes Street), then south on Old US-27. Where you reach the Kalamazoo River again, the trail turns onto a boardwalk on your right; to visit town, keep on up the road instead. The association suggests the downtown visitor center for an overview of the town. The pin is the Brooks Fountain downtown. The Chief Noonday Chapter maintains the trail nearest Marshall.

• Buckeye Trail Town: Fort Loramie, OH· Resupply

  Fort Loramie, a village and Buckeye Trail Town on the St. Marys Section, half a mile from Lake Loramie State Park. The pin is the post office on East Park Street. The BTA lists Shafer Market and a Dollar General for groceries, and says the Dollar General and Fort Loramie Hardware may have outdoor supplies. Restrooms are in Community Park, the state park and the village's gas stations, and showers are at the state park, which is also the public camping area. For a room, the BTA points to the Fort Loramie Dairy King and Motel and local vacation rentals. Places to eat include Al's Place, Morrie's Landing, Brucken's pub and a brewery.

  Post office: 13 E. Park St., Fort Loramie, OH 45845

• Upper River Road NCT Trailhead, MI· Trailhead

  A small North Country Trail trailhead on the Cadillac/Manistee Ranger District, with a spur trail to the Manistee River Trail. The Forest Service points hikers here rather than to Red Bridge, whose lot is set aside for boat trailers. It parks six cars, has no restroom and no fee, and is open year-round but not plowed in winter. The Forest Service lists potable water at Red Bridge River Access nearby.

• Benton Lake Campground, MI· Campsite

  A Forest Service campground on 33-acre Benton Lake, surrounded by national forest, on the Baldwin/White Cloud Ranger District. The North Country Trail is off Pierce Drive about 2 miles east of the campground entrance road, so it is about a 2-mile detour for water and a site. It has potable water and vault toilets. All sites are first-come, first-served, and the Forest Service lists its season as early May to early September. It gets busy in hunting season.

• Bowman Bridge Campground, MI· Campsite

  A Forest Service campground up the hill from the Bowman Bridge boat landing on the Pere Marquette National Scenic River, with a connector trail to the North Country Trail. It has potable water and vault toilets, and sites are reserved on Recreation.gov. The Forest Service lists its season as early May to mid-October. This is one of the river's busiest stretches, and the landing can be crowded on summer weekends.

• Little Beaver Lake Campground, MI· Campsite

  A small Pictured Rocks drive-in campground at the end of Little Beaver Lake Road, 3 miles north of H-58. A 1.5-mile trail runs from the campground to Lake Superior and the North Country Trail, so it is a way in or out at the Beaver Basin Wilderness. Pets are not allowed here or on any trail leading from it, because of the wilderness next door. Every site needs a reservation on Recreation.gov; there is no drop-in camping. The drive-in campgrounds are open May 15 to October 15, with vault toilets and well water, and the water and toilets are shut down after October 15.

• Straits State Park, MI· Campsite

  A state park in St. Ignace overlooking the Mackinac Bridge and the Straits of Mackinac, with a campground and overnight lodging. The North Country Trail goes through the park, partly on its 1-mile hiking trail, so you can camp right on the trail at the north end of the bridge. A Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry to Michigan state park campgrounds. The St. Ignace Trail Town page describes the route from the welcome center through the park and into downtown.

• Farnsworth Metropark Campsites, Waterville, OH· Campsite

  Campsites in Metroparks Toledo's Farnsworth Metropark on the Maumee River, at BT Point 18 of the Defiance Section. The BTA lists the boat launch and campsites area with parking, restrooms and water. This stretch matters for NCT hikers: the BTA says the North Country Trail stays on the Buckeye Trail through here to Point 20, at the bike path on South River Road just past the park, and leaves it there to head north. Coming from Michigan, then, you join the Buckeye Trail just past this park and follow it west up the Maumee toward Defiance.

• Defiance Reservoir Park Campsite, OH· Campsite

  A free carry-in, carry-out campsite in the City of Defiance's Reservoir Park, on the west side of Kibble Road, right on the BT/NCT between Points 4 and 5. The BTA says the trail now passes almost through it. There is no charge, but you call the Defiance police before you arrive. The BTA's trail log lists cast iron grills among its facilities. North of here the trail runs into Defiance, where the BTA lists a supermarket on South Clinton Street right on the trail.

• Mary Jane Thurston State Park Campground, OH· Campsite

  The state park on the Maumee River, a short side trip off the BT/NCT at Point 16 of the Defiance Section. Leave the trail just east of Ludwig's Mill, climb to State Route 29 and cross the Maumee, then follow Front Street and the canal heel path west past the lock (0.3 mile) into the park. Tent camping is across the creek. It has restrooms and a shower. Reserve through Ohio State Parks.

• Mapleberry Farm Campsite, OH· Campsite

  A free campsite on a private farm on Mount Tabor Road near Waverly, between BT Points 28 and 29 of the Scioto Trail Section. The BTA says the owners offer free camping and water at the house, but you must call or text them before you set up. This is private land, so treat it as a courtesy. Frednecks Mini-Mart, 0.1 mile southwest of Point 29, is the nearby resupply the BTA lists.

• Blacksmith Bayou River Access, MI· Trailhead

  A Forest Service river access on the lower Manistee, where the North Country Trail follows the ridge along Blacksmith Bayou, an oxbow lake left by an old river channel, and crosses the access's entrance road. The Forest Service lists High Bridge River Access as the nearby site. There is a vault toilet and parking, but no potable water. The Forest Service lists the site as open April 1 to November 30, and parking needs a day or 7-day pass, sold on site or on Recreation.gov. The Cadillac/Manistee Ranger District is the office to call.

• Wilderness State Park East Boundary Backcountry Campsite, MI· Campsite

  A single reservable backcountry campsite on the North Country Trail in Wilderness State Park, just east of the East Boundary Trail. The pin is where the NCT meets the East Boundary Trail; the site is a short way east along the NCT. The park says it is a three-quarter-mile hike from the East Boundary Trailhead parking lot. It has a fire ring and a composting toilet, which is an open-air riser on a wood platform with no walls or roof. Bear poles are provided, and bags must hang at least 12 feet up and away from the tree. You reserve it by calling the park. It is one of two backcountry sites in the park; the other is on the north shore of O'Neal Lake.

• Mouth of Two Hearted River State Forest Campground, MI· Campsite

  A rustic Michigan DNR state forest campground on Lake Superior at the mouth of the Two Hearted River, on the North Country Trail. A suspension bridge on the west side of the campground crosses the river to the Lake Superior shore. There are 36 tent and small-trailer sites, vault toilets and a hand-pump well for drinking water. There are no reservations: sites are first-come, first-served, stays are limited to 15 days, and a site holds one camping unit and up to six people. Fees and registration are posted at the kiosk. This is also where trail maintenance changes hands: the NCTA's Superior Shoreline Chapter covers the trail west to Rock River Road, and the Hiawatha Shore-to-Shore Chapter covers it east to the Mackinac Bridge.

• Culhane Lake State Forest Campground, MI· Campsite

  A small, rustic Michigan DNR state forest campground on 97-acre Culhane Lake in northern Luce County, and the North Country Trail runs straight through it. There are 15 tent and small-trailer sites, vault toilets and a hand-pump well for drinking water. Sites are first-come, first-served with no reservations, and stays are limited to 15 days. Fees and registration are posted at the kiosk.

• Hearts Content Recreation Area, Allegheny National Forest, PA· Campsite

  A Forest Service campground beside Hearts Content, a 122-acre stand of old-growth forest where white pines 300 to 400 years old still stand; the National Park Service registered it as a National Natural Landmark in 1977. Civilian Conservation Corps crews built the campground and pavilion in 1936. The Forest Service lists Hearts Content as the campground for the North Country Trail's stretch between Forest Road 116 at Dunham Siding and Forest Road 449, and names it among the trail's potable water sites. There are 26 single sites, two of them with lean-to shelters. Sites can be reserved on Recreation.gov and are also first come, first served. The campground is open May 1 to October 26; the trails and day-use area are open all year.

• Handsome Lake Boat Access Campground, Allegheny National Forest, PA· Campsite

  A small, rustic campground on the east bank of the Allegheny Reservoir just north of Sugar Bay, reached only by boat or on foot by the North Country Trail and the Tracy Ridge trail system. It has 20 sites with tables, fire rings and grills, and a vault toilet. No reservations: first come, first served, open May 1 to October 31. Carry water in. The campground's own Forest Service page says it has no potable water source and tells visitors to bring their own, even though the Forest Service's North Country Trail page lists Handsome Lake among the trail's potable sites. Treat anything you take from the reservoir. Outside designated sites, the forest order bans camping on the reservoir shore and within 1,500 feet inland of the tree line.

• Hopewell Boat Access Campground, Allegheny National Forest, PA· Campsite

  A second small, rustic campground just north of Sugar Bay on the Allegheny Reservoir. The Forest Service says it can be reached only by boat or on foot along the North Country Trail or the Tracy Ridge trail system, and rates it difficult. There are 20 sites and a vault toilet; no reservations, open May 1 to October 31. As at Handsome Lake, the campground page says there is no potable water and to bring your own, although the Forest Service's trail page lists Hopewell among the potable sites. Plan to treat reservoir water.

• Kiasutha Recreation Area, Allegheny National Forest, PA· Campsite

  A large Forest Service campground on a creek arm of the Allegheny Reservoir, with 96 family sites, each with a table, fire ring and tent pad. Some sites can be reserved on Recreation.gov and others are first come, first served. It is open April 1 to September 4. The Forest Service lists Kiasutha as the campground for the North Country Trail's stretch from Red Bridge to US 6, and among the trail's potable water sites. Outside the campground, the reservoir's no-camping buffer applies.

• Tappan Lake Park (MWCD), OH· Campsite

  The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District's full-service park on Tappan Lake, at Point 16 of the BTA's Bowerston Section near Deersville. The BTA lists more than 500 campsites and cabins, a swimming beach, a concession stand and a small general store, and says showers are available at the camping facilities. The MWCD lists a camp store and a laundromat. Deersville's general store, which the BTA lists for groceries, is a short walk off the trail from Point 17.

  84000 Mallarnee Road Deersville, Ohio 44693

• Atwood Lake Park (MWCD), OH· Campsite

  The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District's park on Atwood Lake, in Tuscarawas and Carroll counties, listed by the BTA at Point 1 of its Bowerston Section. The pin is the campground's main gate. The MWCD lists more than 600 campsites with full-hookup and electric sites, a shower house and laundry, a camp store and cabins. Call the park for camping information before you count on a site; it hosts large festivals.

  9500 Lakeview Road Mineral City, Ohio 44656

• Stone Dam Trailhead (North Lake Road), NY· Trailhead

  Parking on North Lake Road for DEC's Stone Dam Trail in the Black River Wild Forest, where the North Country Trail's approved Adirondack route begins. When New York approved that route in 2015, the association described it as 158 miles from North Lake Road via the Stone Dam Lake Trail to Crown Point State Historic Site, across five Wild Forests and four Wilderness Areas, with existing trails making up about half of it and the rest still to be flagged and built. Check the association's maps for where the route is still unbuilt. The Stone Dam Trail runs 5.6 miles from here to the Chub Pond Trail and its two lean-tos. Lean-tos and designated sites are first come, first served. Elsewhere in New York's Wild Forests and Wilderness Areas, the association says dispersed camping is allowed unless posted, below 3,500 feet, with your tent 150 feet from water and 150 feet from the trail. Check the association's Trail Alerts page before you start here: it reports the bridge over Little Woodhull Creek on the Stone Dam Trail is out and routes the NCT along North Lake Road to the Little Woodhull, Sand Lake and Bear Lake trails instead.

• 100 Acre Shelter (BTA Imhoff Preserve), OH· Shelter

  An Adirondack-style shelter on the Buckeye Trail Association's Imhoff Preserve, at BT Point 27 of the New Straitsville Section. To reach it, follow the trail 0.3 miles west from Point 27 to a three-way intersection, then take the side trail 200 feet west. BTA members camp free on BTA-owned properties. Water is from Dan's Run, and the BTA says to purify it. Elsewhere in this part of the Wayne National Forest the BTA calls the water nonpotable and non-filterable because of the area's mining history, so this is one of the few listed sources. Use minimum-impact techniques.

• Burr Oak State Park Dock 2 Primitive Campground· Campsite

  The second on-trail camp in Burr Oak State Park, at Boat Dock 2, BT Point 11 of the New Straitsville Section. Camping here carries a fee. The BTA also lists snacks at this dock. The park office at Point 10 has overnight parking and a restroom in the naturalist's office, and rooms can be rented at the lodge or cabins near it. Dock 3's primitive camp is at Point 6.

• Bowerston, OH (Buckeye Trail town)· Resupply

  A village on the BTA's Bowerston Section, which mixes quiet country roads with off-road miles on Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District land. The BTA lists a convenience store on State Route 151 at Main Street: after crossing SR 151, turn west for 0.4 mile, or follow the trail to Point 11 and go northwest 0.3 mile on Main Street. The pin is at the store. The Conotton Creek Trail-Bowerston Trailhead at Point 11 has overnight parking for 5 cars. Deersville's general store is the other resupply the BTA lists on this section.

• Piedmont Lake Marina and Campground (MWCD), OH· Campsite

  The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District's marina and campground on Piedmont Lake, at BT Point 24 of the Bowerston Section. The BTA says a white-blazed side trail leads to the concession. The MWCD says the campground has sites for RVs and tents, with a shower house and laundry. The BTA's listing prints a different phone number from the one on the MWCD's own page; call the MWCD's number.

  32281 Marina Road Freeport, Ohio 43973

• Parks Hollow Lean-tos, Sugar Hill State Forest, NY· Shelter

  Lean-tos on DEC's Mohawk Trail in Sugar Hill State Forest, north of Sugar Hill Road. The Finger Lakes Trail Conference's camping table puts them a quarter mile off the trail, steeply down a blue trail, with a stream for water. Lean-tos on the forest are shared to capacity, first come, first served, and can't be reserved. By the conference's map mileage, the Sugar Hill Recreation Area camping area and its twin lean-tos are about 1.5 trail miles on.

• Tinker Falls, Labrador Hollow Unique Area, NY· Landmark

  A waterfall in DEC's Labrador Hollow Unique Area, which borders Morgan Hill State Forest. DEC says some of the unique area's trails continue east and west through Morgan Hill and Kettlebail state forests, and on Morgan Hill its marked trails are part of the Finger Lakes Trail System and the North Country Trail. Don't plan to camp here: camping and open fires are prohibited in the unique area, which takes in Tinker Falls and Labrador Pond. Camping at Spruce Pond in Morgan Hill State Forest needs a DEC permit from May 1 to September 30. Keep dogs under complete control. For questions, call DEC's Cortland office on weekdays.