Hiking opportunities abound on the North Country National Scenic Trail, one of 11 National Scenic Trails in the United States and the only one in Minnesota.
It connects seven states between New York and North Dakota. In Minnesota, the North Country Trail was completed through the Chippewa National Forest in the late 80s and through Itasca State Park in the mid-90s. Construction of the trail between the Chippewa National Forest and Itasca State Park was completed in November of 2009.
It is now possible to hike between SE Juggler Lake Road in Becker County and the southeast edge of the Chippewa National Forest, approximately 136 miles. Here the trail passes through county lands, Itasca State Park, the Paul Bunyan State Forest and the Chippewa National Forest (the width of Cass County) to the Aitkin County line southeast of Remer.
The trail path is natural with roots and snags removed, and brush and overhanging limbs trimmed for unimpeded hiking. Being open to foot traffic only, hikers, berry pickers, hunters, birdwatchers, geocachers, cross country skiers and snowshoe hikers have miles of trails to explore. Anyone walking this trail is in for a treat as it meanders through forested hills and valleys interspersed with rivers, lakes, and numerous wetlands.
There are summer parking lots at the following trailhead locations:
ADVERTISEMENT
n Chippewa National Forest Picnic Area south of the Hwy 371/200 junction
n Shingobee Recreation Area southwest of Walker on Hwy 34
n Cass County Hwy 12 approximately 5 miles southwest of Walker
n Hwy 64 and East Steamboat Forest RD, approximately 4 miles north of Akeley
n Nelson Lake Campground in the Paul Bunyan State Forest west of Highway 64, access off of Hwy 64 on the Gulch Lake Roads just south of the Forest Edge Winery
n Hubbard County Hwy 4 and Halverson Forest Rd, approximately 3 miles south of the town of Lake George
n The south entrance of Itasca State Park off Hwy 71
There is a kiosk or signboard with information about the trail at each of the locations listed above. Posted on the kiosks are hiking distances to the nearest kiosk or a number of roads not listed above that cross the trail where road parking is available. For example, a short hike of interest would be from the Shingobee Recreation Area to Hwy 12. This hike of 2.7 miles goes by Lake Six, crosses the combined Paul Bunyan and Heartland Bicycle Trails and on to Hwy 12. There are scores of hiking opportunities, long and short, from the locations listed above.
ADVERTISEMENT
E-mail itm@northcountrytrail.org for additional information about the NCT in our area. See northcountrytrail.org for information about the entire trail from New York to North Dakota.
