Hiking the North Country Trail Through Northern Michigan

America's Longest Hiking Trail, Right Here

The North Country National Scenic Trail runs 4,800 miles from New York to North Dakota. Its Michigan section is consistently ranked among the trail's finest, and the Northern Michigan portion — from the Pictured Rocks in the Upper Peninsula down through the Lower Peninsula's lake-country — passes through landscapes that rival any long-distance trail in the eastern US.

The trail enters the Lower Peninsula's northern section near Wolverine and traverses Cheboygan, Emmet, Charlevoix, Antrim, and Leelanau counties before reaching the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The terrain shifts from dense northern hardwood forest to pine barrens to Lake Michigan beach walking — few long trails offer this range of ecosystems in a two-week stretch.

The Petoskey Section

The NCT through the Petoskey area traverses the ridgelines above Little Traverse Bay with views that open periodically through the forest. The trail passes through Magnus Park, where the Petoskey stone hunting is excellent, and continues north toward Harbor Springs through mature hardwood forest. This section is accessible as a day hike or overnight with camping at designated sites. The Petoskey events calendar lists North Country Trail guided hikes organized by the local volunteer chapter throughout the season.

The Charlevoix to Elk Rapids Section

The trail between Charlevoix and Elk Rapids passes through the Agricultural and woodland corridor of Antrim County — less dramatic than the lake-bluff sections, but an honest walk through working Northern Michigan landscape with occasional inland lake views. This section is good for a two-day backpacking trip with an overnight at designated campsites in the state forest land the trail crosses.

Sleeping Bear Dunes Section

The Sleeping Bear Dunes section of the NCT is the showpiece — miles of Lake Michigan beach walking backed by massive dunes, with inland sections through the beech-maple forest of the National Lakeshore. The Lakeshore Loop combines NCT sections with park trails for a 2-3 day backpacking circuit that shows the full range of the dunes landscape. Backcountry camping permits are required within the National Lakeshore.

Planning and Resources

The North Country Trail Association's Michigan chapter maintains excellent online resources including current trail condition reports, water source locations, and camping site information. The association also organizes guided day hikes and maintenance workdays throughout the season — a good way to learn the trail from people who know it intimately. Trailhead access varies; check the NCT website for current parking and access points for each section.