North Country Trail

Stretching 4,851 miles from the Green Mountains of Vermont to the Great Plains of North Dakota, the North Country Trail is the longest national scenic trail designated by Congress. Though it traverses some of the most populous states in the country, the trail finds peaceful places—whether on a windblown shore of a Great Lake, or a forested path just a few minutes from home.

Even if you’ve never dreamed of hoisting a pack and heading out for some foot-powered fun, you’ve probably heard of the North Country National Scenic Trail. It passes through 10 national forests, four national parks, two national wildlife refuges, and 57 state parks. Since 1990, Trust for Public Land has worked on or completed 35 projects in seven states, all within 1 mile of the North Country Trail.

Despite its impressive numbers, the trail faces many threats. Over 1,500 miles are on-road and trail partners seek new routes in safer, more scenic locations. “No trespassing” signs are also an ever-looming threat as over 450 miles of the trail are on private lands, where access could be closed at any moment.

Great trails like this must be protected, which is why Trust for Public Land is working with the North Country Trail Association and the National Park Service to protect important segments and critical landscapes to ensure this national pathway is enjoyed by trail lovers forever.

The North Country Trail joins our nation’s other epic trails—like the Appalachian and Pacific Crest—as part of our National Trails System, which was enacted by Congress in 1968. Today, the system comprises 11 scenic and 21 historic trails totaling over 47,000 miles and reflecting the immense diversity of our nation’s history and ecosystems. Trails in the system range from thousands of miles in length—planned around a geographic corridor such as the Appalachians or a historic route such as the Oregon Trail—to shorter journeys such as the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. While some hikers make it a life’s goal to traverse an entire national scenic trail, many more visitors tackle short, favorite segments of trail for a few hours or maybe a day.

Each trail is administered by one or more of three federal agencies—the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, or Bureau of Land Management— depending on its location and other factors. Federal funding for trail maintenance is often matched locally by the labor of volunteers. And each trail is supported by a partner stewardship group such as the Appalachian Trail Conservancy or the North Country Trail Association, in this case—a cooperating foundation or nonprofit that supports the trail’s protection, maintenance, and programming.

“In the early 1990s there were only a few trails that had full-time staff; now nine of the National Scenic Trails and half of the Historic Trails employ paid staff. We’ve come a long way,” says Gary Werner, executive director of the nonprofit Partnership for the National Trail System (PNTS).