North Country National Scenic Trail

North Country Trail
A segment of the North Country Trail passing through the Brule Bog in Wisconsin's Brule River State Forest
Length	4600 mi (7403 km)
Location	New York / Pennsylvania / Ohio / Michigan / Wisconsin / Minnesota / North Dakota
Designation	National Scenic Trail (1980)
Trailheads	Lake Sakakawea State Park, North Dakota Crown Point State Historic Site, New York
Use	Hiking
Hiking details
Trail difficulty	Easy to strenuous
Sights	Diverse environmental features of the northern and midwestern United States

The North Country National Scenic Trail, generally known as the North Country Trail or simply the N.C.T., is a footpath stretching approximately 4,600 miles (7,400 km) from Crown Point in eastern New York to Lake Sakakawea State Park in central North Dakota in the United States. Passing through the seven states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota, it is the longest of the eleven National Scenic Trails authorized by Congress. Like its sister trails, it was designed to provide outdoor recreational opportunities in some of the United States' well-preserved landscapes. As of early 2014, 2,730 miles (4,390 km) have been completed.

The NCT is administered by the National Park Service, managed by federal, state, and local agencies, and built and maintained primarily by the volunteers of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) and its partners. The 28 chapters of the NCTA, its 3,200+ members and each affiliate organization have assumed responsibility for trail construction and maintenance of a specific section of the NCT.

The trail begins in northeast New York and proceeds to the western end of the state. It cuts across northwestern Pennsylvania, then follows a southwesterly course through the hilly region of southern Ohio until it nears Cincinnati when it runs north through western Ohio to the hills of SE Michigan. It continues from southeast Michigan through the western Lower Peninsula, crosses the Straits of Mackinac, and takes a northern route the length of the Upper Peninsula. After crossing northern Wisconsin, one leg follows the Lake Superior shore to the northeast corner of Minnesota before turning west, where it meets the other leg in central northern Minnesota. The trail enters southeast North Dakota, and continues to its other terminus in the center of the state.