On October 2, 1968, President Johnson signed into law the National Trails System Act. This law set in motion a process to create a network of national scenic trails. The Act established two national scenic trails, the Appalachian and the Pacific Crest, and directed Federal agencies to conduct studies of 14 other routes, including the North Country Trail route. The North Country National Scenic Trail was authorized and added to the National Trails System on March 5, 1980. Today, there are eight national scenic trails in various stages of development.
The North Country NST is administered by the National Park Service in cooperation with other Federal, State, and local agencies, private organizations and landowners who host, develop, or maintain portions of the trail. When Congress authorized the North Country NST it was anticipated that it would be approximately 3,200 miles long. As work progresses to complete the trail, it appears as though it will actually be about 4,200 miles long.
The long term goal is to establish a continuous trail that is developed and managed as a premier hiking and backpacking trail, nationally significant in its scenic and recreational qualities. Segments which meet this intent and other criteria can be certified by the National Park Service as part of the North Country NST.
The National Park Service has certified over 1775 miles of trail as official segments of the trail. In addition there are and additional 500-700 miles of trail that are hike-able but not yet certified. Hikers can find a wide variety of hiking opportunities along the trail from short easy segments that can be covered in hours to challenging hikes over hundreds of miles that take weeks. There are long continuous portions of the trail extending for over 100 miles in all seven states.
The trail traverses a variety of settings from federally designated Wilderness to urban corridors in small towns and large cities. It links natural features like lakes, waterfalls and high peaks with historic mills, locks, ghost towns and canals. It also connects vast farmlands with old growth forests, popular tourist attractions with remote wild places, vistas and beaches. It ties the varied landscapes of the Lake Superior Region with the mountain peaks and ponds of the Adirondacks and the fields of the Ohio River valley with the vast plains of North Dakota.
