Chief Baw Beese Chapter - North Country Trail Association

Calhoun/Hillsdale county line to the Wabash Cannonball Trail in Ohio

The Chief Baw Beese Chapter draws its members from as far east as Ann Arbor, Northern Detroit and Brighton. We are fortunate to have an increasing number of members who live and work much closer to the Trail, making maintaining and overseeing our section far easier. It also makes storing and caring for equipment in our enclosed tool trailer more readily available. Our members hail from all the villages and towns along our section, and are active within the local communities, as well as on the Trail.

Key Data

Chapter Trail Section

The Chief Baw Beese Chapter’s section of the North Country Trail begins north of Litchfield at the Calhoun/Hillsdale county line, where farming country is somewhat more rolling. Litchfield, the Chapter’s first official Trail Town, offers a welcoming hiking trail to the center of town, and several more opportunities for hikers’ needs to be met.

The North Country Trail and Kayak Camp campsite is along the Trail just north of Herring Road. The Chief Baw Beese section also utilizes the Baw Beese Trail created by the City of Hillsdale, and the connector with its close neighbor, Jonesville, and goes through tiny-but-growing Osseo.

The shortest way to a camping spot takes hikers about 10 miles on farm-country roads to the Lost Nation State Game Area where camping is allowed from mid-September to mid-May. Hikers can get supplies via a small detour to the tiny village of Waldron. A BP gas station offers the usual roadway food and snacks on the way to Hartley Road.

The Chapter boundary ends where the Trail exits Michigan, via Ohio’s County Road 20.50 where Territorial Road is truly on the state border.

Trail Town: Litchfield

The City of Litchfield is located in the northwest corner of Hillsdale County, between the cities of Albion and Hillsdale along State Highway M-99. The beautiful Saint Joseph River flows through the community, offering fishing, canoeing and picturesque views.

Connect and Get Involved

Resources

Use the Report Trail Condition form to alert NCTA and the Chapter to poor trail conditions. Visit the Trail Alerts page while planning your adventure.

Suggested Hikes

By far, the most relaxing, sometimes spectacular, area of our section of the NCT is the 7 miles passing through the Lost Nation State Game Area (also known as Pittsford). The south entrance to Lost Nation is to the west off Pittsford Road. It’s moderately hilly, consisting of eskers and moraines left by retreating glaciers. This makes for a wide variety of wildlife habitats and some striking views, especially around the multiple crossings of the fledgling Jordan River. Lost Nation need not be hiked in its entirety to be enjoyed. There are several trailhead parking lots as well as other entry points along local roads where cars might be spotted to hike one or two sections. If you are hiking the Trail between September 10 and May 15, there is an especially pleasant camping spot overlooking Lake #8, south of the parking area off Gilbert Road.

Chapter Maps and Guidance

Additional Local Resources