Our Stories

Minnesota NCT Guidebook Release

Written by Matthew Davis, North Country Trail Association

Minnesota hikers and nature enthusiasts now have a comprehensive, up-to-date guidebook for the *860 miles of North Country National Scenic Trail that cross the state from the Red River Valley to Lake Superior. The Guide to Hiking the North Country Trail in Minnesota: Across Prairies, the North Woods, and the Wilderness has just been published by the North Country Trail Association.

This new guidebook features mile-by-mile information for almost the entire North Country Trail (NCT) in Minnesota with the exceptions of the Mesabi Trail (the temporary route between Coleraine and Ely); the Kekekabic Trail; the Border Route Trail; and the Superior Hiking Trail. (For the last three segments listed, Trail users should find the existing guidebooks published by the KEK Chapter, the Border Route Trail Association, and the Superior Hiking Trail Association, respectively.)

The book includes 42 new maps produced by Matt Rowbotham of the North Country Trail Association. The maps identify terrain, campsites, and Trailheads, along with text written in a new, easy-to-follow format. Details on new Trail segments (e.g. within Fergus Falls and in Grand Rapids), new loop trails, and new and enhanced backcountry campsites have also been added to this guidebook. The practical information is supplemented with thoughtful historical and cultural context for your hikes.

This guidebook updates the original (and out-of-print) Guide to the North Country National Scenic Trail in Minnesota, which was published in 2013. This project was coordinated by a team of over 60 volunteer authors – people who help build and maintain the Trail – with input from all six Minnesota Chapters and two Affiliate partners. It was edited by Linda D. Johnson and the late Susan Carol Hauser, and the design and layout was capably handled by Sally Rauschenfels of Sally is Creative from Duluth, MN. Funding for the design and printing of the new book came from generous Minnesota donors.

The book will soon be available in local bookstores and outfitters in Minnesota, and is currently available online at itascabooks.com and Amazon. If you think a local retailer should carry the book, please contact Matthew Davis at davis@northcountrytrail.org.

*approximate, and includes the Arrowhead Reroute