Great Escape on a Trail: In a Big Country

North Country Trail, Michigan, June 16, 2020

After my abbreviated trip to South Dakota, I headed to Ann Arbor, Michigan to spend time with Jacob, Emily and Theo. During my first week there, Jacob and I organized some things for the upcoming move while we waited for their closing date to be set. The weather was great and I had the chance to spend a day hiking on the North Country Trail (NCT). The NCT is the longest trail in the National Scenic Trails system and runs from Vermont, through New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and into central North Dakota.

On Tuesday, June 16th, Jacob and I drove to southern Michagan and dropped my truck at the Pittsford Road trailhead where I would be ending my hike for the day. Then Jacob dropped me at my starting point which was right on the Ohio/Michigan border. The trail was all road walking in this portion, mostly on well graded, gravel farm roads with some shorter sections on paved roads. The weather was great - sunny, mid-70s and not very humid. I hiked 10.8 miles and didn't stop to sit down or rest the entire time. A little over a third of the way through, I could see another hiker some ways behind me so I paused while he caught up. Dale was a retired pharmacist from Wisconsin who had completed the Ice Age Trail and was now section hiking the North Country Trail. He started at the same spot I did but was going to be continuing for several days. We hiked together until I reached my end point and had a very enjoyable time exchanging trail stories and experiences.

The hike was pretty flat Michigan farmland. I didn't take many photos but had a great day. Only 4,590 miles or so of the NCT left to complete some day!