North Country Trail Association logbook collection

Collection

Identifier: WSC-001

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The North Country Trail Association logbook collection contains logbooks kept at various points along its 4,800 mile length. These books written in by hikers and visitors detail the weather, conditions, and various messages left for others over the years.

Dates

Creation: 2001 - 2024

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access. This collection is open to the public.

Conditions Governing Use

University of Wisconsin-Superior Special Collections & Archives (UWS-SCA) is the owner of the original materials and digitized images in our collections; however, the collection may contain materials for which copyright is not held. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials. Consult with UWS-SCA to determine if we can provide permission for use.

Historical Note

The North Country Trail (NCT, officially designated the North Country National Scenic Trail) is a long-distance hiking trail in the Midwestern and Northeastern United States. The trail extends roughly 4,800 miles (7,700 km) from Lake Sakakawea State Park in North Dakota to the Appalachian Trail in Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont, passing through eight states along its route. As of 2023, most of the trail is in place, though about one-third of the distance consists of road walking; those segments are frequently evaluated for transfer to off-road segments on nearby public or private lands.

The trail was designated a National Scenic Trail by the United States Congress in 1980, and became an official unit of the National Park System in 2023. The NCT is administered by the National Park Service, managed by federal, state, and local agencies, and built and maintained primarily by volunteers coordinated by the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) and affiliated local organizations.

The North Country Trail is generally limited to hiking, and some areas can support snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Some particular segments allow additional non-motorized uses such as bicycling and horseback riding, but only in areas specifically designed and permitted to withstand such use. The distance of the NCT is estimated and often changes, as volunteers develop new footpath segments and other options to reduce road walking.