What we’re about
This is a group for anyone interested in attending hikes or volunteering to help build, maintain, and/or promote the North Country National Scenic Trail from Starvation Lake Road (southeast of Mancelona) to the Wexford/Manistee County line at Hodenpyl Dam Pond in Michigan.
The Grand Traverse Chapter is a part of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA). We plan a variety of activities - various hikes along our route and work sessions to maintain our current pathway and build new off-road sections of the NCNST. We also schedule outreach events to promote this great community asset. Volunteers with all interests and abilities are welcome to join us. All help and levels of participation are appreciated. Hope to see you on the North Country National Scenic Trail!
The NCTA Grand Traverse Chapter values just, diverse, equitable, and inclusive trail experiences. We are committed to these principles for everyone’s enjoyment of the NCNST. We strive to better include those who experience barriers to trails by prioritizing equitable solutions to ensure all can connect to and care for the Trail in a way that is meaningful for them.
An ArcGIS Map of the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) can be found here: https://nct.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Viewer/index.html?appid=23a2c0d674cb443ea9835af2e8c5f13a
To receive notifications of our events and communicate with event leaders, please join MeetUp and NCTA Grand Traverse Chapter's Meetup group!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- National Trails Day - Short Hike and Pot LuckSpring Lake State Forest Campground, Fife Lake, MI
The Grand Traverse Chapter of the North Country Trail Association will be celebrating National Trails Day on Saturday, June 7. Please don’t confuse this event with the Kalkaska Trailhead Celebration which will be held the previous weekend.
National Trails Day will be held at the Spring Lake SFCG.
There will be a choice of two guided hikes:Long Hike:
8.3 miles from Rest Area to Spring Lake SFCG. See separate Meetup advertisement. This hike starts earlier than the short hike being described herein.Short Hike:
Spring Lake SFCG Headquarters Lake Dam and back, total of 4.6 miles. If this distance is farther than you would like to go, you have the option of turning around and returning to the starting point at any time.
Meet at 11:00 am at the campground.
The campground is located on US-131 about 3.1 miles north of M-113, 0.9 miles south of M-186, or at 44°33'50.79"N 85°21'52.37"W. For driving directions, click here:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Spring+Lake/@44.569952,-85.3686272,14z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x881fc96d13a8630f:0xacc0f0f3d678a315!8m2!3d44.6607871!4d-85.4987751!16s%2Fg%2F1td33npk?entry=ttuAttached is a map showing the two hiking routes. We still need a hike leader and a sweep for the short hike. Any volunteers?
After the hike, we will have a pot luck lunch at a campsite located near the trailhead parking lot. Approximate time 2:00 pm.
You may notice the starting times for the short hike and the pot luck are later than usual. This is because we are scheduling everything around the long hike which had been planned previously. We want everyone to finish their hikes at the same time so we can all enjoy the festivities afterward together.Location:
Spring Lake SFCG. See directions for short hike. See attached maps for finding campground and hiking routes.
To be provided by Grand Traverse Chapter:
Hot dogs, buns, condiments, drinking waterWhat everyone should bring:
Dish to pass with serving utensil
Eating utensils – we do not have any paper plates or plastic silverware left and don’t want to buy any more. (If you don’t bring utensils, your meal may be limited to a hot dog and chips)
Beverage of your choice; drinking water will be provided.
Folding chair – picnic tables very limited.Setup:
Mike, Debby, Patty and Dave will arrive Thursday night and claim a couple campsites for the weekend close to the parking lot that we will use for the picnic. If anyone else would like to camp with us, you are welcome.If you're planning to attend, we would appreciate it if you would respond via meetup (https://www.meetup.com/grand-traverse-chapter-north-country-trail-association/), which involves signing up for free if you're not already on it. Signing up lets us contact you if there are any changes to the event that you might not otherwise be informed about.
