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- NCTA Grand Traverse Chapter – January Monthly MeetingBoardman River Nature Center, Traverse City, MI
The next meeting for the Grand Traverse Chapter is Tuesday, January 21, 7:00 pm at the Boardman River Nature Center.
Geo-hiking Isle Royale National Park: what’s there and why it’s so spectacular
Some of the Midwest’s most spectacular scenery and hiking occurs along western Lake Superior, in places like Isle Royale National Park, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The scenery results from a huge geological structure, the Midcontinent Rift (MCR), a 1.1 billion year old 2500 mile long scar along which North American continent almost tore apart. The rift gave rise to Lake Superior that is the basis of the area’s water-based history and economy, the copper and building stone deposits that shaped the region’s settlement and growth, and today’s tourist industry. An ideal way to appreciate these is hiking Isle Royale, a huge wilderness island in Lake Superior that is one of the least visited national parks. Seth Stein will give an overview of how the MCR shaped the scenery of Isle Royale and other parks, how to get there by boat or seaplane, and what day hiking and backpacking there is like.
Meeting location:
Boardman River Nature Center
1450 Cass Rd.
Traverse City, MI 49685
(1.5 miles South of South Airport Rd.)
44°42'27.88"N 85°37'30.42"W
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Boardman+River+Nature+Center/@44.7077779,-85.6276135,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x881e336b084d0ecf:0x3bf8ccdbb5b618cf!8m2!3d44.7077741!4d-85.6254248
