Incredible Distance Sign in Northern Michigan Showcases the Magnitude of America’s North Country Trail

The United States has some well known hiking trails that are truly grand in scope. Many think of the Appalachian Trail in the east or the Pacific Crest Trail in the west. In the northern tier of the country is the, aptly named North Country Trail.

The vast system of connected hiking paths stretches from Vermont to North Dakota.  No state has more mileage in the trail system than Michigan. At 1176 miles spanning both peninsulas of the state, Michigan's section of the trail just surpasses Ohio's 1076 miles. No other state has more than 1000 miles of NCT within their borders.

Recently the Hiawatha Shore-To-Shore Chapter, a group that helps to maintain and promote the trail in northern Michigan shared that new signs promoting the NCT had been posted throughout the region including this intriguing one showing distance to the eastern and western endpoints of the trail.

READ MORE: Eerie Dead Zone Discovered Along Stretch of North Country Trail in Michigan

The sign above is newly posted in St Ignace along the shores of East Moran Bay, the little notch of Lake Huron that juts into Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Located along the Huron Boardwalk fronting State Street.

The sign displays a full map of the North Country Trail system pointing west 2094 miles to North Dakota, presumably the western trailhead at Lake Sakakawea State Park. Eastbound hikers have a 2754 mile trek to Green Mountain State Forest in Vermont.

While St Ignace isn't exactly the midpoint on the trail, that distinction is still in Michigan. White Cloud in Newaygo County is considered to be roughly the midpoint of the NCT. And West Michigan has another very important connection to the trail. Lowell in Kent County just east of Grand Rapids is home to the national headquarters of the entire North Country Trail Association at 229 East Main Street.