The North Country is the longest of the National Scenic Trails although large sections of the route are not open to the public. The trail begins in upstate New York, loops south to Ohio, north through the upper reaches of Michigan, along the shores of Lake Superior into northern Minnesota and ending in North Dakota.

Existing trail segments are managed by organizations like the North Country Trail Association, which assist the National Park Service in trail construction and maintenance. Snowshoers and cross-country skiing enthusiasts use many segments of the trail in the winter, hikers the rest of the year.