North Country National Scenic Trail is a National Scenic Trail in Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wisconsin. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At North Country the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:43 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:44 PM | 240° | 9h 00m |
| February | 7:08 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:29 PM | 253° | 10h 21m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:09 PM | 268° | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:17 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:51 PM | 285° | 13h 33m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:30 PM | 299° | 14h 59m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:58 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:58 PM | 306° | 15h 47m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 6:12 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:53 PM | 303° | 15h 27m |
| August | 6:03 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:15 PM | 292° | 14h 12m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:17 PM | 275° | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:18 PM | 259° | 10h 57m |
| November | 7:05 AM | 7:52 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:32 PM | 244° | 9h 27m |
| December | 7:41 AM | 8:31 AM | 3:27 PM | 4:18 PM | 236° | 8h 37m |
Computed for the park's reference point (46.3344, -90.8166); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From North Country, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 5:19 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.2 | 11° |
| April | 3:21 AM – 4:21 AM | 1.0 | 14° |
| May | 1:15 AM – 3:05 AM | 1.8 | 15° |
| June | 11:42 PM – 2:22 AM | 2.7 | 15° |
| July | 11:22 PM – 1:12 AM | 1.8 | 15° |
| August | 10:13 PM – 11:03 PM | 0.8 | 14° |
| September | 9:00 PM – 9:10 PM | 0.2 | 11° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
With the trail going through more than 4,800 miles through eight states from the Northeast to the Great Plains, weather along the trail can be highly variable. You could be subject to any kind of weather or temperature related emergency depending on your location and the season. Be careful to protect yourself from heat-related illnesses and hypothermia while out on the trail. Be mindful of lightning, severe storms, and other environmental hazards common to the “North Country.”
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 58% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (76%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
There are numerous trailheads to access the trail. Find North Country Trail Association's Maps and Trails Data to help you get there at https://northcountrytrail.org/trail/maps.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Skiing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Snowshoeing
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Shopping
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
Nearby parks
WI
WI/MN
MI