North Country Trail (Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore) Hiking Guide
Through Pictured Rocks, the North Country National Scenic Trail runs the whole length of the park between Munising and the Grand Sable Visitor Center near Grand Marais. It is the park's classic backpack, once known as the Lakeshore Trail, and it takes in cliffs, long beaches, a lighthouse and the Log Slide dunes. Most people walk it over several days, and the many access points also make good day sections.
Permit: Two separate charges apply to a thru-hike. A park entrance pass is $25 per vehicle or $15 per walker for 7 days, with cards only at park sites, and overnight parking requires it. A backcountry permit from Recreation.gov (or 1-877-444-6777) is required for every night, year-round: $15 per reservation plus $5 per person per night.
Distance and Sections
The park's mileage chart gives 42.4 miles from Munising Falls to the Grand Sable Visitor Center. Hiking Project maps 43.3 miles with 3,522 feet of climbing, while onX shows 41.34 miles and just 1,706 feet, so treat the gain as approximate. From the west, the chart puts Miners Castle at 7 miles, Mosquito River at 12, Chapel Beach at 16.4, Twelvemile Beach Campground at 30.9, Hurricane River at 33.7 and Log Slide at 37.1. Twelvemile to Hurricane River alone is a 2.8-mile day section.
Permits and Campsites
Day hikers need only the entrance pass, but camping is by reservation at numbered backcountry sites, with no dispersed camping and no beach camping. You can stay up to three consecutive days at any one backcountry campground. Print your permit, available from 14 days before the trip, and carry it. Fires are limited to park fire rings and are banned outright at Mosquito River and Chapel Beach. Store food in the bear lockers provided, and boil water for a minute or use a 1-micron filter.
Shuttle and Direction
Hiking Project's contributor suggests parking at Munising Falls Visitor Center, riding an Altran shuttle to Grand Sable and walking back west, saving the cliffs for the second half. Book the shuttle ahead; the park points to Alger County Transit for details. Backcountry parking is allowed in park lots with a permit and pass displayed. A $2.8 million rebuild of the closed Munising Falls Trail may limit parking at that visitor center, and Grand Sable Visitor Center is closed for the season until May 28, 2027.
Terrain and Hazards
Cliff stretches between Mosquito River and Beaver Creek are the highlight; the park warns of undercut ledges there and says to stay back. Hiking Project's contributor calls the 13 miles west of the lighthouse relatively flat. West of Miners Castle the trail gets muddy and flooded in spots, with new boardwalk sections through the worst of it, and the last miles head inland. A prescribed fire near Miners Beach, postponed to spring 2027, may close the stretch to Miners Castle for a short time, with escorts offered around it.
Closed Spur, Dogs and Weather
Munising Falls itself is off limits: the trail to the falls has been closed since an April 2025 washout, and the park expects the rebuild to finish by the end of 2027, weather permitting. Dogs aren't allowed on this trail apart from limited exceptions, such as the road to Au Sable Light Station. Freezing temperatures can occur in any month, with an average last spring freeze of June 8. Biting flies peak from late May to September, and hunting runs from Labor Day to April 1, so carry orange in fall.
Hiking tips for North Country Trail (Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore)
- Book numbered backcountry sites early, and print the permit before you leave home.
- Reserve the Altran shuttle ahead of your start date.
- Carry a filter; water must be treated and some sites have none.
- Pack warm layers even in summer, since freezes are possible in any month.
- Plan for a dog-free trip, as pets aren't allowed at backcountry campsites.
Nearby trails to explore
- Chapel Loop (Pictured Rocks)
- Au Sable Light Station Trail
- Miners Castle Overlook
Hike this trail with TrailMates
A multi-day walk like this needs real planning with people you've actually talked to. Post your dates in TrailMates, work through campsite bookings and the shuttle in the event's group chat, and see who wants to take on all or part of it. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.