Peters Cosponsors Bill to Complete North Country National Scenic Trail

Legislation Protects Wilderness and Promotes Tourism and Recreation across Michigan

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today announced that he is cosponsoring the North Country National Scenic Trail Route Adjustment Act which would revise the North Country National Scenic Trail Route (NCNST) to protect environmentally sensitive areas of the trail and extend it into Vermont to connect with the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

“Thousands of people come to the North Country Trail each year to enjoy the natural beauty of Michigan and our Great Lakes,” said Senator Peters. “Completing the Michigan portions of the North Country Trail will help provide new opportunities for conservation and outdoor recreation, increasing tourism to our state and the Great Lakes, and supporting local communities and businesses.”

The legislation will complete portions of the North Country Trail’s route along the North Shore of Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and designate those areas as a federally protected scenic trail. The bill will also revise portions of the trail’s route in Minnesota to study and protect wetlands.

The North Country National Scenic Trail is the nation’s longest hiking trail, running 4,600 miles through seven states. The trail connects national, state and local parks and forests, conservation areas, historic sites and hundreds of communities. Michigan is home to the longest segment of the trail, with more than 1,150 miles of the trail passing through the state.

Throughout his career in public service, Senator Peters has fought to protect and conserve the environment, wilderness areas and the Great Lakes region.

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