A hiker follows the blue blazes that mark the North Country Trail. Photo by Howard Meyerson

By Howard Meyerson

Grand Rapids is a walker’s paradise, full of parks where an hour or more can be spent outdoors walking. But for those who seek an entire day on the trail, an excellent opportunity is found just 30 minutes from downtown, in nearby Lowell, where the North Country National Scenic Trail passes through town.

The 4,600-mile, seven-state trail is the longest hiking path in America. Head north and you can walk to Lake Sakakawea, in North Dakota. Go south and you can hike to Crown Point, in eastern New York. Lowell is home to the North Country Trail Association (NCTA), the non-profit group that is building the trail, as well as the National Park Service office that administers it.

To read more about a terrific 12-mile hike on the trail, or shorter family hike and where to get free maps, take a look at my most recent story on Experience GR, the city of Grand Rapids blog.