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| White pine in an old growth forest at Itasca State Park. |
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| North Country Trail - East Segment trail map |
The 2.38-miles round trip delivers a representative sample of the park’s southeastern section. As most park visitors head to the Mississippi River’s headwaters, the NCNCT offers some peaceful solitude.
Often simply referred to as the North Country Trail, the footpath runs 4600 miles through seven states, from New York to North Dakota. About 9.4 miles of the North Country Trail runs along the southern edge of the state park, which has been nicknamed “Minnesota’s National Park.” The trail passes 11 park lakes along the way.
To reach the trailhead for the eastern segment, from Park Rapids take U.S. Hwy. 71. Turn left/west onto County Road 22. Look for the South Entrance trailhead; parking is available there.
A spur trail goes south across the park entry roads into the woods. In 0.1 miles south, the spur reaches the main trail; once there, go right/west.
The trail heads downhill through a red pine, white pine, birch and oak forest. It passes an eutrophic pond – one that is so rich with minerals and nutrients that plants grow densely there. Bacteria eating up the decomposing plants suck all of the oxygen out of the waterbody, preventing fish or other higher animal life from being able to live there.
Next the trail passes Sibilant Lake’s north shore. An overlook in a grove of red pines offers a beautiful view, especially on a sunny day when the water catches the sky’s brilliant blue with the thick greenery of the lakeside trees perfectly complementing it.
Next the trail passes a quaking bog, which is soft land that shakes underfoot. Though the ground looks like solid grass, it’s actually sphagnum moss floating over water, often anchored by trees, usually tamarack in this part of Minnesota. Step on the moss, and it will quiver.
A bog forms atop soil that is permanently saturated with water. Above this wet soil, dead plant matter – also known as peat – is accumulating, and over that is the floating mass of moss, which is about 19 inches thick.
The trail then moves through an old growth forest. The majority of the trees here are at least 120 years old, having avoided the ravages of logging, fire and windstorms. You’ll notice their trunks are large in diameter with a number of massive dead trees on the ground. Dirt mounds and holes where dead trees have fallen and uprooted themselves are common in such forests.
Only about 4 percent of Minnesota’s pre-settler forests remain. Itasca State Park has the largest stand of old growth red pines in Minnesota.
At 1.19 miles from the south entrances, the footpath reaches the Ozawindib Trail junction, 1.19 miles from south entrance. Originally named the Lind Saddle Trail after a former governor, the Ozawindib was built in 1899. There is a certain sublimity in standing where one of the state’s newest trails meeting one of its oldest here.
The trail junction marks a good spot to turn back.
Be sure to bring plenty of bug repellent for the trail. As a primitive footpath, it is mostly shaded, though, so you probably can dispense with the sunscreen.
Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.
