A trail so long the weather is a different problem at each end

Come to the North Country: hills and valleys, the shores of lakes and streams
left by glaciers 10,000 years ago, clear-flowing water, the red and gold of
autumn, a fairyland of snow, open prairies and distant horizons. Historic
sites along the way tell how America settled and grew.

The trail runs from North Dakota to Vermont — **more than 4,800 miles
through eight states**: Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Why the length is a safety fact

The park service's own weather note for this trail does not give temperatures,
because it cannot. Across 4,800 miles and eight states, **you could be subject
to any kind of weather or temperature-related emergency depending on your
location and the season.**

The two named risks sit at opposite ends of the thermometer:

• Heat-related illness
• Hypothermia

Plus **lightning, severe storms and other environmental hazards common to the
North Country**. Preparing for "the trail" is not a meaningful act here;
preparing for the segment and the month is.

What there is to do

*Location: National Scenic Trail — MI, MN, ND, NY, OH, PA, VT, WI. Source:
U.S. National Park Service.*