North Country Trail - Lowell State Game Area and south

Introduction

Having walked the portion of the North Country Trail (NCT) in Lowell, I decided to proceed with the next part on the following weekend. Again, it was another good June day in Michigan.

For this hike, I started from the parking area in the Lowell State Game Area on the north side of Flat River Drive NE (near the intersection of Sagamore Trail SE), I went south to the end of my previous weekend's hike (a short way outside of the game area. Then, I turned around and went north to the parking area on Montcalm Avenue NE. Finally, I returned to the Flat River Drive parking area. The descriptions are given in the NY-to-ND direction.

The trail is well-blazed throughout. There is a short road connector in this section.

There is a major map deviation from map MI-03 in this sub-section, which is described in the main MI-03 section page.

Lowell State Game Area (south of Flat River Drive) and south

From the end of the previous trip report, the trail continues within the deviation from map MI-03. Eventually, the deviation ends shortly before it joins a short road connector on Grindle Drive SE. After the road connector, the trail proceeds to cross Flat River Drive NE.

It is all nice trail through woods and open areas with a little elevation change, except for the power line right-of-way and the road connector. The road itself is a dirt road, not traveled very much. The right-of-way shows that there is some elevation above the Flat River.

Lowell State Game Area (north of Flat River Drive)

After passing the parking area on Flat River Drive NE, the trail ascends again. Eventually, the trail joins a woods road elevated above the east bank of the Flat River, then leaves the woods road to descend via trail. The trail section ends at a small parking area on Montcalm Avenue NE, after which a road connector proceeds to Fallasburg and Fallasburg County Park.

Picture info

See the attached album. Time and travel order are not the same.

-->ND: 20100619 1307a, 1316, 1317, 1329a, 1331, 1334, 1336, 1340, 1345, 1351, 1352, 1357, 1400, 1404, 1404a, 1410, 1413, 1417, 1420, 1424, 1429, 1430, 1446, 1449, 1451, 1451a

-->NY: 20100619 1451b, 1452, 1457, 1459, 1500, 1505, 1509, 1513, 1517, 1214, 1216, 1218, 1222, 1229, 1234, 1240, 1244, 1248, 1252, 1254, 1258, 1259, 1306

There are also some scenery and map pictures.

Scenery: 20100619 1315 height
Map: 20100619 1449 kiosk-map

Images

View North Country Trail - Lowell State Game Area and south Image Gallery - 3 Images