Section Hike the North Country Trial to the Old Swedish Settlement

The north country trail is the longest National Scenic Trail in America. It runs 4800 miles from Vermont to North Dakota. 220 of those miles run through Northern Wisconsin. That's basically in our backyard, so we decided to do a quick section hike one weekend.

Leaving the campground

We started out by reserving a site at a national forest campground and parking our car there. The goal was to backpack in several miles on the North Country Trail, stay overnight, and then hike back to our car. The hike we did is a 7.5 mile hike starting at Beaver Lake Campground and heading West towards old grade road. This is one of the most difficult and strenuous sections of the North Country Trail in Wisconsin. The hike can be challenging at times due to some elevation changes. Don't let that stop you though. The hike is well worth it.

Marengo Overlook

Not only will you get to experience the magic of the Northwoods, there are also several overlooks along this section, as well as an Old Swedish Settlement. If you enjoy history, there is a lot to take in at the Old Swedish Settlement. There are remnants of the settlement scattered throughout the area. This includes the foundation of a barn, the remains of a school, as well as a spring house that still houses a freshwater spring.

Stuffing the bear bag before hanging it

We did our hike in late September to avoid the insects. This hike can be pretty brutal during the summer months due to swarms of mosquitoes and black flies. Having hiked this several times during warmer months, we knew that a fall trip would be better. The weather was perfect, and we had no issues with bugs. All in all, it was the perfect weather for the hike.

Tent site in the National Forest

A few important notes for those venturing out in the fall. While temperatures were at a pleasant low 70s during the day, it did dip down below freezing at night, so pack accordingly. We both had mummy bags, and stocking caps to help retain heat during the night. It's also important to keep in mind that there is a heavy population of black bears in the Chequamegon so make sure you know how to hang a bear bag. They are gearing up for hibernation during the fall and all food needs to be stored away from camp in a bear hang.

If you enjoy backpacking, and only have a limited time, we highly suggest the North Country Trail Segment in the Chequamegon. It's easy to do in a weekend, and there are lots of great things to see. If you don't have enough time to do a full blown backpacking trip, you can always do a day hike into the Swedish settlement. Park along Forest Road 202 (Old Grade Road) east of Drummond. There is a small parking area and the trail is well marked.

Happy Hiking!