Minnesota · Hiking

Nct

5.8 mi
round trip
933 ft
climb
1,739 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Aug–Sep
best months

Nct is a moderate out-and-back hike in Itasca State Park in Minnesota, managed by State Park and Recreation. The route is about 11.7 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 185 feet. The trail starts at roughly 1,724 feet and reaches a high point of 1,739 feet, with the steepest stretch at about 4.3 miles in, where the grade reaches 17 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 79°F with lows near 55°F, while winter highs stay in the teens and 20s. The trail is not open to bikes or horses. Camp Itasca is about 6.9 miles away, and the Ozawindib Trail and County Forest are both within about 7 miles.

  • Best time to go · Aug–Sep

    Best time to visit Nct

    Best months: August–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      17° / -4°

      9 wet

    2. Feb

      23° / -2°

      7 wet

    3. Mar

      36° / 12°

      8 wet

    4. Apr

      51° / 26°

      9 wet

    5. May

      65° / 39°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      74° / 51°

      14 wet

    7. Jul

      79° / 55°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      77° / 53°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      68° / 44°

      11 wet

    10. Oct

      52° / 32°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      35° / 19°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      22° / 5°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Itasca Univ Of Minn, MN, 5.8 mi away at 1,490 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Lake Erin HikingPhoto: Tony Webster — CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Lake Erin Hiking

~1h 3m drive

1.22-mile loop trail in Minnesota with 157 ft gain.

Star Island Hiking Trail BPhoto: {{{1}}}, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

Star Island Hiking Trail B

~1h 4m drive

3.41-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 343 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Paul Bunyan State Forest

~33 min drive

24.50-mile out-and-back trail in Paul Bunyan State Forest, Minnesota

HIKE

North Country National Scenic Trail

~38 min drive

11.73-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 1,057 ft elevation gain.

Star Island Hiking Trail GPhoto: {{{1}}}, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

Star Island Hiking Trail G

~1h 5m drive

0.35-mile out-and-back trail on Star Island in Minnesota with 70 ft of elevation gain.

Star Island Hiking TrailPhoto: {{{1}}}, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

Star Island Hiking Trail

~1h 5m drive

3.24-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 91 ft gain.

HIKE

Ozawindib Trail

~11 min drive

1.14-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 335 ft gain.

Norway Beach Nature TrailPhoto: Joe Passe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Norway Beach Nature Trail

~1h 7m drive

Easy 3.4-mile out-and-back nature trail featuring beach and woodland scenery.

HIKE

Discovery Center Trail

~39 min drive

0.59-mile out-and-back hike in Minnesota with 144 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

County Forest

~6 min drive

7.23-mile out-and-back trail in Minnesota with 669 ft gain.