Our hike begins at a trailhead near Long Lake on bog bridges over spruce wetlands. Beneath the spindly trees, wide boards lead us across a soft green carpet of moss. We’re doing a 15-mile day trip from Long Lake to Lake Durant on a scenic part of the Northville-Placid Trail.
It’s one of the few places on the 140-mile trail where it is possible to do a moderate one-way day hike with a short car shuttle. After I hiked the entire NPT, I knew I wanted to come back with friends to this beautiful stretch.
The trail winds through the Blue Mountain Wild Forest and climbs to 3,000 feet, the highest point on the NPT. It
