The North Central Trail is a 62-mile multipurpose recreational trail in northern Michigan that runs from Mackinaw City to Gaylord. Upgraded with a crushed limestone surface, it provides a compact, smooth trail similar to asphalt. The 10-foot-wide trail offers a safe, enjoyable year-round experience for multiple users and provides an economic boost to communities along its route. The corridor was formerly a railroad owned by the Detroit and Mackinac Railway Company. The project was funded through a $1.48 million federal transportation enhancement grant administered by the Michigan Department of Transportation, along with state and local matching funds contributed by the DNR's recreational trails program and more than 40 local governmental units, businesses, and other organizations. The corridor between Taylor and Cheboygan was acquired in six separate transactions from the Detroit and Mackinac Railway Company beginning in 1998 and ending in 2000.