Check out MMBA's trail guide (http://mmba.org/trail-guide/) they have the best map I have found for that section. Covers where you allowed to ride and not too.

There's very little sand, I run a Rampage 29r 2.35 on the front and Saguaro 2.2 on the rear.  I've run Python 2.0 tires on the NCT before as well, without issues.

I'd say the fat bike would be fun, but kinda overkill if they're worried about sand.  Although there certainly are some small stretches where it would definitely be an advantage.

Agreed. The floatation of a fat tire will not be needed, although IMO this may be a perfect route for a rigid + bike. I just rode from Custer to freesoil and while the surface was more then firm enough for my 2.1" tires it was bumpy enough that wrists are already very sore. The trail is made up of roots under sandy soil covered with an amount of sticks and twigs so numerous as to be unfathomable by any human. I was running my tires as low as they felt safe, maybe 20, and it was still very rough. I think with the 3" tires you could go low enough that, as a friend of mine says, you would just bolb over stuff.

Got it figured. For some reason my computer and the ones I tried at work would only let me save as XML. I had a friend download it at home and email it to me.

Sorry for the questions but I attempted to download the tracks to load them on to my Garmin Etrex but when I "save as" I con only save it as a XML file. Any ideas on how I can get them as GPX format?

This is very helpful!

I actually grew up in Michigan, live in Texas now, and am heading up in August to my dad's place in Custer. I plan to ride from there north, the goal being to ride the NTC towards Gaylord, then do a lap of the High Country Pathway and head back south. I tried the same trip two years ago and made it to Mesick before a knee injury turned me back. I had been hitting dead ends regarding trails north of Mesick anyways. Hopefully I can use these tracks to link things together.

I'm budgeting about ten days for the ride but am going to play it by ear, or more appropriately legs, as I also plan to do a paved shoreline ride from Chicago to Custer about a week prior.

Help a noob out, how do I go about viewing these maps?