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America's National Trails System
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Overview | National Scenic Trails | National Historic Trails |
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In the early days of this nation, before railroads and highways
were constructed, people traveled overland on foot, on horseback, or by
wagon. Some of these trails remain in existence today as reminders of
our rich historic past. Stories of the Oregon Trail, the Santa Fe Trail,
the Trail of Tears, and others bring to mind exciting and sometimes
tragic chapters in our national heritage.
Other visions come to mind with trails. In the early 20th century,
outdoor enthusiasts in New England and the Sierra Nevadas constructed
footpaths to gain access to scenic mountain terrain. Trails became a way
to gain access to spectacular natural beauty and at the same time to
pursue healthy outdoor recreation. The first interstate recreational
trail was conceived in 1921 as a national preserve parallel to the East
Coast; it is known today as the Appalachian Trail.
In 1968 to provide federal assistance to the Appalachian Trail and
to establish a national system of trails, Congress passed the National
Trails System Act. The Appalachian and Pacific Crest trails were named
in the act as the first two national scenic trails. Today the National
Trails System consists of Congressionally designated national scenic
trails, which are continuous protected scenic corridors for outdoor
recreation, and national historic trails, which recognize prominent past
routes of exploration, migration, and military action. The historic
trails generally consist of remnant sites and trail segments, and thus
are not necessarily continuous. Although both types are administered by
federal agencies, land ownership may be in public or private hands. Of
the 17 national scenic and national historic trails so far established,
12 are administered by the National Park Service, four by the Forest
Service, and one by the Bureau of Land Management. View the National Trails System Map (a large pdf file which must be viewed with Adobe Acrobat
reader. Click on magnifying glass to magnify charts and graphics).
National recreation trails are existing trails recognized by the
Federal Government as contributing to the National Trails System. They
vary in length, terrain, difficulty, and accessibility. These trails are
managed by public and private agencies at the local, state, and national
levels and include nature trails, river routes, and historic tours.
Besides administering and coordinating national trails, the
National Park Service conducts a variety of programs to enhance and
build a national system of trails available to all. Trail system
planning occurs at the metropolitan, state, and regional levels to
fulfill the requirement for a National Trail Plan. Through its Rivers,
Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program, the National Park Service
provides technical assistance to local and state public agencies and
private organizations working on river and trail corridor projects. Some
of these involve establishing trails on abandoned railroad
rights-of-way.
For further information on the National Trails System and its
various components and programs, contact: National Trails System Branch,
National Park Service (782), P.O. Box 37127, Washington, D.C.
20013-7127, or call 202-343-3780.
National Scenic Trails
Overview | National Scenic Trails | National Historic Trails
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1968
2,144 miles (3,452 km)
Appalachian Trail Conference
P.O. Box 807
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
304-535-6331
National Park Service
Appalachian Trail Project Office
c/o
Harpers Ferry Center
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
304-535-6278
The Appalachian Trail was first envisioned in 1921 by Benton
MacKaye as a greenway from Maine to Georgia. The trail hugs the crests
of the Appalachian Mountains and is open only to the hikers. Shelters
are spaced for convenient overnight stays. The Appalachian Trail
Conference established in 1925, developed the trail and maintains it
today through 32 affiliated volunteer trail clubs. Only 65 miles still
needs protection through public ownership. Almost 175 people each year
hike the entire trail, while millions find inspiration and adventure on
shorter trips along the "A.T."
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
Forest Service
Designated and
Established 1978
3,100 miles (4,988 km)
Continental Divide Trail Alliance
P.O. Box 628
Pine, CO 80470
303-838-3760
Continental Divide Trail Society
3704 N. Charles St., #601 Baltimore, MD 21218-2300
410-235-9610
The Continental Divide Scenic Trail (CDNST) corridor provides
spectacular backcountry travel the length of the Rocky Mountains from Mexico
to Canada. This National Scenic Trail is still under construction with
about 2,000 miles currently providing for high-quality hiking and horseback
riding experiences. More information about the CDNST can be found on the
CDNST Website.
Florida National Scenic Trail
Forest Service
Established 1983
1,300 miles (2,090 km)
Florida Trail Association
5415 SW 13th St.
Gainesville, FL 32608
800-343-1882
USDA-FS, National Forests in Florida
325 John Knox Rd., #F-100,
Tallahassee, FL 32303
904-942-9305
The Florida Trail was conceived and initiated by James A. Kern, who
formed the Florida Trail Association in 1964. The trail will eventually
extend from Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida through
Florida's three national forests to Gulf Islands National Seashore in
the western panhandle. It is especially delightful for winter hiking and
camping, passing through America's only subtropical landscape. Side loop
trails connect to nearby historic sites and other points of interest.
More than 1,000 miles are completed and some 300 miles are officially
open to public use.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1980
1,000 miles (1,610 km)
Ice Age Trail Foundation
207 East Buffalo Suite 515
Milwaukee, WI 53202
414-278-8518
National Park Service,
700 Rayovac Drive, Suite 100
Madison, WI 53711
608-441-5610
At the end of the Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago, glaciers
retreated from North America and left behind a chain of moraine hills
which defined their southern edge. In Wisconsin, the band of hills
zigzags across the state for 1,000 miles from Lake Michigan to the Saint
Croix River. A trail along these hills was conceived by Ray Zillmer in
the 1950s and publicized by Rep. Henry Reuss in his book, On the Trail
of the Ice Age. Today, with help from the State of Wisconsin and the Ice
Age Park and Trail Foundation, almost half of the trail is open to
public use. Certain sections are popular for marathons, ski races, and
ultra-running.
Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1983
110 miles (180 km)
National Park Service
Natchez Trace Parkway
Rural Route 1 NT-143
Tupelo, MS 38801
601-842-1572
Natchez Trace Trail Conference
P.O.Box 1236
Jackson, MS 39215-1236
601-680-4016
The Natchez Trace National Scenic Trails within the boundaries of
the Natchez Trace Parkway, extending for 450 miles from Natchez,
Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee. The Parkway commemorates the
historic Natchez Tracer, an ancient path that began as a series of
animal tracks and Native American trails. It was late used by early
explorers, "Kaintuck" boatmen, post riders, and military men, including
General Andrew Jackson after his victory at the Battle of New Orleans.
In the trail's 1987 comprehensive plan, four segments near Nashville,
Jackson, and Natchez totalling 110 miles were selected for development
as hiking and horseback trails.
North Country National Scenic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1980
3,200 miles (5,150 km)
North Country Trail Association
229 East Main St.
Lowell, MI 49331-1711
616-897-5987
National Park Service
700 Rayovac Drive, Suite 100
Madison, WI 53711
608-441-5610
Conceived in the mid-1960s, the North Country Trail links New
York's Adirondack Mountains with the Missouri River in North Dakota. The
trail journeys through a variety of environments: the grandeur of the
Adirondacks, Pennsylvania's hardwood forests, the farmland and canals of
Ohio, the Great Lakes shorelines of Michigan, the glacier-carved
forests, lakes, and streams of northern Wisconsin and Minnesota, and the
vast plains of North Dakota. Today, almost half of this trail is open
for public use. Some of the longer segments cross nine national forests
and two national park areas along the route.
Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail
Forest Service
Established 1968
2,638 miles (4,247 km)
Pacific Crest Trail Association
5323 Elkhorn Blvd., Suite 256
Sacramento, CA 95842
800-817-2243
Lying along the spectacular shoulders of the Cascade and Sierra
Nevada mountain ranges from Canada to Mexico, the Pacific Crest is the
West Coast counterpart of the Appalachian Trail. Inspired in the 1930s
by the idea of a long-distance mountain trail, citizen activists worked
with the Forest Service to establish the trail. It passes through 25
national forests and seven national parks. The trail was completed in
Oregon and Washington in 1987. Today only 30 miles in California are not
protected.
Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1983
700 miles (1,130 km)
Potomac Heritage Trail Association
c/o Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
118 Park St., SE
Vienna, VA 22180
National Park Service, National Capital Field Office
Assoc. Supt., Stewardship and Partnership
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20242
202-619-7025/7038
The Potomac Heritage Trail recognizes and commemorates the unique
mix of history and recreation along the Potomac River. Much is already
in place: the 184-mile towpath of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in the
District of Columbia and Maryland, the 18-mile Mount Vernon Trial in
Virginia, and the 75-mile Laurel Highlands Trail in Pennsylvania. In
western Maryland, members of the Potomac Heritage Trail have recommended
a 55-mile hiking path from Cumberland, Maryland, north to Pennsylvania's
Mount Davis and on to the Laurel Highlands.
National Historic Trails
Overview | National Scenic Trails | National Historic Trails
California National Historic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1992
(5,665 miles)
Oregon-California Trails Association
P.O. Box 1019
Independence, MO 64051-0519
816-252-2276
NPS Long-Distance Trails Office
324 S. State St., P.O. Box 45155
Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0155
801-539-4094
Following the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in California, the 1849 goldrush followed many paths. Starting at several points along the Missouri River, gold seekers converged on the Great Platte River Road, overlapping with Oregon and Mormon emigrants, until they had crossed the crest of the Rockies. From there a variety of routes - determined by the availability of water and grass, the knowledge of guides, or the presence of Indians - were used to get to and cross various passes through the Sierra Nevada mountains. Over 70,000 crossed to California in 1849 and 1850 alone. Recent Oregon settlers used the newly opened Applegate Trail to come south into the California mountains. Today the Trail's comprehensive management plan is being completed to outline auto tour routes, public land management policies, interpretive themes, and public-private partnerships essential to commemorating this important chapter in opening the American West.
Iditarod National Historic Trail
Bureau of Land Management
Established 1978
2,450 miles, main route 900
(3,945 km, main route 1,450)
Anchorage District, Bureau of Land Management
6681 Abbott Loop Road
Anchorage, AK 99507
907-267-1246
Iditarod Trail Committee
P.O. Box 870800
Wasilla, AK 99687
907-376-5155
The Iditarod is a system of historic trails made famous by Alaska
gold prospectors and their dog teams during the late 19th and early 20th
century gold rush. Most of the trail is usable only during Alaska's
six-month winter when rivers and tundra are frozen. Each year the
renowned 1,150-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race is run along the trail from
Anchorage to Nome. Other events include the 210-mile Iditasport race for
skiers, mountain bikers, and snowshoers, and the Alaska Gold Rush
Classic Snowmachine Race. A network of shelters is being installed by
the Bureau of Land Management and the Iditarod Trail Committee.
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1990
1,200 miles (1,930 km)
NPS Pacific-Great Basin SSO
Planning, Grants and Environmental
Quality Division
600 Harrison St., Suite 600
San Francisco, CA 94107-1371
415-744-3975
In 1775, a party of Spanish colonists led by Col. Juan Bautista de
Anza set out from Mexico to establish an overland route to California.
They sought to build a presidio and mission overlooking the Golden Gate
and secure it from threats by the Russians and British. This party of 30
families, a dozen soldiers, and 1,000 cattle, horses, and mules spent
three months traversing the deserts of the Southwest before reaching the
missions of the California coast. Another three months were spent
traveling up the Pacific coast to the Golden Gate where the city of San
Francisco now stands. In 1975 and 1976, an expedition re-enactment took
place from Horcasitas, Mexico, to San Francisco.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1978
3,700 miles (5,960 km)
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 3434
Great Falls, MT 59403
National Park Service
601 Riverfront Drive
Omaha, NE 68102
402-661-1804
In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson commissioned Meriwether Lewis
and William Clark to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and
the "Oregon Country." Setting out in boats from what is today Wood
River, Illinois, and following the Missouri River upstream, their
expedition eventually reached the Pacific Ocean at the mouth of the
Columbia River in 1805 and returned east the next year. In Idaho and
western Montana, the route follows roads and trails as it crosses the
Rocky Mountain passes. Along the route, state, local, and private
interests have established motor routes, roadside interpretive markers,
and museum exhibits telling the Lewis and Clark story.
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1978
1,300 miles (2,095 km)
NPS Long-Distance Trails Office
342 S. State St., P.O. Box 45155
Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0155
801-539-4094
Mormon emigration was one of the principal forces of settlement of
the West. Departing form Nauvoo, Illinois, in February 1846, thousands
of Mormons crossed into Iowa seeking refuge from religious persecution.
They spent the next winter in the Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Omaha,
Nebraska, area. Early in 1847, Brigham Young led an advance party west
along the Platte River, paralleling the Oregon Trail, to Fort Bridger,
Wyoming, where they turned southwest and eventually came to the Great
Salt Lake. The 1,624-mile auto tour route in five states is generally
marked with the trail logo and closely follows the trail's historic
route.
Nez Perce National Historic Trail
Forest Service
Established 1986
1,170 miles (1,885 km)
Nez Perce National Historic Trail Foundation
P.O. Box 20197
Missoula, MT 59807
406-728-7649
This trail route honors the heroic and poignant attempt by the Nez
Perce Indians to escape capture by the U.S. Army. In 1877, the Nez Perce
were forced to leave their ancestral homelands and move to a reservation
east of Lewiston, Idaho. During this journey, hostilities broke out
between white settlers and some groups of the Nez Perce. The U.S. Army
was called in. The resisting bands headed east, crossed the Rocky
Mountains, and hoped to find refuge in Canada. Led by several commanders
including Chief Joseph, they eluded capture for months, traveling
through the newly established Yellowstone National Park and out onto the
Great Plains. Just short of reaching the Canadian border in Montana,
most of the party were overtaken near the Bearpaw Mountains.
Oregon National Historic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1978
2,170 miles (3,495 km)
NPS Long Distance Trails Office
324 S. State St., P.O. Box 45155
Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0155
801-539-4094
NPS Pacific Northwest Region, Oregon
National Historic Trail
83 South King Street, Suite 212
Seattle, WA 98104
206-553-5366
As the harbinger of America's westward expansion, the Oregon Trail
was the pathway to the Pacific for fur traders, gold seekers,
missionaries, and emigrants. Beginning in 1841 and enduring for more
than 20 years, an estimated 300,000 emigrants followed this route from
the Midwest to Oregon on a trip that took five months to complete. Today
the trail corridor contains some 300 miles of discernible wagon ruts and
125 historic sites. The approximate route can still be followed by
automobile, and opportunities are available to travel by foot, horse, or
mountain bike in many places.
Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1980
300 miles (485 km)
Overmountain Victory Trail Association,
c/o Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area
1651 West Elk Avenue
Elizabethton, TN 37643
615-543-5808
National Park Service,
Southeast Region
Planning and Compliance Division
75 Spring Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-331-5465
In the fall of 1780, upcountry patriots from Virginia, Tennessee,
and North Carolina formed a militia to drive the British from the
southern colonies. This trail marks their 14-day trek across the
Appalachians to the Piedmont region of the Carolinas. There they
defeated British troops at the Battle of Kings Mountain, setting in
motion events that led to the British surrender at Yorktown and the end
of the Revolutionary War. Each year history buffs commemorate this
patriotic event. Much of the trail has become road and highway; only a
small 20-mile portion remains as a foot trail across the mountains. in
most places roadside signs indicate proximity to the trail. A guide to
the seven walking sections of the trail is available.
Pony Express National Historic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1992
1,855 miles
National Pony Express Association
P.O. Box 236
Pollock Pines, CA 95726
National Park Service
Long-Distance Trails Office
324 S. State St., P.O. Box 45155
Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0155
801-539-4094
Begun in 1860 as a vital mail route connecting the eastern United States to California, this privately financed operation only lasted 18 months before it was supplanted by telegraph. Dozens of wiry riders and hundreds of horses conducted the relay of mail through desert and plain, mountains and storm around the clock to get the mail through. Average travel time from St. Joe, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, was 10 days. Nearly 35,000 pieces of mail were transported, some containing the momentous news of Lincoln's election and the outbreak of the Civil War. The transcontinental railroad followed muchof its route in later years. Today many portions of the route are marked by highways sign and reenactment rides - complete with souvenir mail - take place every year.
Santa Fe National Historic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1987
1,203 miles (1,937 km)
National Park Service, Southwest Region,
Branch of Long Distance Trails
P.O. Box 728
Santa Fe, NM 87504-0728
505-988-6888
After Mexican independence in 1821, U.S. and Mexican traders
developed the Santa Fe Trail, using American Indian travel and trade
routes. it quickly became a commercial and cultural link between the two
countries. It also became a road of conquest during the Mexican and
Civil wars. With the building of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880, the
trail was largely abandoned. Of the 1,203 miles of trail route between
Old Franklin, Missouri, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, more than 200 miles of
ruts and trace remain visible; some 30 miles of these are protected on
federal lands.
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
National Park Service
Established 1987
2,052 miles (3,304 km)
NPS Long Distance Trails Group-- Santa Fe
P.O. Box 728
Santa Fe, NM 87504-0728
505-988-6888
National Park Service, Southwest Region
Branch of Long Distance Trails
P.O. Box 728
Santa Fe, NM 87504-0728
505-988-6888
After many years of pressure from white settlers, 16,000 Cherokee
Indians from the southeastern states were moved by the U.S. Army in the
late 1830s to lands west of the Mississippi River. Various detachments
followed different routes west to the Oklahoma Territory. Thousands died
along the way. Today, the designated trail follows two of the principal
routes: a water trail (1,226 miles) along the Tennessee, Ohio,
Mississippi, and Arkansas rivers; and an overland route (826 miles) from
Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
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US Forest Service
Last modified
June 05, 2008
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