Appalachian National Scenic Trail

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

The Continental Divide Trail provides spectacular backcountry travel the length of the Rocky Mountains from Mexico to Canada. It is the most rugged of the long-distance trails. The only section officially designated runs for 795 miles from Canada through Montana and Idaho to Yellowstone National Park. It is open to hikers, pack and saddle animals, and in some places, off-road motorized vehicles. Some segments are open for use in other states.

Florida National Scenic Trail

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

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

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

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

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

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.