Appalachian Trail

Happy 50th Anniversary — National Trails Guide article in the Guardian!

To help us celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System, London's Guardian has published a worldwide feature. As usual, they do an excellent job of reporting, featuring a lot of our photography from adventures on the Trails. Here is a screenshot from the piece, a Continental Divide Trail article written for the feature by NTG's Bill Buck:   To read the whole feature, go to https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/oct/02/us-national-trails-wilderness-walking-scenic-favourites-hiking    

On Trails – Book Review

[Originally appeared in Earth Island Journal] “Without trails, we would be lost.” The simplicity of this statement in the prologue of Robert Moor’s first book, On Trails: An Exploration, opens the door to an in-depth study of trails, their purpose, and their meaning. Exploring paths forged by creatures ranging from ants to elephants to modern humans, Moor attempts to define the scientific and practical elements which combine to form trails. He goes on a quest to understand pathways across natural systems, exploring everything from deer trails in Alabama to the extensive International Appalachian Trail, sections of which cross North America and Europe. Moor himself is no stranger to trails. In 2009, he completed a hike on the 2,000-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT), the southern [...]

Centennial Celebration: Trails & Parks

  In honor of the National Park Service's 100th birthday, here is an excerpt from our love letter to national parks from national trails. (To read the entire piece, visit Earth Island Journal)   Map of the National Trails System - courtesy of the National Park Service   National parks offer perennial destinations we are all familiar with, while national trails take those experiences and extend them thousands of miles further across America.   “If national parks are America's crown jewels, then the national trails provide an emerald necklace that stitches them together,” says Steve Elkinton, program leader for the National Trails System from 1989 to 2014. “Along the 30 national scenic and historic trails, over 80 National Park Service sites are linked [...]

National Trails infographic

  This blog entry unveils a brand new infographic introducing the National Trails. We'll be expanding this graphic in the coming months but for now, here is a basic introduction to the trails with a visual spin: the infographic.   Stay tuned for more multimedia offerings from the National Trails Guide, like this infographic, as we continue to ramp up for the 50-Year Anniversary celebration of the National Trails System in 2018!  

A Walk in the Woods – Film Review

  There was some anticipation for the film A Walk in the Woods (2015) in the national trails community. This film version of Bill Bryson’s book of the same name stars Robert Redford and prominently features the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.   I allowed some time to pass (probably too much) after seeing this film because frankly I was dreading writing this review… Warning: This is not a good indication that the movie was highly enjoyable!   Courtesy of Broad Green Pictures I quickly found myself struggling to listen to the strained, gurgly voice of Redford’s well-meaning but bumbling companion on the hapless hike, played by Nick Nolte. For those that would enjoy the chemistry of these two on screen together for 90 [...]

Trail Angels – National Scenic Trail Heroes

  Trail Angels are a special breed. It's likely that most people have never heard of them -- but it's a given that anyone who has completed a long-distance trail is not only familiar with the term but may have even met one of these elusive characters.   Hikers who have been on a trail for a long time may find they owe a great debt to these life-savers. Anyone who has experienced the feeling of being exhausted, hungry and thirsty after weeks on a trail can admit that the prospect of a hot meal and a little civilization might be just what the doctor ordered.   That's when people like Lloyd Gust step in to save the day -- they can prove to be the [...]

Random photos from exploring the national trails

  This is a unique post of the National Trails Guide: there is no agenda and this is not specifically geared to one trail. Instead, these are simply random pictures taken over three years of road research documenting the national trails. We hope you enjoy a behind the scenes look into seldom-seen spots along the trails...   Along the Natchez Trace, inside one of the many lovely cemetaries of the South. The above picture was taken during a road trip through Mississippi while exploring the national trails. There are many unforgettable places to be found along the way, including this ancient moss-draped tree and lovingly tended headstones dating back to the late 1700s.   The following picture sums up the beauty of America, [...]

National Trails Guide Interview: Potomac Heritage Trail

The Potomac Heritage Trail is one of the 11 National Scenic Trails and follows the Potomac River through the Nation's Capital. The trail's 1,100 miles include the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O) -- its geographical heart. You can experience this route on foot, by bike, horseback or watercraft. Karen is a retired teacher who biked the 184-mile C&O section of the trail.   When did you become interested in biking the C&O?   I discovered the C&O in 2008, while hiking the Appalachian Trail and vowed to return someday when I had completed the AT. What were some of the historical items you learned about?    It was very interesting to see how freight was moved in the 1800's before the railroad arrived.  Along the way we [...]

National Trails Guide Interview: Across America on National Trails!

  The National Trails System is a world-class network of Congressionally-designated trails which span the United States. The Appalachian Trail (AT), Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and Continental Divide Trail (CDT) together cover about 8,000 miles -- people who complete all three of these long trails over a period of time are bestowed with the hiking community's 'Triple Crown.'   In addition to these well-loved national trails, there is a legendary east to west route called the American Discovery Trail (ADT). This is considered a "new breed of national trail — part city, part small town, part forest, part mountains, part desert — all in one trail" according to the American Discovery Trail Society. The nearly 7,000 mile route is designated for walking and other non-motorized uses, [...]

National Trails Guide Interview: Balls and Sunshine Triple Crown 2013

  The National Trails System is a world-class network of trails spanning the entire Unites States. Three of these trails have reached legendary status: the Appalachian Trail (AT), Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and Continental Divide Trail (CDT) which together cover 8,000 miles of America's most beloved and rugged mountain ranges.   In 2013, the site trailjournals.com estimated that 477 people completed a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail, 91 on the PCT and 30 on the CDT.  (Thru-hikes entail walking the national trail's entire route, from beginning to end.) Of the individuals who achieve thru-hiker status each year, a much smaller group attempts to complete all three long-distance scenic trails. Usually this goal is achieved over the course of multiple years.   A father-daughter team has [...]