National Scenic Trails

In October of 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the National Trails System Act which saught to "copy the great Appalalachian Trail in all parts of America." The A.T. became the first national scenic trail with the Pacific Crest Trail designated as the second. There are now six other national scenic trails, administered through the National Park Service. The National Trails System Act is also online.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail The premier long distance trail in the country, the A.T. goes 2,150 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Katahdin in Maine, traversing the Appalachian mountains in 14 eastern states. You should also check out our Appalachian Trail Conference home page.

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
Established in 1978, the 2,600-mile CDT traverses the Rocky Montains in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. The trail passes through Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.

Florida National Scenic Trail
The 1,300-mile Florida traverses the length of Florida, linking the western panhandle to Lake Okeechobee before continuing south into the Big Cypress National Preserve. It was established in 1983. 1,000 miles of the proposed trail are completed.

Ice Age National Scenic Trail
This 1,000-mile trail through Wisconsin is half completed. The trail, established in 1980, follows geologic features left by the southern advance of glaciers thousands of years ago.

North Country National Scenic Trail
This proposed 3,200-mile trail will go east to west from the Adirondacks in New York to the Missouri River in South Dakota. More than 1,300 miles of trail have been built and certified since the trail was established in 1980. The North Country Trail Association's goal is to have 2,000 miles of the route certified by the year 2,000.

Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail
This trail lies within the boundaries of the 450-mile Natchez Trace Parkway. It connects Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee following the route of an old pioneer road. In character, this trail is more like a National Historic Trail.

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail
This 2,600-mile trail traverses the backbone of California, Oregon and Washington states to connect Mexico to Canada by trail. This trail passes through numerous national parks and forests. It is also popular with equestrians. You should also visit our P.C.T. links section.

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
This 704-mile trail passes through Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. This trail uses the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath for a portion of its route. It was established in 1983.

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