~*~ Long Trails Across the U.S.A. ~*~

There are millions of miles of trails in this country. The Appalachian Trail has a special place in my heart, but there are many other trails on my ever-growing “To Hike” list. Below are some of the ones that I intend (positive attitude!) to hike at some point in my life. This is by no means all of the long trails in the USA but more a short list of those that have piqued my interest. If you have hiked or dreamed of hiking a trail that is not on here, please feel free to email me with details and I will post it as soon as possible. I’ve said before the best information comes from other hikers and we all stand to learn a lot from each other. If you find any inconsistencies or errors on the following trails, shoot me an email. Happy Trails!

These are listed alphabetically. Clicking on any trail name will take you to right to the information:

Arizona Trail (AZ, 790 miles)

Baker Trail (PA, 140 miles)

Buckeye Trail (OH, 1,280 miles)

Cohos Trail (NH, 160 miles)

Colorado Trail (CO, 470 miles)

Florida Trail (FL, 1,300 miles)

Ice Age Trail (WI, 1,100 miles)

International Appalachian Trail (ME – New Brunswick, Quebec, 700 miles)

John Muir Trail (CA, 200 miles)

Lone Star Hiking Trail (TX, 130 miles)

Long Path (NY/NJ, 345 miles)

Long Trail (VT, 270 miles)

Mason-Dixon Trail (DE/MD/PA, 190 miles)

Mid State Trail (PA, 260 miles)

Mountains-to-Sea Trail (NC, 925 miles)

Northville-Placid Trail (NY, 135 miles)

Ouachita Trail (AR/OK, 225 miles)

Ozark Highlands Trail (AR, 165 miles)

Superior Hiking Trail (MN, 235 miles)

Tahoe Rim Trail (CA/NV, 165 miles)

Tuscarora Trail (VA/WV/MD/PA, 250 miles)

Wonderland Trail (WA, 95 miles)

~ Back to Adventure Matters ~

~*~ Arizona Trail ~*~

State: Arizona

Mileage: 790

Hiking Season: September – November or March – May

First Year Hiked: 1985

Average yearly thru-hikers: < 20

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover roughly 16 miles per day.

~ Thru-hike will most likely take about 49 days.

~ Water supplies are limited.

~ Resupply opportunities are occasional

Terrain:

~ Plateaus over 7,000 feet

~ River systems (sometimes dry)

~ Deserts

~ Conifer and aspen forests

~ Vast grasslands

~ Canyons

~ 9,000 foot peaks

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ California condor

~ Coyotes

~ Elk

~ Mountain lions

~ Pronghorn antelope

~ Ringtail cats

~ Scorpions

~ Spotted skunks

~ Venomous snakes

Overview:

The AZT has not been completely marked yet and sections of the unmarked terrain can be confusing. However, if you are careful with your maps and don’t mind road walking, it is completely thru-hikeable. It is also available for thru-bikers if you are interested in that option. The trail winds it’s way from the Coronado National Memorial, near the US/Mexican border town of Nogales all the way to the northern terminus on the Utah border. Although the AZT does travel through barren lands and flat desert, it is also home to mountain ranges (climbing included!) more like CA’s Sierra Nevada or UT’s Uinta Mountains. (back to top)

~*~ Baker Trail ~*~

State: Pennsylvania

Mileage: 140

Hiking Season: April to October

First Year Hiked: 1951

Average yearly thru-hikers: < 20

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 16 miles per day

~ Expect thru-hike to take 9 days

~ Water availability is frequent

~ Resupply opportunities are frequent

Terrain:

~ Rocky climbs and scree fields (welcome to PA, baby!)

~ Oak forests

~ Allegheny River valley

~ Historical Landmarks

~ Mountain views

~ Amish culture

~ Spring-fed streams

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Black bears

~ Coyotes

~ Farm animals (moo, baby, moo)

~ Rattlesnakes

~ Red foxes

~ Skunks

~ Wild turkeys

Overview:

The BT runs from it’s southern terminus near Freeport, PA and goes north-northeast to its northern terminus near Marienville (about 60 miles from the NY border). It winds its way among countless hills, ridges, and drainages, complete with rocky ascents and descents – something that is typical of PA hiking. It is fairly primitive and mostly unimproved off-road. There are few bridges so you can expect to get wet feet once or twice along the way. It is generally well blazed in yellow but you still need the map. (back to top)

~*~ Buckeye Trail ~*~

State: Ohio

Mileage: 1,280

Hiking Season: April to November

First Year Hiked: unknown

Average yearly thru-hikers: < 5

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 18 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 71 days

~ Water availability is frequent

~ Resupply opportunities are frequent

Terrain:

~ Waterfalls

~ Caves

~ Hardwood forests

~ Human-made features

~ Short climbs

~ Agricultural fields

~ Historical Sites

~ Small settlements

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Black bears (actually listed as endangered in OH)

~ Diamondback rattlesnakes

~ Eastern cottontail rabbits

~ River otters

~ Turkeys

Overview:

It doesn’t matter where you start your hike because the BT is a giant loop trail. If you make it all the way to the other end, you won’t need to worry about those aggravating post-trip logistics! The BT crosses a mix of private, state and deferral land from cornfields to historic sites along the Miami and Erie canals to national park land. It is not a true wilderness setting overall with limited options for backcountry camping but there is an enormous variety of terrain and you will literally see every corner of OH. (back to top)

~*~ Cohos Trail ~*~

State: New Hampshire

Mileage: 160

Hiking Season: June to September (discouraged in April and May due to trail surfaces that easily erode)

First Year Hiked: 2000

Average yearly thru-hikers: < 20

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 14 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 11 days

~ Water availability is frequent

~ Resupply opportunities are occasional

Terrain:

~ Remote summits

~ Balsam fir, red spruce forests

~ Stands of paper and yellow birch

~ Connecting road walks

~ Boulder-strewn streams

~ Rocky climbs

~ Swamps

~ Rare alpine plants

~ Remote, recovering logging areas

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Black bears

~ Bobcats

~ Coyotes

~ Moose

~ Mountain lions

~ Porcupines

~ Red foxes

~ Snowshoe hares

Overview:

Begins south of the White Mountains’ Presidential Range near the town of Glen and heads north to the Canadian border. Crossing several peaks that exceed 3,500’ elevation, this is more of a mountain trail than an easy lowland route. The CT leads hikers to the other side of the White Mountains. Instead of going into the popular Presidential, Franconia and Carter ranges, the CT climbs only Mt. Eisenhauer before heading off to lesser-known points. (back to top)

~*~ Colorado Trail ~*~

State: Colorado

Mileage: 470

Hiking Season: July to September

First Year Hiked: unknown

Average yearly thru-hikers: < 100

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 14 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 34 days

~ Water availability is seldom to frequent, depending on the section

~ Resupply opportunities are occasional.

Terrain:

~ Alpine terrain

~ Mountain streams

~ Alpine lakes

~ Snowfields

~ Major river systems

~ Canyons

~ 14,000 foot peaks

~ Conifer and aspen forests

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Bighorn sheep

~ Black bears

~ Lynx (listed as endangered in CO)

~ Marmots

~ Mountain lions

~ Picas

~ Wolverines (also listed as endangered in CO)

Overview:

The CT takes a southwest route from Denver heading toward Durango and is literally a mile high journey from end to end. It is recommended that you start your hike from the north to enable you to gradually climb a seventy-mile piece of trail to timberline. If you start at the southern terminus, you have only a twenty-mile distance to reach timberline at a much steeper grade. It is important to educate yourself about altitude prior to attempting this hike, especially if you are not used to hiking at this elevation. (back to top)

~*~ Florida Trail ~*~

State: Florida

Mileage: 1,300

Hiking Season: October to April

First Year Hiked: 1989

Average yearly thru-hikers: < 10

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 18 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 66 days

~ Water availability is sometimes

~ Resupply opportunities are occasional

Terrain:

~ Cypress swamps

~ Hardwood swamps

~ Pine and palmetto stands

~ Freshwater streams and lakes

~ Gulf of Mexico coastline

~ Giant limestone sinkholes

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Alligators

~ Bobcats

~ Coyotes

~ Feral hogs

~ Fox squirrels

~ Pelicans, storks and cranes

~ Tortoises

~ Water moccasins, coral snakes, rattlesnakes

Overview:

Starting just outside of Pensacola in Gulf Breeze, the trail follows the panhandle eat and then turns due south for the trek to Big Cypress National Preserve. This is probably one of the flattest trails around but that does not mean it lacks challenges. Sometimes the trail can seem more like a zoo than a hiking trail, highlighted in winter months by “vacationing birds”. Desolate and busy roads are to be walked, along with Forest Service roads, levees, canals, power lines and ATV paths. Many people, even in Florida, have never heard of the FT. (back to top)

~*~ Ice Age Trail ~*~

State: Wisconsin

Mileage: 1,100

Hiking Season: May to October

First Year Hiked: 1979

Average yearly thru-hikers: unknown

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 16 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 69 days

~ Water availability is frequent

~ Resupply opportunities are occasional

Terrain:

~ nearly 300 miles of road walking

~ Signs of glacial activity (eskers, erratics, gorges, kames, moraines, striations)

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Black bears

~ Bobcats

~ Coyotes

~ Snowshoe hares

~ Timber wolves

~ Turkeys

~ Voles

~ Wolverines

Overview:

Begins at Potawatomi State Park on Green Bay and travels southwest, then north, then west to endd inside the Interstate State Park Ice Age Reserve Unit on the St. Croix River. It is still in development, with more than half of it now in place. It is thru-hikeable but is almost 25% road walking at this point in time. Most people walk segments of the trail for short time periods. Several people have hiked the entire Trail and only a few have thru-hiked it to date. (back to top)

~*~ International Appalachian Trail ~*~

State: Maine, New Brunswick, Quebec

Mileage: 700

Hiking Season: June to September

First Year Hiked: 1997

Average yearly thru-hikers: < 10

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 14 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 50 days

~ Water availability is frequent

~ Resupply opportunities: sometimes

Terrain:

~ Above tree-line terrain

~ Paper and yellow birch forests

~ Spruce and fir forests

~ Glacial erratics

~ Atlantic coastline

~ Bogs

~ Pristine lakes

~ Small settlements

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Black bears

~ Caribou

~ Coyotes

~ Golden and bald eagles

~ Herons

~ Moose

~ Mountain lions

~ Whales

Overview:

This is the only trail in North America that has a bilingual trail patch, as it begins on Mt. Katahdin in Maine and ends on the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec. The start of the I.A.T. is where the A.T. ends, from there you head south and retrace 15 miles of the A.T. Hikers will see great wildlife along the remote I.A.T. as well as the highest points in Maine, New Brunswick and Quebec. (back to top)

~*~ John Muir Trail ~*~

State: California

Mileage: 220

Hiking Season: July to October

First Year Hiked: 1928

Average yearly thru-hikers: < 200

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 13 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 17 days

~ Water availability is frequent to sometimes depending on the trail section

~ Resupply opportunities are seldom

Terrain:

~ Meadows

~ Glacial tarns

~ Sequoia groves

~ Waterfalls

~ Canyons

~ Alpine terrain

~ High passes

~ Scree fields

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Black bears

~ Coyotes

~ Fishers

~ Marmots

~ Mountain lions

~ Pikas

Overview:

If you are looking for solitude, this trail is probably not for you, especially during popular summer months. The sheer beauty of the JMT could easily override any crowds. From Yosemite Village in the north to the summit of Mount Whitney (CA’s highest peak at 14,494 feet) in the south, the JMT goes over passes, snowfields, and among beautiful tarns high the Sierra Nevada. (back to top)

~*~ Lone Star Hiking Trail ~*~

State: Texas

Mileage: 130

Hiking Season: September to May

First Year Hiked: unknown

Average yearly thru-hikers: < 20

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 18 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 8 days

~ Water availability is frequent

~ Resupply opportunities are seldom

Terrain:

~ Loblolly and short-leaved pine forests

~ Seasonal streams

~ Spring blooms

~ Deep, shady sections of trail

~ Riparian areas

~ Logged areas

~ Freshwater ponds

~ Sand-lined rivers

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Armadillos

~ Bald eagles (listed as endangered species in TX)

~ Beavers

~ Black bears

~ Common garden lizards

~ Feral hogs

~ Rattlesnakes, copperheads, water moccasins, coral snakes

~ Red-cockaded woodpeckers

~ Turkeys

Overview:

The LSHT travels mostly through the Sam Houston National Forest. The western terminus is near the town of Richards and travels eat to the town of Cleveland. The smooth terrain makes it possible for an experienced backpacker to be able to put in 18 or so miles per day and can be hiked fully in just eight days. This is a prime location for a winter trip and for someone who wants to hike a southern trail but does not have the time or money to hike the Arizona Trail or the Florida Trail, which both require much more planning and time to complete. (back to top)

~*~ Long Path ~*~

State: New Jersey & New York

Mileage: 345

Hiking Season: June to November (discouraged in April and May due to fragile surface that can easily erode)

First Year Hiked: 1998

Average yearly thru-hikers: < 20

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 15 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 23 days

~ Water availability is sometimes

~ Resupply opportunities are frequent

Terrain:

~ The Palisades

~ Escarpments

~ Waterfalls

~ Rocky slopes

~ Forested summits

~ Steep climbs

~ Hemlock-lined streams

~ Erratics

~ Shallow streams

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Bobcats

~ Coyotes

~ Field mice

~ Porcupines

~ Red foxes

~ Red-tailed hawks

~ Skunks

~ Snowshoe hares

~ Turkeys

Overview:

The LP starts on the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge and then runs 12 miles north to the New York border. It continues north, growing wilder through the Catskills before continuing to its northern terminus in John Boyd Thacher State Park near Albany. It is still a relatively young trail that uses many country roads for its route. New sections are cut each season that go over hills and through hollows. There are no detailed maps available for the LP, which could explain why the backcountry sections are not usually crowded. (back to top)

~*~ Long Trail ~*~

State: Vermont

Mileage: 270

Hiking Season: June to late October (discouraged in April and May due to easy erosion of trail surface. Some trails on high peaks are closed to foot traffic)

First Year Hiked: 1927

Average yearly thru-hikers: 70 - 120

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 14 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take about 19 days

~ Water availability is frequent

~ Resupply opportunities are sometimes

Terrain:

~ American beech, yellow birch, paper birch, and sugar maple forests

~ Thick hemlock, spruce and fir forests

~ Clear, cold streams

~ Hemlock-lined streams

~ Rare, above tree-line tundra

~ Open rock hiking

~ Steep climbs (and descents)

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Black bears

~ Coyotes

~ Foxes

~ Moose

~ Peregrine falcons

~ Porcupines

~ Red squirrels

~ Ruffed grouse and spruce grouse

~ Snowshoe hares

Overview:

The LT’s southern terminus is on the Massachusetts border near North Adams and extends to the Canadian border near North Troy, Vermont. It is one of the oldest long distance hiking trail in the United States and was the inspiration behind the Appalachian Trail. The LT is a very rugged hike but is one of the best ways to take in New England’s beauty. The LT is legendary for its great views, smooth slabs of bedrock, glacial erratics, above tree-line terrain, ponds, streams, trees – everything. The LT is not for everyone – it is hard and seems to hold a wee bit of a vendetta against everyone, but it is well worth the challenge. (back to top)

~*~ Mason-Dixon Trail ~*~

State: Delaware, Maryland, & Pennsylvania

Mileage: 190

Hiking Season: April to November

First Year Hiked: 1993

Average yearly thru-hikers: 1

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 17 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 11 days

~ Water availability is frequent

~ Resupply opportunities are frequent.

Terrain:

~ Oak forests

~ Steep, rocky slopes

~ Human-made features

~ Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers

~ Chesapeake Bay

~ Short ridgelines

~ Road walks

~ Spring wildflowers

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Bald eagles

~ Black bears

~ Coyotes

~ Rattlesnakes

~ Red foxes

~ Turkeys

Overview:

90 of the MDT’s 190 miles are currently road walks but a little variety never hurt anyone, which is why I chose to include this one. It leaves the Appalachian Trail near Dillsburg, PA and travels southeast through PA, into MD and up into Delaware before going back into PA and ending near the town of Chadds Ford. The trail is not backcountry in most parts, nor is it completely civilized. The MDT has only one recorded thru-hiker; Rick Merk, who has done it twice. (back to top)

~*~ Mid State Trail ~*~

State: Pennsylvania

Mileage: 260

Hiking Season: April to November

First Year Hiked: Early 1990’s

Average yearly thru-hikers: < 30

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 15 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 17 days

~ Water availability is sometimes

~ Resupply opportunities are sometimes

Terrain:

~ Steep, rocky climbs and scree slopes

~ Long ridgelines

~ Oak and American beech forests

~ Hemlock forests

~ River valleys

~ Spring-fed streams

~ Impacts of civilization

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Black bears

~ Coyotes

~ Rattlesnakes

~ Red foxes

~ Skunks

~ Turkeys

~ Lots of white-tailed deer

Overview:

The MST has but four short road walks, and three of those may be relocated to hiking trails very soon. It’s southern end is near the border of Maryland in Everett, PA while its northern terminus is near Blackwell, PA. The MST passes through five state forests, four state game lands, eight Natural Areas, three Wild Areas and six state parks. It is a rugged and demanding trail and if you choose to hike it alone you will probably meet more bears than people on your journey. It was designed, built and maintained only for foot traffic. (back to top)

~*~ Mountains-to-Sea Trail ~*~

State: North Carolina

Mileage: 925

Hiking Season: April to November

First Year Hiked: 1997

Average yearly thru-hikers: 1

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 17 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 55 days

~ Water availability is frequent

~ Resupply opportunities are sometimes

Terrain:

~ Sand dunes

~ Small Southern communities

~ Bike paths

~ Evergreen-clad summits on two state high points

~ Road walks

~ Waterfalls

~ Ferry rides on Atlantic coast

~ Blazing fall foliage

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Beavers

~ Bobcats

~ Coyotes

~ Eastern cougar (listed as endangered in NC)

~ Feral hogs

~ Rattlesnakes and copperheads

~ Sperm whales (listed as endangered in NC)

Overview:

The MST takes you from one end of the state to the other, beginning in the western part on the Tennessee border, on top of the highest peak in TN and winding its way east to the Atlantic coast. It is a work in progress and there are currently at least 300 miles of road walking. It is like a cross between two very different trails. On the western end of the MST, you have some of the highest peaks in the East with evergreen-clad peaks, rhododendron and mountain laurel covered summits and hardwood hills. Below 3,500 feet on the western section, you will feel like you are trekking through a South American jungle rather than the woods. On the eastern section, you find sand dunes, whales, swamps and shore birds. It’s the ecological equivalent of walking from Quebec to North Carolina. (back to top)

~*~ Northville-Placid Trail ~*~

State: New York

Mileage: 135

Hiking Season: June to October (hiking discouraged in April and May due to easily eroding surfaces)

First Year Hiked: unknown

Average yearly thru-hikers: 50 - 80

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 15 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 9 days

~ Water availability is frequent

~ Resupply opportunities are seldom

Terrain:

~ Beech and maple forests

~ Remote lakes

~ Meadows

~ Deep valleys

~ Clear streams

~ Swamps

~ Signs of early logging

~ Glacial erratics

~ Nearby peaks exceeding 4,000 feet

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Beavers

~ Black bears

~ Coyotes

~ Fishers

~ Great blue heron

~ Moose

~ Pine martens

~ Red foxes

~ Red squirrels

~ Turkeys

Overview:

This trail is located in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. The NPT begins in the south in Northville (northwest of Saratoga Springs) and it’s northern end is near Lake Placid. It is geared more toward the walker than the climber as the route follows old tote roads, lazy streams, deep mountain valleys and lakeshore after lakeshore after lakeshore. Be warned that bugs can be of Biblical proportions with all of the remote pond settings contributing to the bug-fest. (back to top)

~*~ Ouachita Trail ~*~

State: Arkansas & Oklahoma

Mileage: 225

Hiking Season: October to May

First Year Hiked: 1983

Average yearly thru-hikers: < 30

Need to Know:

~ Expect to cover 14 miles per day

~ Expect a thru-hike to take 16 days

~ Water availability is seldom

~ Resupply opportunities are seldom

Terrain:

~ Exposed outcrops

~ Many kinds of lichens

~ Rock slides

~ Oak forests

~ Yucca and cacti

~ Cypress trees

~ Occasional streams

~ Summit and ridgeline views

Creepies, Crawlies & Critters:

~ Bald eagles

~ Black bears

~ Lizards

~ Rattlesnakes, copperheads, water moccasins

~ Slit mouth snail (listed as endangered in ARK)

~ Turkeys

Overview:

The OT stretches from Talimena State Park, near Talihina, OK to Pinnacle Mountain State Park, near Little Rock, Arkansas. This trail has many beautiful streams and vistas, as well as many challenges – it is downright hard in some places. The OT will climb to a ridge and stay there for hours so knowing where the water is and when springs/creeks may be dry can make a real difference in your hike. (back to top)

~*~ Ozark-Highlands Trail ~*~

State: Arkansas

Mileage: 165