Long-distance trails worth a year of planning
Twenty-five of the most-walked thru-hikes in the United States — the Triple Crown plus the iconic loops, regional long trails, and section-hike classics. Verified termini and agency links so you can plan from a real source, not a forum post.
North Country National Scenic Trail
The North Country National Scenic Trail is the longest trail in the National Trails System, stretching roughly 4,800 miles across eight states from Lake Sakakawea State Park in North Dakota to Maine J...
- Length
- 3,885 mi
- Thru-hike
- —
- States
- 8
Continental Divide Trail
The Continental Divide Trail runs approximately 3,028 miles along the spine of the Rocky Mountains from the US-Mexico border in New Mexico to the US-Canada border in Montana, crossing five western sta...
- Length
- 3,041 mi
- Thru-hike
- 150–180 days
- States
- 5
Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail spans roughly 2,650 miles from the Mexican border at Campo, California to Manning Park, British Columbia, traversing the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range across California, Oreg...
- Length
- 2,653 mi
- Thru-hike
- 120–180 days
- States
- 3
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail runs roughly 2,198 miles through 14 states from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine, and is widely cited as the world's longest hiking-only footpath.
- Length
- 2,158 mi
- Thru-hike
- 150–210 days
- States
- 14
Florida National Scenic Trail
The Florida Trail is a roughly 1,500-mile National Scenic Trail running the length of Florida from Big Cypress National Preserve to Gulf Islands National Seashore, passing through swamps, pine forests...
- Length
- 1,500 mi
- Thru-hike
- —
- States
- 1
Route geometry pending — see show page
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is a 1,200-mile route entirely within Wisconsin that traces the terminal moraine of the last glaciation, roughly 10,000 years ago. It showcases glacial landforms such...
- Length
- 1,200 mi
- Thru-hike
- 49–84 days
- States
- 1
Route geometry pending — see show page
Pacific Northwest Trail
The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail is a 1,200-mile route from the Continental Divide in Montana's Glacier National Park to the Pacific Ocean at Cape Alava, Washington. Designated by Congress...
- Length
- 1,103 mi
- Thru-hike
- 60–75 days
- States
- 3
Mountains-to-Sea Trail
A long-distance hiking route crossing the entire state of North Carolina from Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) in the Great Smoky Mountains to Jockey's Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks. The roughly...
- Length
- 778 mi
- Thru-hike
- 23–30 days
- States
- 1
Long Path
A roughly 358-mile aqua-blazed hiking trail running from the George Washington Bridge area in New York City through the New Jersey Palisades, Harriman State Park, the Shawangunks, and the Catskills to...
- Length
- 767.7 mi
- Thru-hike
- 24–27 days
- States
- 2
Arizona National Scenic Trail
The Arizona National Scenic Trail is an 800-mile non-motorized route that spans Arizona from the Mexico border to the Utah border, traversing deserts, mountain ranges, canyons, and forests. Completed...
- Length
- 747.6 mi
- Thru-hike
- 42–56 days
- States
- 1
Sheltowee Trace
The Sheltowee Trace is a long-distance National Recreation Trail extending across Kentucky and Tennessee, primarily through the Daniel Boone National Forest and the Big South Fork National River and R...
- Length
- 343 mi
- Thru-hike
- 21–30 days
- States
- 2
Route geometry pending — see show page
Pinhoti Trail
A roughly 335-mile National Recreation Trail through the southern Appalachian highlands of eastern Alabama and northwestern Georgia, running from Flagg Mountain - Alabama's southernmost 1,000+ foot pe...
- Length
- 338.1 mi
- Thru-hike
- —
- States
- 2
Superior Hiking Trail
The Superior Hiking Trail is a 310-mile footpath in northeastern Minnesota that follows the rocky ridgelines above Lake Superior from the Wisconsin border to the Canadian border. It passes through bor...
- Length
- 325.4 mi
- Thru-hike
- 12–14 days
- States
- 1
Allegheny Trail
The Allegheny Trail is West Virginia's longest named footpath aside from the Appalachian Trail, running roughly 311 miles north-south through the Allegheny Mountains. Built and maintained by the volun...
- Length
- 311 mi
- Thru-hike
- 25–35 days
- States
- 1
Benton MacKaye Trail
An approximately 288-mile footpath through the southern Appalachians from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Big Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, traversing seven wilderness areas. Named for...
- Length
- 279.6 mi
- Thru-hike
- —
- States
- 3
Colorado Trail
The Colorado Trail is a 567-mile long-distance trail between Denver and Durango that crosses eight mountain ranges, six national forests, and six wilderness areas. Elevations range from 5,500 to 13,27...
- Length
- 272.1 mi
- Thru-hike
- 28–42 days
- States
- 1
Ozark Highlands Trail
The Ozark Highlands Trail is a long-distance hiking route through the remote Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas, traversing the Ozark National Forest and wilderness areas such as Hurricane Creek. Wh...
- Length
- 270 mi
- Thru-hike
- —
- States
- 1
Long Trail
Built between 1910 and 1930 by the Green Mountain Club, the Long Trail is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the United States, running 272 miles along the spine of Vermont's Green Mountains fro...
- Length
- 249.1 mi
- Thru-hike
- 14–30 days
- States
- 1
Ouachita Trail
The Ouachita National Recreation Trail is a 223-mile footpath traversing the Ouachita Mountains from Talimena State Park in Oklahoma to Pinnacle Mountain State Park near Little Rock, Arkansas. The lon...
- Length
- 223 mi
- Thru-hike
- —
- States
- 2
Route geometry pending — see show page
Cohos Trail
The Cohos Trail is a 170-mile wilderness footpath that connects the southern and northern ends of Coos County, New Hampshire, running from Crawford Notch through the Great North Woods to the Canadian...
- Length
- 170 mi
- Thru-hike
- 9–14 days
- States
- 1
Route geometry pending — see show page
Northville-Placid Trail
A roughly 138-mile foot trail traversing the Adirondack Park from Northville to Lake Placid, New York, laid out by the Adirondack Mountain Club in 1922-1923. The lightly-traveled route passes through...
- Length
- 137.3 mi
- Thru-hike
- —
- States
- 1
Bartram Trail
The Bartram Trail follows the approximate route of 18th-century naturalist William Bartram's southern journey, winding roughly 115 miles through the North Georgia and Western North Carolina mountains....
- Length
- 115 mi
- Thru-hike
- 6–10 days
- States
- 2
Tahoe Rim Trail
The Tahoe Rim Trail is a roughly 165-mile loop encircling the Lake Tahoe Basin through California and Nevada, climbing the Sierra Nevada and Carson Range ridgelines with about 24,400 feet of total ele...
- Length
- 72.5 mi
- Thru-hike
- 7–14 days
- States
- 2
John Muir Trail
The John Muir Trail follows the Sierra Nevada crest for about 214 miles between Yosemite Valley's Happy Isles and the summit of Mount Whitney, climbing roughly 47,000 feet across three national parks.
- Length
- 70.3 mi
- Thru-hike
- 18–25 days
- States
- 1
Wonderland Trail
The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile loop circumnavigating Mount Rainier inside Mount Rainier National Park, climbing through old-growth forest, river valleys, and alpine meadows with roughly 22,000 feet...
- Length
- 50.8 mi
- Thru-hike
- 10–14 days
- States
- 1