America's Best Long Trails

[somers515]

Putting aside any debate of the triple crown trails (AT, PCT, CDT) what are America's best long trails besides those? Looking for your opinions based on total awesomeness, percent of trail that is actually complete, availability of legal camping near the trail a day's hike distance apart.

This map got me thinking about this but I don't really trust this map as there appear to be a ton of mistakes on it. Pointing out all the mistakes could be its own separate thread perhaps but if anyone has a link to a good version of this kind of map I'd be interested in that too.

https://www.backpacker.com/trips/map...as-long-trails

[jefals]

Out west the Tahoe Rim is a beautiful trail. Lots of huge pines (Jeffrey, Ponderosa), firs and Aspens, spectacular views of lake Tahoe - as well as several other lakes up there. Plenty of camping. The trail is divided into seven or eight sections, each roughly 20 miles. There's a parking lot at the end of each section, which can provide thoughts about being able to access resupply. (Uber, cab - bus service from some of them, personal car to the closest grocery and back)...
I bet you'll get lots of votes for JMT. And I saw the Channel Islands trails on that map. That's off the coast around Ventura. Haven't done it, but it's on my list...

[MuddyWaters]

Well you have to decide whether Scenic views are more important (and let's be frank you can get Scenic views from the seat of a car often), or solitude .

There's a lot to be said for seeing two people in 5 days, versus 30 people per day.

[jefals]

Well you have to decide whether Scenic views are more important (and let's be frank you can get Scenic views from the seat of a car often), or solitude .

There's a lot to be said for seeing two people in 5 days, versus 30 people per day.

Hey, you can have both, can't you MW? Of course, it depends on what you call "scenic". Sometimes while watching youtubes of the PCT, the hiker is slowly panning the southern desert and commenting about the awesome beauty - and I know there must be folks out there scratching thir heads going, "Huh? There's nothing out there but sand and snakes"!

Well -- it's hard to imagine anybody that loves the outdoors not to find beauty on the TRT, and I've never found it crowded at all.

[nsherry61]

If you like scenic and remote, don't limit yourself to the United States, adding Canada to that search adds a lot of great options.

[Just Bill]

The 'triple gem' is well known I suppose, but with good reason. John Muir Trail, Colorado Trail, Long Trail.

Sheltowee Trace and Superior Hiking Trail.

And there are dozen's of trails on that map that are sucked up into their bigger sibling. The River To River trail in southern Illinois is the American Discovery Trail as a simple example.

So a map like that can get you thinking... but wouldn't rely on it for much more than that.

http://www.americantrails.org/files/...lTrailsMap.pdf

Nother map... pretty much same deal.

As you point out... many trails are still 'ideas' or link ups so I would say you may be better off looking into an area you want to go or one of the big monsters and then checking individual sections.
The Ice Age trail is 'on the map' but on the ground is not all there.

In terms of awesomeness... nobody beats the AT.
If your metric is completed trail, with easy access, legal camping, reliable water access, good maps, easy planning, protected corridor, and little or no fees.

From there... every other trail introduces some compromises to that gold standard of total access and freedom to easily walk from end to end.

The more remote- the more all those things fall away. To the point you may consider it more of a route than a trail.
Even 2nd or 3rd tier trails can be dramatically less maintained than one of the big 6... and budget cuts abound so many trails are not in great shape.

The further you go off the beaten path of well known/popular trails... you will literally go off the beaten path.

Not everyone's thing... but consider canoe touring too if you're looking for a blend of it all. Backpacking transfers very well to canoeing and there are some impressive and well organized canoe trips on this countries waterways.

[somers515]

Even 2nd or 3rd tier trails can be dramatically less maintained than one of the big 6... and budget cuts abound so many trails are not in great shape.
The further you go off the beaten path of well known/popular trails... you will literally go off the beaten path.

Ha yeah I guess thats what I'm driving at AT/PCT/CDT and the LT/JMT/CT are well known but what's the #7, #8, #9, #10 in the USA? Obviously it's just an opinion but I'm genuinely interested in the consensus of whiteblaze. Keep those answers coming!

[Just Bill]

https://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/discover/faqs/

High on my bucket list... I love the northwoods.

Boundary Waters is pretty (Superior Hiking Trail) but the Canadian side is better Quetico Provincial Park. http://d292797s7xpf8w.cloudfront.net...nance_2017.pdf

You can 'mostly' camp where you want (dispersed camping) but there are many well known sites. You could spend a full summer up there winding your way around.

Just a thought... a long paddle trip can be a nice way to go on a long distance adventure. Not impossible or that difficult to carry a month or two worth of food either so if you really wanted to go deep... short of a rough portage here or there you can haul quite a bit... and water is sure easy to come by.

[colorado_rob]

The 'triple gem' is well known I suppose, but with good reason. John Muir Trail, Colorado Trail, Long Trail.

Yup, not exactly sure of the order, but these three, pretty much hands-down are # 2, 3 and 4. By far, the most incredible "trail" I've ever hiked though is the Sierra High Route, now well established and easy to follow, with whatever variations you want, or just follow the well established route itself. Best scenery in the USA, easily, and zero crowds, basically except for a couple times when the SHR follows the JMT, you own it. We saw no one, nada, no people, none for our entire hike last fall, again, except when we were down on the JMT.

[Just Bill]

Simplest answer- go to the 'other trais' portion of this site. (forum tab)
If a trail has it's own sub-forum it's in that 7-10 or so rank even if folks wouldn't officially rank them.

Depends what you like (or liked) from the others. Loved Maine? Try the Long trail.

Most other trials tie into the big 3 in some form. In fact a triple crowner may have more or less crossed dozens of trails off the list without really realizing it (or adding a small detour).

The Florida trail is it's own thing.


The Pacific Northwest Trail is creeping up in awareness..

Some of the northern trails are not as popular in LD hiking community (but well known by general backpackers) because they are tough to do outside the 'big three' season. And at some point you can only hike so many trails that can only really be hiked easily in August/September... so it tends to be a decades long effort to get trails like the superior hiking trail, Long trail, Ice age, or any of the many sections of the North Country Trail.

Many of those are 'neglected' simply because you have to commit to them during peak season.

River to river, sheltowee, pinhoti, Benton Mackaye... The other 'winter' trails are popular because they can be done in the off season for LD hikers who want to keep it going on the big stuff during the off season. So in LD hiking circles you'll hear more about those trips you can do when you are not doing the big boys.

On the plus side... LD hiking does have a slightly different perspective and more of these smaller trails and clubs are coming out with more and more info on 'thru' or end to end guides. And big three LD hikers are bringing more attention to them as a result.

The hundred mile wilderness for example is a very popular 'trail' you'd find on a bucket list from Backpacker Magazine... so don't neglect the 100-300 mile trails as some of them are very popular and pretty well cared for by those who can't head out for month plus trips. In some cases... a place like backpacker magazine is a great source for shorter trips. Even something like the Porcupine Wilderness in Northern Michigan is 'missed out on' because it's 'too small' for many long distance hikers to consider... but would be on a bucket list for any traditional backpacker. Stringing a few of those together might be a nice way to keep busy and spend a full summer backpacking with car support to go from trail head to trail head. Dogwood does some things like that; strings together short but very worthy trails to make a few months out of it.

[bamboo bob]

The longest not Triple Crown trail I've done is the Florida Trail. A very different well mapped trail. And you can do it (only do it) in winter which is a plus. When I did it it was rare to see another hiker. Now it's a bit busier. The Long Trail kicks butt more than any part of the AT in my opinion. I've grown to like the shorter trails and they can often be completed in less than to weeks. North-South in Rhode Island, New England Trail is Conn to NH, Mass Mid State, I'm doing the Cohos in NH this summer. Out West the Tahoe Rim is a terrific trail. I've never done the International AT.

[colorado_rob]

Putting aside any debate of the triple crown trails (AT, PCT, CDT) what are America's best long trails besides those? Looking for your opinions based on total awesomeness, percent of trail that is actually complete, availability of legal camping near the trail a day's hike distance apart.

This map got me thinking about this but I don't really trust this map as there appear to be a ton of mistakes on it. Pointing out all the mistakes could be its own separate thread perhaps but if anyone has a link to a good version of this kind of map I'd be interested in that too.

https://www.backpacker.com/trips/map...as-long-trails

What mistakes do you see? Without checking the smaller trail mileages, I don't see any obvious ones, but I'm sure there must be some.

One thing I see: The CO trail is quoted at 567 miles, but the "main" classic CO trail is only 480-ish. But when you add the roughly 80 miles of the Collegiate west, you're right there at 567. Are you talking about mis-quoted mileages or some other aspect? Other than the mistakes you see, this is a cool little map.

[Deadeye]

Not sure what you consider "long", but here's a few, each with their own attraction:
Northville-Placid Trail, NY
Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway (can be extended south on New England trail), NH
Coos Trail, NH
Superior, MI

[somers515]

What mistakes do you see? Without checking the smaller trail mileages, I don't see any obvious ones, but I'm sure there must be some.

One thing I see: The CO trail is quoted at 567 miles, but the "main" classic CO trail is only 480-ish. But when you add the roughly 80 miles of the Collegiate west, you're right there at 567. Are you talking about mis-quoted mileages or some other aspect? Other than the mistakes you see, this is a cool little map.

This could be fun!
1) The AT goes thru NJ
2) The Long Path goes further north then the map shows
3) The Northville Placid trail is longer then 125 miles
4) The PCT does not intersect the Wonderland trail
5) Florida trail is all wrong

So while I really like the concept of a long trails map of the USA, this map needs some work. And those are just the five I noticed, I'd bet there are many more!

[colorado_rob]

This could be fun!
1) The AT goes thru NJ
2) The Long Path goes further north then the map shows
3) The Northville Placid trail is longer then 125 miles
4) The PCT does not intersect the Wonderland trail
5) Florida trail is all wrong

So while I really like the concept of a long trails map of the USA, this map needs some work. And those are just the five I noticed, I'd bet there are many more!

Aha, I see now what you're saying. I wasn't looking at that level of detail as my very humble opinion is that this map was meant to be only notional as far as that level of detail on where these national trails go, though sure, it could have been a bit more accurate. I still very much like the map, and it provides inspiration to me at least. A nice bucket list of trails! I see you're from NJ, and having the AT "skip" NJ on this map was probably a bit personal?

[somers515]

. . . . A nice bucket list of trails! I see you're from NJ, and having the AT "skip" NJ on this map was probably a bit personal?

haha - exactly!

And yes I agree the idea of the map is awesome. Makes me want to make an accurate one as a visual bucket list of trails!

[WTX2WY]

Ha yeah I guess thats what I'm driving at AT/PCT/CDT and the LT/JMT/CT are well known but what's the #7, #8, #9, #10 in the USA? Obviously it's just an opinion but I'm genuinely interested in the consensus of whiteblaze. Keep those answers coming!

My personal favorites based on desire to hike?

7. Arizona Trail
8. Pacific Northwest Trail
9. Idaho Centennial Trail
10. Hayduke Trail

(in no particular order for 8-10; although ICT is growing on me as the favorite of all these)

Honorable mention: any of Brett Tucker's routes, he has put together incredible fairly under the radar treks (Sky Islands, Low to High, Grand Enchantment, Northern New Mexico Loop)



As for general popularity/awareness, in no particular order:

7. Wonderland Trail
8. Pinhoti Trail
9. Florida Trail
10. Wind River Loops/Routes

[LittleRock]

Not surprising, but I see no one's mentioned the Ozark Highlands Trail and Ouachita Trails in Arkansas. They're most likely not in anyone's top 10 list, but still very pretty, accessible, and low-traffic. I hiked parts of each while growing up there, would love to go back and hike them end-to-end some day.

[lonehiker]

Not surprising, but I see no one's mentioned the Ozark Highlands Trail and Ouachita Trails in Arkansas. They're most likely not in anyone's top 10 list, but still very pretty, accessible, and low-traffic. I hiked parts of each while growing up there, would love to go back and hike them end-to-end some day.

Of the 17 hike days it took me to complete the Ouachita I didn't see a single person on 14 of them. I didn't complete the Ozark Highlands Trail as the little creeks were swollen with tremendous rain received over 3-4 days. I did however have a good experience in a little town called Oark.

[ARambler]

The map is not clear when the North Country Trail incorporates the Finger Lakes, Buckeye and Superior Trails. It completely omits the Natchez Trace NST and what about the Potomac Heritage NST. The Great Allegheny Passage which should end well west of the AT, and continue east to Washington DC on the C&O, and include the Laurel Highlands Trail (in one of the 100 best states, PA). I finished these yesterday.

I think the best trail by far is the one where you can put one foot in front of the other. If you are lucky, you will see dozens of Trillium and other early signs of spring. Last week, I only saw a pair of trail maintainers (also one other hiker slightly off the trail) on a 150 mile section of the Finger Lakes portion of the NCT. The trails you remember while perusing WB are also nice, I guess.