~100 mile trail (+/-) Central Time Zone

[Mags]

For the trail of the month on our silly little podcast, we are trying to do what I call vacation thru-hikes.

Trails of about 100 miles or so. Assuming 15 MPD (about right for the average backpacker in shape IMO), that's a mini thru-hike that can easily be done with a person's precious vacation time and still not P.O. the family (spouse!) in the process.

Question...I am stuck on an idea for the Central Time zone. Any thoughts?

The criteria:

• About 100 miles
• An actual trail as opposed to a popular stretch (e.g. doing the AT in the Smokies does not count for this exercise. The Wonderland Trail would)
• Has to be in the Central Time Zone
• Has to be worth spending some hard earned vacation time on. No offense to my home state, but I would not want to travel a few hundred miles to hike the ~90 miles of the North South Trail in Rhode Island. (Something like the Metacomet-Monadnock trail would OTOH..esp in the Fall)

Any thoughts?

[Marta]

The River to River Trail is a bit long--160 miles.

The North South Trail in LBL is a bit short.
http://www.lbl.org/LBLNorthNSTrails09.pdf

[The Solemates]

off the top of my head

Sipsey Wilderness circumnavigation
River to River Trail
North South Trail in LBL
Ozark Highlands Trail
Oauchita Trail
Ozark Trail - loop sections
AL Pinhoti Trail
Guadalupe National Park - not sure of time zone - right on the cusp
parts of Ice Age Trail
Knobstone Trail
parts of Buckeye Trail - again on the cusp of CDT
Lone Star Trail
Natchez Trace?
Cumberland Trail/GET - again on the cusp of CDT
northern IL has 3 or 4 bike/canal trails
Katy trail - MO
parts of American Discovery Trail
Iowa has a rail trail
Caprock Canyons, TX

and I'm sure I'm leaving off many...

[The Solemates]

big bend np

[Ewker]

Sheltowee Trace

[Mags]

off the top of my head

Sipsey Wilderness circumnavigation
River to River Trail
North South Trail in LBL
Ozark Highlands Trail
Oauchita Trail
Ozark Trail - loop sections
AL Pinhoti Trail
Guadalupe National Park - not sure of time zone - right on the cusp
parts of Ice Age Trail
Knobstone Trail
parts of Buckeye Trail - again on the cusp of CDT
Lone Star Trail
Natchez Trace?
Cumberland Trail/GET - again on the cusp of CDT
northern IL has 3 or 4 bike/canal trails
Katy trail - MO
parts of American Discovery Trail
Iowa has a rail trail
Caprock Canyons, TX

and I'm sure I'm leaving off many...

Unfortunately, I don't think you read my post too closely.

Had to be an entire trail that is ~100 miles and is not just a section of a trail.

The Ouchita Trail is 200+ miles
Guadeloupe National Park, is well, a park
..and so on

Some other ideas are promising, though (Actually thought of the Lone Star Trail)

[The Solemates]

i read it. just throwing out ideas. many of the ones I mention can be made into longer or shorter hikes to meet your criteria.

i was thinking sheltowee was in Eastern time zone

[The Solemates]

all the trails in guadalupe np get close to 75-100 miles i believe if you add all them up and hike them all

[The Solemates]

mammoth cave np has 75-100 miles worth of trails too i believe

[Cuffs]

Pinhoti in Alabama. The entire AL section is 160+, but woods trail would be easy make approx 100 miler because of ease of access

[Lone_Star]

Unfortunately, I don't think you read my post too closely.

Had to be an entire trail that is ~100 miles and is not just a section of a trail.

The Ouchita Trail is 200+ miles
Guadeloupe National Park, is well, a park
..and so on

Some other ideas are promising, though (Actually thought of the Lone Star Trail)

The Lone Star Hiking Trail is just under 100 miles and in the Central Time Zone, but currently there are some sections that are closed due to fallen trees as a result of a drought, so you wouldn't be able to thru-hike it right now. Also, it is hot as heck down here in Texas during the summer months. I wouldn't hike it during the winter hunting season either. We like our guns down here in Texas, lol. From Jan to Apr is ideal. You can get more info and a current status here.

[4Bears]

Well you could go out to Isle Royale NP and do an end to end to end (down and back). You are technically hiking on several different trails on the Isle, with very little overlap about 85-90 miles, 15mpd is very doable, 3 hour ferry each way. Send me a pm if you want details.

[4Bears]

The Centennial Trail, 111 miles, or the Mickelson Trail, 109 miles, both in the Black Hills area.

[Ewker]

i was thinking sheltowee was in Eastern time zone

starts out in Central and ends in eastern so technically it is out of the time zone Mags wants

[Ewker]

Superior Hiking Trail http://www.shta.org/

[Mags]

Alas, the ~100 miles is the criteria. The Lone Star trail nicely fits the bill. I found a trail in The Badlands..but it is (barely) in the MT zone.

[Venchka]

The Lone Star Hiking Trail is just under 100 miles and in the Central Time Zone, but currently there are some sections that are closed due to fallen trees as a result of a drought, so you wouldn't be able to thru-hike it right now. Also, it is hot as heck down here in Texas during the summer months. I wouldn't hike it during the winter hunting season either. We like our guns down here in Texas, lol. From Jan to Apr is ideal. You can get more info and a current status here.

Thanks! I was going to mention exactly what you said. Only a Crazy Person would attempt sleeping in a tent down here after Easter. April through October can be iffy as far as the heat and humidity go.
For that matter, I have been heading west and north away from the Gulf Coast from July to October since forever. Folks who live in the southern half of the Central Time Zone escape at all cost during the summer.

Wayne

[Mags]

Just to clarify this hike is not for me, nor is not necessarily during the summer.

It is not parts of trails, or trails through parks, or a combo of trails pieced together in parks/USFS/blm lands. Just need to know of trails in the Central Time Zone that are roughly 100 miles (a little more or less is OK) that may give our listeners ideas.

AGAIN THIS IS NOT FOR ME..IT IS JUST FOR IDEAS FOR THE LISTENERS!!!

Hope that makes sense.

The Lone Star Trail is a great example. The Knobstone Trail in Indiana is a tad too short. The black hills trails are an idea, too..Thanks!

[The Solemates]

The Centennial Trail, 111 miles, or the Mickelson Trail, 109 miles, both in the Black Hills area.

i didnt mention the black hills (or teddy roosevelt np) cause i think its in mountain time.

[Mags]

i didnt mention the black hills (or teddy roosevelt np) cause i think its in mountain time.

Yeah..googled it after I posted. The search continues! The Central Time Zone is the hardest so far. Lots in the East, the West and Pacific..

Central? Not so much!