View Full Version : Is it time to blaze more long trails??
FlyFishNut
03-06-2016, 10:24
To take the burden off of the AT?
http://www.outsideonline.com/2060111/appalachian-trail-hikers-will-soon-need-register-baxter-state-park?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebookpost
lonehiker
03-06-2016, 10:47
There are plenty of long trails.
orthofingers
03-06-2016, 10:53
To take the burden off of the AT?
http://www.outsideonline.com/2060111/appalachian-trail-hikers-will-soon-need-register-baxter-state-park?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebookpost
IMO there are already lots of awesome but underutilized trails out there that could take some of the burden off the AT.
Uncle Joe
03-06-2016, 11:30
Baxter seems to be the one "burdened."
WingedMonkey
03-06-2016, 11:30
It's time to get the existing national trails finished and off roads and to fill in missing links.
A complaint, or, perhaps, an observation I've heard is one of trail maintenance. It seems that some of the existing trails don't get maintained as much hikers would like. Adding more trails compounds the problems, IMHO.
A complaint, or, perhaps, an observation I've heard is one of trail maintenance. It seems that some of the existing trails don't get maintained as much hikers would like. Adding more trails compounds the problems, IMHO.
Perhaps the hikers who feel that more maintenance is needed could volunteer to maintain a trail.
Wayne
Sent from somewhere around here.
MuddyWaters
03-06-2016, 13:07
There are plenty of long trails.
Correct.
but there are few with the proliferation of services and ease of logistics that todays beginning hiker wants.
the AT is by far the easiest and safest trail logistically to hike.
We certainly do not need any more trails like the AT. In fact, it should remain the sacrificial lamb to protect other trails from the hordes who demand their version of a suburban hiking experience., that would ruin real wilderness.
Tipi Walter
03-06-2016, 14:57
Correct.
but there are few with the proliferation of services and ease of logistics that todays beginning hiker wants.
the AT is by far the easiest and safest trail logistically to hike.
We certainly do not need any more trails like the AT. In fact, it should remain the sacrificial lamb to protect other trails from the hordes who demand their version of a suburban hiking experience., that would ruin real wilderness.
But we certainly need as many hiking trails as possible, and long hiking trails like the AT or the PCT---just don't need to build box shelters on them.
The United States has 4.09 million miles of roads. How does this compare to long foot trails? Roads cover 18,000 square miles of America's land. The GSMNP covers just 816 square miles.
Heck, I'd like to see some major tourist roads completely ripped up and turned into hiking trails, like the Cades Cove motor loop, the Cherohala Skyway, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Skyline Drive---and a thousand others.
America is addicted to wheeled car travel. 13% of Americans hike. Tom Vanderbilt in a Slate article says "America (is) enraptured by the cultural prosthesis that is the automobile . . ."
" . . . walking has been engineered out of existence."
"The United States walks the least of any industrialized nation."
The Katy Trail in Missouri is primarily known as a bike trail, but could be walked. Towns are close enough together that you could literally walk from Bed and Breakfast to motel to hotel just about the whole way. You wouldn't need more than a daypack...going that lightweight even inexperienced people could make quite a bit of miles a day. And the Rock Island Trail is another rails to trails project currently under construction that will intersect with the Katy Trail to form a 450 mile loop..when complete you will be able to walk from St Louis to Kansas City and back mostly on old railroad bed. The Katy Trail alone is about 240 miles.
Seems to me this would offer somewhat of a similar experience to people who want to hike a trail with easy access to towns and the services provided there.
http://www.bikekatytrail.com/mileage-chart.aspx
http://rockislandtrail.org/
dudeijuststarted
03-06-2016, 18:07
i think we should start thru-scuba'ing. plenty to see down there too.
Bricklayer
03-06-2016, 18:35
Correct.
but there are few with the proliferation of services and ease of logistics that todays beginning hiker wants.
the AT is by far the easiest and safest trail logistically to hike.
We certainly do not need any more trails like the AT. In fact, it should remain the sacrificial lamb to protect other trails from the hordes who demand their version of a suburban hiking experience., that would ruin real wilderness.
Was the idea of getting those in urban areas out to experience the wilderness not one of the reasons for the conception of the AT. I think the goal should be to educate those who have not experienced the wonders of pristine wilderness and and with them preserve it.
turtle fast
03-06-2016, 20:53
I think many long distance trails could use some more "publicity"...as well as completion. The North Country Trail or the Ice Age Trail are good examples. Being "largely" complete and it's position as the granddaddy long distance trail with ample hiker services...along with ample publicity and being close to the highly populated Eastern Seaboard makes the trail a victim of it's own success.
Heck, I'd like to see some major tourist roads completely ripped up and turned into hiking trails, like the Cades Cove motor loop, the Cherohala Skyway, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Skyline Drive---and a thousand others.
Honestly.
And I'd also like to see that prairie plan come to fruition, wherein thousands of miles are returned to nature and the buffalo, and our species relocated to other areas. BLM; ranchers etc. would never allow it.
Some of the cross-country bike (bicycle trails) still need completion.
Original Natchez Trace should be restored or at the unpave a few miles.
FlyFishNut
03-07-2016, 08:49
I think many long distance trails could use some more "publicity"...
Good point.
Pedaling Fool
03-07-2016, 09:52
It's time to get the existing national trails finished and off roads and to fill in missing links.
That's a good point.
Seems to me that backpacking is losing its appeal and maybe this explains (at least in part) why it takes so long to get trails off the roads and into the wilderness -- loose definition -- I think it's a very real possibility that many will never get completely off the roads.
I know this seems counter-intuitive given the record numbers of hikers hitting the AT/PCT, but I think that's more reflective of a very energized smaller population, not necessarily an increase in popularity in the broader sense.
Seems like all the newer "trails" are multi-use paths/routes, such as the East Coast Greenway or this one http://www.easterntrail.org/, where you stay very close to towns and really don't have to worry much about rationing food.
Starchild
03-07-2016, 10:18
Trail maintenance or lack of it has been noted, but I believe many are missing why the AT gets the maintenance that other trails do not and why that is going to be such a challenge for other trails that are not the AT, it is because the AT is loved and over the years transformed/evolved to something different, drawing people to live near the trail, international hikers to travel to it to hike it, to what to help this specific trail - community, people.
It is what draws such numbers of hikers to hike it, and those who have a heart to maintain it, to do so. The AT offers so much more then other trails, that of community, of human kindness, combined with the natural. This is more attractive to more people, thus will draw those people to help this one trail (along with other popular trail destinations). It is the AT experience that people want to help and want to be part of, not the backpacking experience in it's more isolated form.
You want to escape from society in the woods for a bit, fine be on your own, this does not draw the support that the AT experience does. The AT is communal with the hikers bring so much to the lives of so many.
That's a good point.
Seems to me that backpacking is losing its appeal and maybe this explains (at least in part) why it takes so long to get trails off the roads and into the wilderness -- loose definition -- I think it's a very real possibility that many will never get completely off the roads.....
Around here backpacking and hiking has increased greatly over the last 10 years and that trend appears to continue, trailhead lots are overflowing, more are stepping over the line from day hiker to backpacker.
evyck da fleet
03-07-2016, 22:58
If permits solve the problem and allows NOBOs to finish their thru at Katahdin instead of Abol Bridge, I'm all for it. I've only hiked the AT, Grand Canyon and JMT in the US. I had no problem doing some additional planning for the latter two.
I also understand the Smokeys permit. I went thru their at the back end of the bubble in '12 and some of the ridgerunners couldn't wait until the bubble was finally through. It doesn't work when 80 people want to stay at the same shelter. Some people will bitch if they don't get a permit to stay where they want when they want, but if you allow 80 people some will bitch that there's no place to pitch a tent except right outside the privy.
At least they're out there instead of doing virtual hikes.
Gravytrain
06-26-2016, 21:31
As a newbie to distance hiking, I would be more than happy to tackle trails that are not as densely populated. Is there any kind of consolidated list of long trails a newbie could peruse?
Why yes, dear reader, there is (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-distance_trails_in_the_United_States)!
Nice list, but not all encompassing. Grafton Notch loop Trail isnt on there.
Gravytrain
06-27-2016, 00:47
Nice list, but not all encompassing. Grafton Notch loop Trail isnt on there.
Well, it's Wiki, fix that! LOL
fiddlehead
06-27-2016, 02:44
Lots of trails in the states.
Many more in the rest of the world.
Better to maintain the ones we have, than to build new ones, IMO.
Europe has a few new ones.
One from Norway, thru Sweden and down through Germany and then the Alps I believe.
That one is over 7,000 kms, should be plenty long enough for anyone thinking of a new adventure.
I'm looking at this Via Dinarica trail that's quite new and 1200 kms or so.
(Balkans)
The Pyrenees HRP was one of the highlights of my hiking life when we did it in '99.
European hiking is different in a way.
They tend to go to these big huts (like in the White Mtns of NH), at night instead of tenting.
That leaves the hills and mountains free for the best camping spots with unbelievable views.
Or, if you're sociable, go into the gites or huts, and buy some wine and sleep in a room full of Europeans, etc.
Biggest problem I see is the lack of outhouses, or the tendency for Europeans to **** wherever they feel like it.
Not cool.
(but then they've been hiking those mountains a lot longer than we've been hiking ours I believe)
Great Eastern Trail parallels the A.T. from a footstep (near Pearisburg) to a county or two (most of PA and VA) to a state (AL) to the west. http://www.greateasterntrail.net http://www.gethiking.net with a sub-forum on this site and a Facebook group "Great Eastern Trail Hiking" now featuring the adventures of a thru-hiker (if successful, she will be the 3rd) who followed the trail into White Sulphur Springs, WV just after a 1 in 1,000 year precipitation event at the end of last week.
Correct.
but there are few with the proliferation of services and ease of logistics that todays beginning hiker wants.
the AT is by far the easiest and safest trail logistically to hike.
We certainly do not need any more trails like the AT. In fact, it should remain the sacrificial lamb to protect other trails from the hordes who demand their version of a suburban hiking experience., that would ruin real wilderness.I'm not sure I agree with that. I posted a link awhile back to the Katy Trail and the Rock Island Trail, both in Missouri, that I think would appeal to people who want to do a hike where there are lots of services available and you can literally hike from town to town without having to camp at all if you don't want to. Perhaps these trails would be a good place for people to get their feet wet...I see lots of people posting here who haven't really hiked before that want to do a thru hike but they are afraid to sleep in the woods. They are out of shape. They want more connectivity to services. These trails provide that. The Katy Trail was developed as a bike trail, but to me this just means it is graded so it will be easier to walk...no steep up and down. I believe both of these trails were rails to trails programs.
http://www.bikekatytrail.com/cities.aspx
http://rockislandtrail.org/about/