WhiteBlaze Pages 2024
A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook.
AVAILABLE NOW. $4 for interactive PDF(smartphone version)
Read more here WhiteBlaze Pages Store

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 44
  1. #1

    Default America's Newest & Most Inclusive Long Distance Trail

    Most of you probably haven't heard of the Great Plains Trail... yet. But the GPTA Board of Directors is working to change that.

    The Great Plains Trail is a proposed 2200 mile long-distance trail that will run from near the Canadian border all the way down to Guadalupe Peak in Texas. By the time it is finished, it will include at least seven states, five state high points and some of the most iconic & gorgeous scenery in the world.

    The trail is proposed to be open to hikers, backpackers, nordic skiers, snowshoers, equestrians and bicyclists; as such, it will be one of the only long-distance trails that is available to such a diverse range of outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers. 2016 was a great year for the Great Plains Trail when Luke (Strider) Jordan completed the very first through-hike of the entire route thus proving that it can be done. Over the years, the route will likely change to take advantage of the best features of the historic Great Plains. But the general trail route has been mapped and the future looks bright.

    The Great Plains Trail Alliance (GPTA) would love to hear from other long-distance trail enthusiasts, planners and travelers as we continue to blaze our path into 2017. We want to add the Great Plains Trail to the list of current legendary trails such as the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Colorado Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. Feel free to visit the Great Plains Trail website and/or add your thoughts to this forum. We look forward to reading your suggestions and feedback.

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    11-01-2014
    Location
    Anchorage, AK
    Age
    62
    Posts
    2,500

    Default

    That looks really cool. It goes through some nice areas. I like the idea of a less mountain focused trail.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  3. #3
    In the shadows AfterParty's Avatar
    Join Date
    05-11-2016
    Location
    Norton, Kansas
    Age
    43
    Posts
    490
    Journal Entries
    1
    Images
    12

    Default

    Looks more like the front range trail then the great plains.
    Hiking the AT is “pointless.” What life is not “pointless”? Is it not pointless to work paycheck to paycheck just to conform?.....I want to make my life less ordinary. AWOL

  4. #4
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-18-2014
    Location
    Lewiston and Biddeford, Maine
    Age
    61
    Posts
    2,643

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by AfterParty View Post
    Looks more like the front range trail then the great plains.
    Should be closer to the Mississippi on either side of the river.

  5. #5
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-15-2004
    Location
    Colorado Plateau
    Age
    49
    Posts
    11,002

    Default

    The Great Plains are very much in Colorado, Wyo, Nebraska etc and not necessarily that close to the Missippi River.

    111433-004-39649E97.gif

    The western portion of the Great Plains is known better as the High Plains.

    Just from own travels...



    SD:




    NE:



    WY:



    CO:



    NM:




    Badlands in SD is a national parks. The Cheyenne, WY is open space on the high plains.. The others are located on National Grasslands.
    Last edited by Mags; 12-19-2016 at 19:27. Reason: WYO update
    Paul "Mags" Magnanti
    http://pmags.com
    Twitter: @pmagsco
    Facebook: pmagsblog

    The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau

  6. #6
    Registered User Engine's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-29-2009
    Location
    Citrus Springs, FL
    Age
    58
    Posts
    1,673
    Images
    10

    Default

    I have traveled over much of that terrain in a vehicle and it can be amazingly scenic. This could be a very nice alternative to the other long trails.
    “He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.” –Socrates

  7. #7
    CDT - 2013, PCT - 2009, AT - 1300 miles done burger's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-03-2005
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    1,437

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by egilbe View Post
    Should be closer to the Mississippi on either side of the river.
    You could not have a long-distance trail through the plains much further east than the GPT. As you go further east, it's more and more privately owned cropland. Farmers don't like people walking through their wheat and corn fields (and hikers don't enjoy getting sprayed with pesticides and herbicides, either).

  8. #8
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-15-2004
    Location
    Colorado Plateau
    Age
    49
    Posts
    11,002

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by burger View Post
    You could not have a long-distance trail through the plains much further east than the GPT.
    Good point about the public lands available. Most of the public land is on the High Plains portion of the Great Plains.
    Paul "Mags" Magnanti
    http://pmags.com
    Twitter: @pmagsco
    Facebook: pmagsblog

    The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau

  9. #9
    In the shadows AfterParty's Avatar
    Join Date
    05-11-2016
    Location
    Norton, Kansas
    Age
    43
    Posts
    490
    Journal Entries
    1
    Images
    12

    Default

    This is very true most land around me is private. This would be a sweet trail! I just think the name sounds funny when I looked at the map. Lol
    Hiking the AT is “pointless.” What life is not “pointless”? Is it not pointless to work paycheck to paycheck just to conform?.....I want to make my life less ordinary. AWOL

  10. #10
    -
    Join Date
    08-14-2005
    Location
    Fort Madison, IA
    Age
    60
    Posts
    1,672

    Default

    doing distance hiking on a trail that allows bicycles does not seem likely to be popular

    horses + bicycles = likely safety issues

    the best idea to me would be make it a bicycle focused trail that allows hikers

  11. #11

    Default

    Beautiful photos Paul!! Thanks for sharing.

  12. #12

    Join Date
    05-05-2011
    Location
    state of confusion
    Posts
    9,866
    Journal Entries
    1

    Default

    Thank goodness it dont go thru Kansas

  13. #13

    Thumbs up Great Feedback About Great Plains Trail

    Thanks for all the comments already.

    It will be a fantastic trail, but it will take a long time and a lot of work. The GPTA Board is up for the challenge. Hopefully we continue to get lots of public support.

  14. #14
    Registered User
    Join Date
    05-21-2013
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    459

    Default

    As long you encourage all the horse owners to practice Leave No Trace we'll all be happy.

  15. #15
    Registered User
    Join Date
    08-12-2015
    Location
    Newark, DE
    Age
    64
    Posts
    566

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by George View Post
    doing distance hiking on a trail that allows bicycles does not seem likely to be popular

    horses + bicycles = likely safety issues

    the best idea to me would be make it a bicycle focused trail that allows hikers
    I was thinking along the same lines. Allowing bicycles on this trail would discourage me from using the trail. We have a lot of multiuse trails locally and the bikes create a lot of thin ruts that make hiking uncomfortable. I couldn't imagine doing 2000 miles of bicycle rutted trails. How do you prevent that from happening, or are you going to be doing constant maintenance moving trail around as it gets rutted?

  16. #16
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-20-2012
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Age
    67
    Posts
    4,540
    Images
    3

    Default

    Guys, I'm not sure you realize 95% of this trail is really, really out in the middle of nowhere. The only place you'll see people at all, let alone any bikes, is near the NP's and such, and bikes are probably not allowed in the NP's.

    (of course, the trail does go right through Denver, along some paved bike trails, so I guess this is an exception, but heck, the trail through Denver is paved, and for that matter, a lot of this particular section has a soft surface path along side the paved bike path)

    I could be dead-wrong, but it doesn't seem likely this trail will be popular with bikers.

    Lots of very popular trails out west are multi use, like the Colorado trail. Bikes are really not any problem for most, Certainly not on this cool looking remote trail.

    Thanks for posting those pics, Mags. The trail doesn't go through any of WY though, which is weird, but I guess western SD is more a high-plains type of area.
    Last edited by colorado_rob; 12-19-2016 at 21:39.

  17. #17
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
    Join Date
    02-20-2013
    Location
    Roaring Gap, NC
    Age
    78
    Posts
    8,529

    Default

    Y'all may not have seen what concentrated horse traffic can do to what used to be a trail during a wet summer.
    I definitely see this trail complementing the GDMBR. I would welcome a trail that I could both ride and hike.
    The Guadalupe mountains aren't too shabby either.
    Now then, Strider holds the current FKT. Who's next?
    Wayne


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Eddie Valiant: "That lame-brain freeway idea could only be cooked up by a toon."
    https://wayne-ayearwithbigfootandbubba.blogspot.com
    FlickrMyBookTwitSpaceFace



  18. #18
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-20-2012
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Age
    67
    Posts
    4,540
    Images
    3

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Venchka View Post
    The Guadalupe mountains aren't too shabby either.
    No, they are not, not shabby at all. Last spring, I did a 70-miler, starting in Guadalupe, into the Lincoln NF, then over to Carlsbad. Early spring would be a great time of year to do this part of the trail, maybe even late winter, like late February, depending on snow pack.

  19. #19
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-15-2004
    Location
    Colorado Plateau
    Age
    49
    Posts
    11,002

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by colorado_rob View Post
    The trail doesn't go through any of WY though, which is weird, but I guess western SD is more a high-plains type of area.
    That was more to show the High Plains type areas in general vs the people above who thought that the Great Plains were only near the Mississippi. Many people outside of the American West don't realize the terrain of the plains is beyond Kansas and Nebraska. And when they see photos of the Panhandle, the mind is blown.

    Also, I don't think it goes through Denver. The route goes rather east of it. May you be thinking of the American Discovery Trail instead?

    550b758e0920e.image_.jpg

    Free streaming PBS documentary for if anyone is interested: http://www.pbs.org/program/great-plains/

    Shameless plug for something I wrote:
    http://www.trailgroove.com/issue25.html?autoflip=119
    Last edited by Mags; 12-19-2016 at 22:51.
    Paul "Mags" Magnanti
    http://pmags.com
    Twitter: @pmagsco
    Facebook: pmagsblog

    The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau

  20. #20
    In the shadows AfterParty's Avatar
    Join Date
    05-11-2016
    Location
    Norton, Kansas
    Age
    43
    Posts
    490
    Journal Entries
    1
    Images
    12

    Default

    Kansas isnt what most people think it is either.
    Hiking the AT is “pointless.” What life is not “pointless”? Is it not pointless to work paycheck to paycheck just to conform?.....I want to make my life less ordinary. AWOL

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
++ New Posts ++

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •