Great American Hiking Trails

Hiking is a great activity that promotes healthy amounts of exercise and that gets you out of the house for a few hours or even a few days. Most places will have nearby hiking trails to visit, but if you’re a hiking aficionado, chances are you’ve considered a hike to some of the more popular trails in the United States. If you’re looking for hiking trails beyond your local state parks, here are a few that might be of interest to you

The Appalachian Trail

One of the greatest hiking trails in the country, the Appalachian Trail, runs over 2000 miles, from Maine to Georgia. Originally conceived as a trail to link farms and wilderness camps in the 1920′s, the Appalachian Trail project evolved into simply creating a hiking trail, a much simpler task. This is a hiking trail favored by many hikers, though only a few manage to walk the entire length of the trail, a task that takes several months to do.

The Continental Divide Trail

Another one of the national scenic trails, hiking along the Continental Divide trail will take you through the Rocky Mountains, from New Mexico up to Montana. At over 3,000 miles, the length of this trail beats out that of the Appalachian Trail in distance. This trail is not yet complete, meaning that a few breaks make it more of a series of hiking trails, with the overall trail about 70 percent complete. It also shares its length with other hiking trails, such as the Colorado Trail and the Pacific Northwest Trail.

The Trail of Tears

Some hiking trails have a more significant history to them, such as the Trail of Tears, which is a National Historic Trail, tracing the route of the Cherokee during their forced removal from their homelands. Going from Tennessee to Oklahoma, this trail is a good destination if you’re looking for a hiking trail that offers a bit of historical significance as well as sport.

Finding Other Trails

If none of these hiking trails appeal to you, there are several sources to go to for national hiking trails. The government maintains lists and guides for both the National Scenic Trails like the Appalachian Trail and for National Historic Trails like the Trail of Tears. Between those two groups of trails, there are over two dozen hiking trails to choose from. And if you still can’t deciding on a hiking destination, contact your local hiking clubs for advice on great trails to hike on, so you can find new places to enjoy your hobby.