Editing National Trails System

{{Short description|System of trails in the United States}}
{{For|the National Trails of the United Kingdom|National Trails}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}
[[File:US National Trails System, 50th Anniversary map.jpg|thumb|350x350px|Map of the system with trail logos|alt=Map of the United States with trail routes marked and trail logos bordering it]]
[[File:Natl Hist Trail route signs.JPG|thumb|Each national scenic and historic trail has a rounded triangle logo used to mark its route and significant points.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The National Historic Trail Logos - National Trails Office - Regions 6, 7, 8 (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1453/the-national-historic-trail-logos.htm |access-date=2021-04-23 |publisher=National Park Service |language=en}}</ref>|alt=Road signs depicting logos for national historic trails, labeled "Auto tour route" and "Original trail crossed here"]]
The '''National Trails System''' is a series of [[trail]]s in the United States designated "to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nation".<ref name="16&nbsp;USC 1241">{{UnitedStatesCode|16|1241}}</ref> There are four types of trails: the national scenic trails, national historic trails, national recreation trails, and connecting or side trails. The national trails provide opportunities for [[hiking]] and historic education, as well as [[Trail riding|horseback riding]], biking, [[camping]], [[scenic route|scenic driving]], water sports, and other activities. The National Trails System consists of 11 national scenic trails, 21 national historic trails, over 1,300 national recreation trails, and seven connecting and side trails, as well as one national geologic trail, with a total length of more than {{cvt|91000|mi|km|-4}}. The scenic and historic trails are in every state, and Virginia and Wyoming have the most running through them, with six. 

In response to a call by President [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] to have a cooperative program to build public trails for "the forgotten outdoorsmen of today" in both urban and backcountry areas, the [[Bureau of Outdoor Recreation]] released a report in 1966 entitled ''Trails for America''.<ref name="DoI – BoOR-1966">{{Cite web |date=December 1966 |title=Trails for America |url=https://foresthistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/trails_for_america_1966_ocr.pdf |publisher=Department of the Interior – Bureau of Outdoor Recreation}}</ref> The study made recommendations for a network of national scenic trails, park and forest trails, and metropolitan area trails to provide recreational opportunities, with evaluations of several possible trails, both scenic and historic.<ref name="DoI – BoOR-1966" /><ref name="About.com-1999" /> The program for long-distance natural trails was created on October 2, 1968, by the National Trails System Act, which also designated two national scenic trails, the [[Appalachian Trail]] and the [[Pacific Crest Trail]], and requested that an additional fourteen trail routes be studied for possible inclusion.<ref name="16&nbsp;USC 1241"/> Sponsored by Senators [[Henry M. Jackson]] and [[Gaylord Nelson]] and Representative [[Roy A. Taylor]],<ref name="National Park Service-2019" /> part of the bill's impetus was threats of development along the Appalachian Trail, which was at risk of losing its wilderness character,<ref name="About.com-1999">{{Cite web |date=June 6, 1999 |title=The National Trails System |url=http://usparks.about.com/library/weekly/aa060599.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001110001700/http://usparks.about.com/travel/usparks/library/weekly/aa060599.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2000 |access-date=2021-04-11 |website=About.com}}</ref> and the [[Land and Water Conservation Fund]] was used to acquire lands.<ref name="National Park Service-2019" /> In 1978, as a result of the study of trails that were most significant for their historic associations, national historic trails were created as a new category with four trails designated that year. Since 1968, over forty trail routes have been studied for inclusion in the system.<ref>{{UnitedStatesCode3|16|1241|1251}}</ref>

The scenic and historic trails are congressionally established [[long-distance trail]]s, administered by the [[National Park Service]] (NPS), [[United States Forest Service]] (USFS), and/or [[Bureau of Land Management]] (BLM). These agencies may acquire lands to protect key [[Right of way (transit)|rights of way]], sites, resources and [[viewshed]]s, though the trails do not have fixed boundaries.<ref name="About.com-1999" /><ref name="National Park Service-2019" /> They work in cooperation with each other, states, local governments, [[land trust]]s, and private landowners to coordinate and protect lands and structures along these trails, enabling them to be accessible to the public.<ref name="National Park Service-2016" /> These partnerships between the agency administrators and local site managers are vital for resource protection and the visitor experience.<ref name="National Park Service-2019" /> The Federal Interagency Council on the National Trails System promotes collaboration and standardization in trail development and protection.<ref name="National Park Service-2016">{{Cite web |date=2016 |title=The National Trails System Memorandum of Understanding |url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationaltrailssystem/upload/National_Trails_System_MOU_2017-2027.pdf |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 31, 2018 |title=2017 Federal Agency Highlights for the National Trails System |url=https://pnts.org/new/2017-federal-agency-highlights-for-the-national-trails-system/ |access-date=2021-05-12 |publisher=Partnership for the National Trails System |language=en-US}}</ref> National recreation trails and connecting and side trails do not require congressional action, but are recognized by actions of the [[United States Secretary of the Interior|secretary of the interior]] or the [[United States Secretary of Agriculture|secretary of agriculture]]. The national trails are supported by volunteers at private non-profit organizations that work with the federal agencies under the Partnership for the National Trails System and other trail type-specific advocacy groups.<ref name="National Park Service-2016" /><ref name="About.com-1999" />

For fiscal year 2021, the 24 trails administered by the NPS received a budget of $15.4 million.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021 |title=BUDGET JUSTIFICATIONS and Performance Information Fiscal Year 2022: National Park Service |url=https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/fy2022-nps-budget-justification.pdf |publisher=National Park Service |page=61}}</ref>

==National Scenic Trails==

The eleven national scenic trails were established to provide outdoor recreation opportunities and to conserve portions of the natural landscape with significant scenic, natural, cultural, or historic importance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of the National Trails System |url=https://www.americantrails.org/national-trails-system/history |access-date=2020-04-08 |publisher=American Trails}}</ref> These trails are continuous non-motorized long-distance trails that can be [[Backpacking (hiking)|backpacked]] from end-to-end or hiked for short segments, except for Natchez Trace NST, which consists of five shorter, disconnected trail segments.<ref name=natchez/> The ''Trails for America'' report said, "Each National Scenic Trail should stand out in its own right as a recreation resource of superlative quality and of physical challenge."<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 12, 2019 |title=Continental Divide National Scenic Trail {{!}} US Forest Service |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/trails/cdt |access-date=2021-04-13 |publisher=U.S. Forest Service}}</ref> Most notably, the national scenic trail system provides access to the crest of the [[Appalachian Mountains]] in the east via the [[Appalachian Trail]], of the [[Rocky Mountains]] in the west on the [[Continental Divide Trail]], and of the [[Cascade Range|Cascade]] and [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] ranges on the [[Pacific Crest Trail]], which make up the [[Triple Crown of Hiking]]. Other places of note include the southern [[wetland]]s and [[Gulf Coast of the United States|Gulf Coast]] on the [[Florida Trail]], the [[Laurentian Mixed Forest Province|North Woods]] on the [[North Country Trail]], the variety of southwestern mountains and ecosystems on the [[Arizona Trail]], and the remote high-mountain landscape near the Canadian border on the [[Pacific Northwest Trail]]. 

They have a total length of approximately {{cvt|17,800.|mi|km|-1}}. Due to the extent of construction of route realignments, segment alternatives, and [[Coastline paradox|measurement methods]], some sources vary in their distances reported and values may be rounded.<ref name="National Park Service-2019" /> 

Six trails are [[List of the United States National Park System official units|official units]] of the NPS, managed like its other areas, as long, linear parks.<ref name="About.com-1999" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Three national scenic trails designated as units of the National Park System |url=https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/three-national-scenic-trails-designated-as-units-of-the-national-park-system.htm |access-date=2023-12-08 |publisher=National Park Service |language=en}}</ref> Five trails are overseen by the U.S. Forest Service. 

In 2022 Arlette Laan, whose trail name was "Apple Pie", became the first woman known to have completely hiked all eleven national scenic trails.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/travel/wisconsin/outdoors/2022/07/13/arlette-laan-first-woman-hike-all-11-national-scenic-trails/10046236002/|title=Ice Age Trail thru-hiker becomes first woman to complete all 11 national scenic trails|first=Chelsey|last=Lewis|work=Journal Sentinel|date=July 13, 2022}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+National Scenic Trails
! scope="col" | Name 
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Image
! scope="col" | States on route
! scope="col" | Agency
! scope="col" | Year {{abbr|est.|established}}<ref name="Index2012-20162">{{Cite book |url=https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/upload/NPIndex2012-2016.pdf |title=The National Parks: Index 2012–2016 |date=2016 |publisher=National Park Service |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113065657/https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/upload/NPIndex2012-2016.pdf |archive-date=November 13, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number" | Length<ref name="Index2012-20162" />
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Description
|-
! scope="row" |[[Appalachian Trail|Appalachian]]
|[[File:Appalachian Trail- Totts Gap to Mount Minsi (20) (10355280153).jpg|200x200px|alt=Mountain covered in trees in fall colors]]
|Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine
|NPS|| 1968|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|2,189|mi|km|-1}}
|Spanning the [[Appalachian Mountains]] from [[Springer Mountain]] in Georgia and [[Mount Katahdin]] in Maine, this trail dating to the 1920s sees around a thousand [[Thru-hiking|thru-hikers]] each year, along with millions of short-term visitors. Major parks on the route include [[Great Smoky Mountains National Park]], [[Shenandoah National Park]], [[Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area]] (pictured), and [[White Mountain National Forest]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Appalachian National Scenic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/appa/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Arizona Trail|Arizona]]
|[[File:Montezuma Pass Overlook, elevation 2100 meters - panoramio.jpg|200x200px|alt=Desert valley vista between mountains, with trail and desert shrubs]]
|Arizona
|USFS|| 2009|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|800|mi|km|-1}}
|Extending the entire length of the state from [[Coronado National Memorial]] (pictured) near the Mexican border to Utah, this trail covers the variety of Arizona's deserts, mountains, and canyons. Four scenic regions have distinct landscapes and biotic communities: the sky islands with [[Saguaro National Park]] and [[Coronado National Forest]], the [[Sonoran Desert|Sonoran]] uplands of [[Tonto National Forest]], the volcano field crossing the [[San Francisco Peaks]], and the plateaus divided by the [[Grand Canyon]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arizona National Scenic Trail |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/azt/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=U.S. Forest Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Continental Divide Trail|Continental Divide]]
|[[File:Highline Trail 2017 09.jpg|200x200px|alt=Vista of treeless sloping mountain with tall trees in foreground]]
|Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico
|USFS|| 1978|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|3,200|mi|km|-1}}
||With a route from Mexico to Canada, the [[Continental Divide of the Americas|Continental Divide]] separates the nation's rivers between those that flow into the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Mostly following the crest of the [[Rocky Mountains]], its major sites include [[El Malpais National Monument]]; [[Gila Wilderness]]; [[Wind River Range]]; and [[Rocky Mountain National Park|Rocky Mountain]], [[Yellowstone National Park|Yellowstone]], and [[Glacier National Park (U.S.)|Glacier National Parks]] (pictured).<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 12, 2019 |title=Continental Divide National Scenic Trail |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/trails/cdt |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=U.S. Forest Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Florida Trail|Florida]]
|[[File:Cig-FRESP08 043 - Flickr - USDAgov.jpg|200x200px|alt=Swamp with marsh water and palm tree]]
|Florida
|USFS|| 1983|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|1,500|mi|km|-1}}
|The Florida Trail runs from the swamplands of [[Big Cypress National Preserve]] to the beaches of [[Gulf Islands National Seashore]], going around [[Lake Okeechobee]] and through [[Ocala National Forest|Ocala]], [[Osceola National Forest|Osceola]], and [[Apalachicola National Forest|Apalachicola National Forests]] and many state forests and parks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Florida National Scenic Trail |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/fnst/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=U.S. Forest Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Ice Age Trail|Ice Age]]
|[[File:Fall Colors from Lapham peak tower.jpg|200x200px|alt=Flat landscape with lake in background and fall-colored orange and yellow trees]]
|Wisconsin
|NPS|| 1980|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|1,000|mi|km|-1}}
|This trail traces Wisconsin's [[terminal moraine]] of the glacier covering much of North America in the last ice age. When it receded about 10,000 years ago, it left behind [[Kettle (landform)|kettles]], [[Giant's kettle|potholes]], [[Esker|eskers]], [[Kame|kames]], [[Drumlin|drumlins]], and [[Glacial erratic|glacial erratics]], six sites of which are part of the [[Ice Age National Scientific Reserve]] ([[Kettle Moraine State Forest]] pictured).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ice Age National Scenic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/iatr/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Natchez Trace Trail|Natchez Trace]]
|[[File:Natchez Trace Trail.jpg|200x200px|alt=Natural trails through a forest]]
|Tennessee, Mississippi
|NPS|| 1983|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|64|mi|km|-1}}
|The [[Natchez Trace]] was used for centuries by Native Americans who followed animal migration paths as trade routes. It became a major road for settlers to the South in the 1800s and 1810s before falling out of use, and it is now preserved as the [[Natchez Trace Parkway]]. The full intended length has not been developed and the trail consists of five disconnected sections – from three to twenty-six miles long – through forests and prairies next to the {{cvt|444|km|mi}} parkway.<ref name="natchez">{{Cite web |title=Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/natt/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[New England National Scenic Trail|New England]]
|[[File:Ragged Mountain CT.jpg|200x200px|alt=Vista of a rocky cliff overlooking a forest and pond]]
|Massachusetts, Connecticut
|NPS|| 2009|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|215|mi|km|-1}}
|This footpath incorporates the [[Metacomet-Monadnock Trail]], [[Metacomet Trail]] ([[Ragged Mountain (Connecticut)|Ragged Mountain]] pictured), and [[Mattabesett Trail]] from [[Long Island Sound]] to the New Hampshire border. It crosses the mountains of the [[Metacomet Ridge]], connecting small towns, farms, and forests with lakes and [[Traprock mountain|traprock ridges]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=New England National Scenic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/neen/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[North Country Trail|North Country]]
|[[File:Grand Sable Dunes 1.jpg|200x200px|alt=Sandy dunes with shrubs and Lake Superior in background]]
|North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont
|NPS|| 1980|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|4,800|mi|km|-1}}
|This trail reaches from [[Lake Sakakawea State Park]] in North Dakota to a junction with the Appalachian Trail in [[Green Mountain National Forest]] in [[Vermont]]. Along its route, the trail passes through eight states and more than 150 parcels of land protected at the federal, state, or local levels.<ref>{{Cite web |title=North Country National Scenic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/noco/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore the Trail |url=https://northcountrytrail.org/the-trail/explore-the-trail/ |access-date=2021-04-18 |publisher=North Country Trail Association |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Pacific Crest Trail|Pacific Crest]]
|[[File:Kendall Katwalk Trail.jpg|200x200px|alt=Mountainside trail with view of jagged rocky mountain with steel talus]]
|California, Oregon, Washington
|USFS||1968|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|2,650|mi|km|-1}}
||The PCT follows the passes and crests of the [[San Bernardino Mountains]], [[Sierra Nevada]], [[Cascade Range|Cascades]], and several other ranges from the Mexican to Canadian borders. It passes through 7 national parks, including [[Yosemite National Park|Yosemite]], [[Crater Lake National Park|Crater Lake]], and [[North Cascades National Park|North Cascades]], and 25 national forests, for a route crossing deserts, glaciated mountains, pristine forests and lakes, and volcanic peaks. More than half is in federal [[National Wilderness Preservation System|wilderness areas]] ([[Alpine Lakes Wilderness]] pictured).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/pct/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=U.S. Forest Service}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Discover the Pacific Crest Trail |url=https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/ |access-date=2021-04-18 |publisher=Pacific Crest Trail Association |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Pacific Northwest Trail|Pacific Northwest]]
|[[File:Ozette trail boardwalk - panoramio.jpg|200x200px|alt=Boardwalk through temperate rainforest with sun shining through trees]]
|Montana, Idaho, Washington
|USFS||2009|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|1,200|mi|km|-1}}
||Connecting the Continental Divide at [[Glacier National Park (U.S.)|Glacier National Park]] to the Pacific Ocean at [[Olympic National Park]], this trail showcases the [[Rocky Mountains]], [[Okanagan Highland|Okanogan Highlands]], [[North Cascades]], [[Puget Sound]] (including a [[Port Townsend-Coupeville ferry|ferry ride]]), and the [[Olympic Peninsula]] ([[Olympic National Park]] pictured).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail – About the Trail |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/pnt/about |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=U.S. Forest Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Potomac Heritage Trail|Potomac Heritage]]
|[[File:2019-09-07 15 13 52 View northeast towards the Great Falls of the Potomac River from Overlook 1 about 100 feet downstream of the falls within Great Falls Park in Great Falls, Fairfax County, Virginia.jpg|200x200px|alt=River rapids through small rocky islands]]
|Pennsylvania, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia
|NPS||1983|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|710|mi|km|-1}}
|The [[Potomac River]] is a corridor connecting the country's capital with historic trade and transportation routes to the ocean and inland. This network of trails incorporates the [[Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail]] and [[Great Allegheny Passage]] in the Allegheny Mountains, the [[Chesapeake and Ohio Canal]] towpath ([[Great Falls (Potomac River)|Great Falls]] pictured), the [[Mount Vernon Trail]] to George Washington's estate, cycling routes to the mouth of the river, and several other trails.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/pohe/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
|}

==National Historic Trails==

The 21 national historic trails are designated to protect the courses of significant overland or water routes that reflect the history of the nation.<ref name="Index2012-20162" /> They represent the earliest European travels in the country in Chesapeake Bay and on Spanish royal roads; the nation's struggle for independence on the [[Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail]] and [[Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route]]; westward migrations on the [[Oregon Trail|Oregon]], [[California Trail|California]], and [[Mormon Trail|Mormon Trails]], which traverse some of the same route; and the development of continental commerce on the [[Santa Fe Trail]], [[Old Spanish Trail (trade route)|Old Spanish Trail]], and [[Pony Express]]. They also memorialize the forced displacement and hardships of the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] on the [[Trail of Tears]] and [[Nez Perce National Historic Trail]].

Their routes follow the nationally significant, documented historical journeys of notable individuals or groups but are not necessarily meant to be continuously traversed today; they are largely networks of partner sites along marked auto routes rather than the exact non-motorized trails as originally used.<ref name="National Park Service-2019" /> Interpretative sites are often at [[List of areas in the United States National Park System|other areas of the National Park System]] along the trails, as well as locally operated museums and sites.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Certified Sites - National Trails Office - Regions 6, 7, 8 |url=https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1453/certified-sites.htm |access-date=2021-05-11 |publisher=National Park Service |language=en}}</ref> The [[National Historic Trails Interpretive Center]] in Wyoming is on the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails and has exhibits on Western emigration.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Historic Trails Center |url=https://nhtcf.org/about/the-center |access-date=2021-04-12 |publisher=National Historic Trails Center}}</ref> Nine are administered by the NPS National Trails Office in Santa Fe and Salt Lake City.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Trails Office - Regions 6, 7, 8 |url=https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1453/index.htm |access-date=2021-05-01 |publisher=National Park Service |language=en}}</ref> 

National historic trails were authorized under the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 ({{USPL|95|625}}), amending the National Trails System Act of 1968. They have a total length of approximately {{cvt|40000|mi|km|-1}}; many trails include several branches making them much longer than a single end-to-end distance.

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+National Historic Trails
! scope="col" | Name 
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Image
! scope="col" | States on route
! scope="col" | Agency
! scope="col" | Year {{abbr|est.|established}}<ref name="Index2012-20162" />
! scope="col" data-sort-type="number" | Length<ref name="Index2012-20162" />
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Description
|-
! scope="row" |[[Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail|Ala Kahakai]]
|[[File:ALKA trailsection.jpg|200x200px|alt=Stepping stones on footpath across lava field]]
|Hawaii
|NPS|| 2000|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|175|mi|km|-1}}
|Trail segments on the west and south shores of [[Hawaii (island)|Hawaiʻi island]] protect the ancient ''ala loa'' (long trail) used by [[Native Hawaiians]] for generations. This natural and cultural landscape crosses lava flows of [[Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park]] and sandy beaches with [[Anchialine pool|anchialine pools]]. Archaeological sites include [[Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park|Kaloko-Honokōhau]] (wetlands and fishponds) and [[Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park|Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Parks]] (place of refuge) and [[Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site]] ([[Kamehameha I]]'s temple).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/alka/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
![[Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail|Butterfield Overland]]
|[[File:Fort Chadbourne museum.jpg|alt=|200x200px]]
|Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California
|NPS
|2023
|style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|3,292|mi|km|-1}}
|The [[Butterfield Overland Mail|Butterfield Overland Mail Company]] operated a [[stagecoach]] route between 1858 and 1861 to transport mail and passengers along a southern route between [[St. Louis]] and [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] and [[San Francisco]]. Founded by [[John Butterfield (businessman)|John Butterfield]], the route had nine divisions traversed by higher-speed wagons until the Civil War broke out.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-23 |title=Butterfield Trail gets national historic designation |url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2022/dec/23/butterfield-trail-gets-national-historic/ |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=Arkansas Online |language=en}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[California Trail|California]]
|[[File:Donner Memorial State Park - Flickr - Joe Parks.jpg|200x200px|alt=Vista of mountain pass with pine trees, curving road, and lake in background]]
|Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon
|NPS|| 1992|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|5600|mi|km|-1}}
|The 1841 [[Bartleson–Bidwell Party]], 1844 [[Stephens–Townsend–Murphy Party]], and 1846 [[Donner Party]] ([[Donner Pass]] pictured) were among the few early overland emigrants to northern California, but the discovery of gold at [[Sutter's Mill]] in 1848 sparked the massive [[California Gold Rush]]. Some 140,000 "Forty-Niners" made the trip over the next five years via the overland [[Emigrant Trail|emigrant trail]] starting in Missouri, going along the [[Platte River]], around the [[Great Salt Lake]], and over the [[Sierra Nevada]] (the same number came by sea). Several branching cutoffs and routes to the mines and supporting cities developed, the most popular being the Carson Trail to [[Sutter's Fort]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]]. While the population explosion led to California's statehood, it also resulted in the [[California genocide|genocide of the state's Native Americans]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=California Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/cali/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail|Captain John Smith Chesapeake]]
|[[File:Chesapeake Bay Map 1612.tif|200x200px|alt=Historic hand-drawn map of Chesapeake Bay labeled "Virginia"]]
|Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia
|NPS|| 2006|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|3000|mi|km|-1}}
|This is a water trail based on the routes [[John Smith (explorer)|John Smith]], a founder of the [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]] settlement, took to survey [[Chesapeake Bay]] in 1607–1609. On Smith's explorations he mapped (pictured) the Bay's tributaries and communities of Native Americans he met. The trail today includes a network of historical and natural partner sites, including maritime museums, wildlife refuges, state and local parks, and [[Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System|interpretive buoys]], in addition to water trails for canoeing and kayaking.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/cajo/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
![[Chilkoot Trail|Chilkoot]]
|[[File:Dyea Alaska.jpg|alt=|200x200px]]
|Alaska
|NPS
|2022
|style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|16.5|mi|km|-1}}
|Originally used as a trade route between the coast and the interior by [[Tlingit]] people, the Chilkoot Trail was a main access route to the [[Yukon]] during the [[Klondike Gold Rush]]. Between 1896 and 1899 around 22,000 prospectors made their way from [[Dyea, Alaska]] to [[Bennett Lake]], [[British Columbia]], carrying one ton of gear across [[Chilkoot Pass]]. It is part of the [[Skagway, Alaska|Skagway]] unit of [[Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park]], and continues as Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site in B.C. Together, they form parts of Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park. Thousands of visitors now hike on the route each year, from the coastal rainforest to high alpine mountains.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore the Chilkoot Trail - Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park |url=https://www.nps.gov/klgo/planyourvisit/chilkoottrail.htm |access-date=2022-12-28 |website= |publisher=National Park Service |language=en}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail|El Camino Real de los Tejas]]
|[[File:Mission Espada Chapel1.JPG|200x200px|alt=Small historic stone church building with three bells hanging above door]]
|Texas, Louisiana
|NPS|| 2004|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|2600|mi|km|-1}}
|The ''Royal Road of the [[Hasinai|Tejas]]'' is the group of roads through [[Spanish Texas]] established by its first governors in the 1680s and 1690s. The Spanish initially attempted trade and [[Proselytism|proselytization]] at [[Mission Tejas State Park|Mission Tejas]] in Eastern Texas and [[Los Adaes]], Louisiana, before moving the capital to [[San Antonio]] and building a [[San Antonio Missions National Historical Park|series of missions]] ([[Mission San Francisco de la Espada|Mission Espada]] pictured) in the early 18th century. Mexican and American ranchers settled along the corridor toward the Rio Grande, including the [[Old San Antonio Road]], through [[Republic of Texas|Texas independence]] and [[Texas annexation|annexation]] in 1845.<ref>{{Cite web |title=El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/elte/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail|El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro]]
|[[File:Ysleta Del Sur church.jpg|200x200px|alt=Adobe church with small bell tower]]
|New Mexico, Texas
|NPS, BLM|| 2000|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|404|mi|km|-1}}
|The ''Royal Road of the Interior'' was first routed by [[Juan de Oñate]] in 1598 to colonize the northern part of [[New Spain]]. It was used for hundreds of years for trade and communication between [[Mexico City]] and [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], mostly following the [[Rio Grande]] north of [[El Paso, Texas|El Paso]], including the [[Jornada del Muerto]] and Bajada Mesa sections. The Spanish developed the region with missions like the [[Presidio Chapel of San Elizario]] and [[Ysleta Mission]] (pictured), governed from the [[Palace of the Governors]], later used by the Mexican and US administrations. Other historic sites include [[El Rancho de las Golondrinas]], [[Mesilla Plaza]], the [[Gutiérrez Hubbell House]], and [[Fort Craig]] and [[Fort Selden]] used by the U.S. Army in the 1860s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/elca/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail |url=https://www.blm.gov/visit/el-camino-real-de-tierra-adentro-national-historic-trail |access-date=2021-04-28 |publisher=Bureau of Land Management |language=en}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Iditarod National Historic Trail|Iditarod]]
|[[File:My Public Lands Roadtrip- Iditarod National Historic Trail in Alaska (19125108399).jpg|200x200px|alt=Sled dogs pulling a musher across snow with snow-covered mountains in background]]
|Alaska
|BLM|| 1978|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|2350|mi|km|-1}}
|This route from [[Seward, Alaska|Seward]] to [[Nome, Alaska|Nome]] was used by some prospectors to reach the [[Nome Gold Rush]] in the early 1900s, connecting trails long used by [[Alaska Natives]]. In the [[1925 serum run to Nome|1925 serum run]], a relay of [[Mushing|mushers]] and their [[Sled dog|sled dogs]] brought an [[Diphtheria antitoxin|antitoxin]] to Nome to stop a [[diphtheria]] outbreak, but the trail fell into disuse as planes replaced sleds for shipping. In commemoration of this history the {{Cvt|1000|mi|km|adj=on|sigfig=2}} [[Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race]] has been held annually since 1973. The only winter trail in the system, the designated trail includes the race route and {{Cvt|1400|mi|km|adj=on|sigfig=2}} of trails connecting nearby communities for snowmobiling, sledding, and skiing.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iditarod National Historic Trail |url=https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/national-scenic-and-historic-trails/iditarod |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=Bureau of Land Management}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail|Juan Bautista de Anza]]
|[[File:Carmel Mission 180.jpg|200x200px|alt=Adobe church with rounded facade and small bell towers on both sides with purple flowers in foreground]]
|Arizona, California
|NPS|| 1990|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|1200|mi|km|-1}}
|[[Juan Bautista de Anza]] led a 240-person expedition in 1775–1776 to colonize ''[[Las Californias]]'', going from the [[Presidio San Ignacio de Tubac|Tubac Presidio]] near [[Tucson, Arizona|Tucson]] to [[San Francisco Bay]], where he sited the [[Presidio of San Francisco]] and [[Mission San Francisco de Asís]]. Anza visited Missions [[Mission San Gabriel Arcángel|San Gabriel Arcángel]], [[Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa|San Luis Obispo]], [[Mission San Antonio de Padua|San Antonio]], and [[Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo|San Carlos Borromeo]] (pictured), and his route became [[El Camino Real (California)|El Camino Real]], which now has [[Spanish missions in California|21 missions]]. A full-length auto trail and several recreation trails connect these Hispanic heritage sites and other places they went through including [[Casa Grande Ruins National Monument|Casa Grande Ruins]] and [[Anza-Borrego Desert State Park]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/juba/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail|Lewis and Clark]]
|[[File:Fort Clatsop replica 2007.jpg|200x200px|alt=Entrance of log fort with open gate]]
|Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington.
|NPS|| 1978|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|4900|mi|km|-1}}
|[[Meriwether Lewis]] and [[William Clark]] led the 1803–1806 [[Lewis and Clark Expedition|Corps of Discovery Expedition]] to map and study the [[Louisiana Purchase]] for President [[Thomas Jefferson]]. On their round-trip up the [[Missouri River]] to the mouth of the [[Columbia River]], they formed relationships with many Native American tribes and described dozens of species. Associated sites along the trail, extended in 2019 to encompass their preparation along the [[Ohio River]], include their starting point [[Camp Dubois]] near [[Gateway Arch National Park]], winter camp [[Fort Clatsop]] (replica pictured) at [[Lewis and Clark National Historical Park]], [[Pompeys Pillar National Monument]], and an NPS visitor center in Omaha.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/lecl/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail|Mormon Pioneer]]
|[[File:Independence Rock 2017-09-27 1482.jpg|200x200px|alt=Large rounded rock rising above the plains]]
|Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah
|NPS|| 1978|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|1300|mi|km|-1}}
|Facing persecution at their settlement in [[Nauvoo, Illinois]], members of the [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] ([[Mormons]]), led by [[Brigham Young]], followed the [[Emigrant Trail]] to reach refuge in the [[Salt Lake Valley]]. Around 2,000 [[Mormon pioneers]] completed the original 1846–1847 trek, including stops at [[Mount Pisgah, Iowa|Mount Pisgah]], Iowa; [[Winter Quarters (North Omaha, Nebraska)|Winter Quarters]], Nebraska; and [[Fort Laramie]], Wyoming. In the next two decades, 70,000 more followed on the arduous route, some [[Mormon handcart pioneers|pulling handcarts]]. Among the 145 participating sites to visit today are [[Independence Rock (Wyoming)|Independence Rock]] (pictured), [[Devil's Gate (Wyoming)|Devil's Gate]], and [[This Is the Place Heritage Park]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/mopi/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Nez Perce National Historic Trail|Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo)]]
|[[File:Big-hole-national-battlefield-06022012-rogermpeterson-007 (7351656778).jpg|200x200px|alt=White teepee with mountains in background]]
|Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana
|USFS|| 1986|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|1170|mi|km|-1}}
|In 1877 the [[Nez Perce|Nez Perce (''Nimíipuu'')]] people were forced to relocate to a reservation, but a group of 750 people led by [[Chief Joseph]] fled to reach sanctuary. A U.S. Army unit of 2,000 soldiers pursued the band for four months as the Nez Perce warriors held them off at several battles until they were cornered and captured at the [[Battle of Bear Paw]]. Their route can be traced on an auto tour, visiting [[Big Hole National Battlefield]] (pictured), [[Camas Meadows Battle Sites]], [[Yellowstone National Park]], and other sites of [[Nez Perce National Historical Park]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nez Perce National Historic Trail |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/npnht/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=U.S. Forest Service}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nez Perce National Historical Park |url=http://www.nps.gov/nepe/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Old Spanish National Historic Trail|Old Spanish]]
|[[File:One Mile North of the Old Spanish Trail highway in Inyo County, California.jpg|200x200px|alt=Desert landscape with small rocky mountains and cacti and shrubs]]
|New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California
|NPS, BLM|| 2002|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|2700|mi|km|-1}}
|Mexican merchant [[Antonio Armijo]] led the first trade expedition from [[Abiquiú, New Mexico]], to Los Angeles and back in 1829, crossing areas mapped on the 1776 [[Domínguez–Escalante expedition]] and by [[Jedediah Smith]] in 1826. [[William Wolfskill|Wolfskill]] and [[George C. Yount|Yount]] traced an alternate northern route the next year, providing New Mexican trade caravans and emigrants access to California on [[Mule|mules]] until a wagon route was built by the 1850s. Little evidence of the trails remains, but landmarks include [[Mojave National Preserve]], [[Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve|Great Sand Dunes National Park]], and [[Lake Mead National Recreation Area]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Old Spanish National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/olsp/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Old Spanish Trail National Historic Trail |url=https://www.blm.gov/visit/old-spanish-trail-national-historic-trail |access-date=2021-05-03 |publisher=Bureau of Land Management |language=en}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Oregon National Historic Trail|Oregon]]
|[[File:Covered Wagon In Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska.jpg|200x200px|alt=Covered wagon in front of large tan bluff]]
|Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
|NPS||1978||style="text-align:right;"|{{cvt|2170|mi|km|-1}}
|[[Marcus Whitman]] made the first wagon trek to [[Oregon Country]] in 1836 to found the [[Whitman Mission National Historic Site|Whitman Mission]], followed by the [[Oregon Dragoons]] and [[Bartleson–Bidwell Party]]. Whitman led a [[wagon train]] of around 1,000 emigrants in 1843, with tens of thousands of families making the risky journey over the next few decades to reach a new life in the West. The trail's typical endpoints were [[Independence, Missouri]] to [[Oregon City, Oregon]], via [[Fort Kearny]], [[Scotts Bluff National Monument|Scotts Bluff]] (pictured), [[South Pass (Wyoming)|South Pass]], [[Shoshone Falls]], the [[Blue Mountains (Pacific Northwest)|Blue Mountains]], and [[Barlow Road]]. Emigrants came in mule- or oxen-pulled [[Covered wagon|covered wagons]] filled with months of supplies, but they also faced disease and attacks by Native Americans upon whose land they intruded.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oregon National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/oreg/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail|Overmountain Victory]]
|[[File:RETIREMENT AND THE MUSTER GROUNDS, ABINGDON, WASHINGTON COUNTY, VA.jpg|200x200px|alt=Log fence around a grassy field with fall-colored trees in background]]
|Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina
|NPS||1980||style="text-align:right;"|{{cvt|330|mi|km|-1}}
|In September 1780 during the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]], the [[Overmountain Men]] militia mustered in [[Abingdon, Virginia]] (pictured) and [[Sycamore Shoals]], Tennessee, for a two-week march across the Appalachian Mountains via [[Roan Mountain (Roan Highlands)|Roan Mountain]]. Pursuing British Major [[Patrick Ferguson]], they confronted his [[Loyalist (American Revolution)|Loyalist]] force at the October 7 [[Battle of Kings Mountain]] in South Carolina, where the [[Patriot (American Revolution)|Patriots]] won a quick, decisive victory that would be a turning point in the war. The linked highways and walking trails visit several preserved encampment sites.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/ovvi/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Pony Express National Historic Trail|Pony Express]]
|[[File:Hollenberg-home-station-pony-express.jpg|200x200px|alt=Wooden rectangular building with angled roof and chimneys]]
|Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California
|NPS||1992||style="text-align:right;"|{{cvt|2000|mi|km|-1}}
|Lasting just 18 months in 1860–1861, the [[Pony Express]] delivered mail via horseback between [[St. Joseph, Missouri]], and [[Sacramento, California]]. Riders relayed communications {{Cvt|1,800|mi|km}} across the country in just ten days until the [[First transcontinental telegraph|transcontinental telegraph]] put the service operated by [[Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company]] out of business. While little of the trail itself remains, 50 stations or their ruins of the original 185 can still be visited, including [[Hollenberg Pony Express Station]] (pictured), [[Fort Caspar]], [[Camp Floyd / Stagecoach Inn State Park and Museum|Stagecoach Inn]], the [[Pike's Peak Stables]] and [[Patee House]] at the eastern terminus, and [[Pony Express Terminal|B.F. Hastings Building]] at the western terminus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pony Express National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/poex/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Santa Fe National Historic Trail|Santa Fe]]
|[[File:Foun wagon.jpg|200x200px|alt=Old wagon wheels in front of a ruined clay wall with arched opening and windows]]
|Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico
|NPS|| 1987|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|1203|mi|km|-1}}	
|[[William Becknell]] made the first trade trip from Missouri to [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]] in 1821, when newly independent Mexico welcomed commerce. It was a major exchange route between the two countries for the next 25 years when the [[Army of the West (1846)|Army of the West]] used it in the [[Mexican–American War]]. After the war ended in 1848, emigration and freight to the new southwest flourished. The [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]] reached Santa Fe via [[Raton Pass]] in 1880, replacing the trade caravans. Significant sites include [[Fort Larned National Historic Site|Fort Larned]], [[Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site|Bent's Old Fort]], and [[Fort Union National Monument|Fort Union]] (pictured), where [[Rut (roads)|wagon ruts]] can still be seen.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Santa Fe National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/safe/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail|Selma to Montgomery]]
|[[File:P030715PS-1619 (20894933462).jpg|200x200px|alt=Large group of people walking together on bridge roadway under bridge arch saying "Edmund Pettus Bridge"]]
|Alabama
|NPS||1996||style="text-align:right;"|{{cvt|54|mi|km|-1}}
|The 1965 [[Selma to Montgomery marches]] were nonviolent demonstrations of the [[civil rights movement]] pushing for the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965|Voting Rights Act]]. Led by [[John Lewis]] and [[Hosea Williams]], 600 marchers were brutally attacked by state police at Selma's [[Edmund Pettus Bridge]] (pictured), rousing national support for the bill. Another march a month later saw the protestors complete the four-day walk from [[Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church (Selma, Alabama)|Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church]] to the [[Alabama State Capitol]], where [[Martin Luther King Jr.]] spoke before a crowd of 25,000. The trail has historical markers and three interpretive centers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/semo/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail|Star-Spangled Banner]]
|[[File:Fort McHenry 2016 4.JPG|200x200px|alt=Cannons next to grassy embankment in front of brick fort above which the US flag is flying]]
|Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia
|NPS||2008||style="text-align:right;"|{{cvt|290|mi|km|-1}}
|This water and land trail highlights the history of the [[War of 1812]] in the [[Chesapeake Bay Region]]. Major sites of this three-year war between the United States and United Kingdom include raided towns [[Havre de Grace, Maryland|Havre de Grace]] and [[Saint Michaels, Maryland|Saint Michaels]]; grounds of the [[Battle of Bladensburg]] and [[Battle of North Point]]; and [[Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine]] (pictured), where the flying of the American flag in the [[Battle of Baltimore]] inspired "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/stsp/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Trail of Tears National Historic Trail|Trail of Tears]]
|[[File:TrailofTearsMemorial-3.jpg|200x200px|alt=Stone obelisk monument with four flags of the US, Georgia, and Cherokee flying around it]]
|Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma
|NPS|| 1987|| style="text-align:right;" |{{cvt|5045|mi|km|-1}}
|The 1830 [[Indian Removal Act]] forced tens of thousands of [[Cherokee]], [[Muscogee (Creek) Nation|Muscogee]], [[Seminole]], [[Chickasaw]], and [[Choctaw]] people to leave their ancestral homelands in the [[Southeastern United States|Southeast]] and relocate to [[Indian Territory]] (now Oklahoma). Around ten thousand Indians died of disease or the elements on their journeys. This trail commemorates the routes [[Cherokee removal|taken by the Cherokee]] after they were evicted and detained in camps by the Army in 1838, making the four-month trek over the winter. Historic sites include the Cherokee capital [[New Echota]] in Georgia (pictured), Chief [[John Ross (Cherokee chief)|John Ross]]'s [[John Ross House (Rossville, Georgia)|log cabin]], [[Red Clay State Park]], [[Rattlesnake Springs]], and several museums.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Trail of Tears National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/trte/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |[[Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route|Washington–Rochambeau<br>Revolutionary Route]]
|[[File:Yorktown VA NPS 18-pdr cannon.jpg|200x200px|alt=People dressed in Revolutionary War military uniforms loading a cannon]]
|Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia, Massachusetts
|NPS||2009||style="text-align:right;"|{{cvt|1000|mi|km|-1}}
|Six years into the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]], the French [[Expédition Particulière]] commanded by the [[Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau|comte de Rochambeau]] departed [[Newport, Rhode Island]], to meet [[George Washington]]'s [[Continental Army]] at [[Dobbs Ferry, New York]], in June 1781. They marched to [[Williamsburg, Virginia]], over the next few months, stopping at the [[Old Barracks Museum|Old Barracks]] in Trenton and [[Mount Vernon]]. In the three-week [[Siege of Yorktown (1781)|siege of Yorktown]] (now part of [[Colonial National Historical Park]], reenactment pictured) they defeated [[Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis|General Cornwallis]]'s army, soon clinching independence for the 13 colonies. Several campsites and homes on their route are preserved, including the [[Joseph Webb House]] where Washington and Rochambeau made plans for the campaign.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/waro/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|}

== {{anchor|connector}} Connecting or side trails==
The act also established a category of trails known as connecting or side trails. Though there are no guidelines for how these are managed, these have been designated by the secretary of the interior to extend trails beyond the original congressionally established route. Seven side trails have been designated:<ref name="National Park Service-2019">{{Cite web |date=January 2019 |title=Reference Manual 45 – National Trails System |url=https://www.nps.gov/policy/Reference_Manual_45.pdf |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

* Timms Hill Trail – {{Cvt|14|mi|km}}, connects the [[Ice Age Trail]] to Wisconsin's highest point, [[Timms Hill]] (1990)<ref name="About.com-1999" />
* Anvik Connector – {{Cvt|86|mi|km}}, joins the [[Iditarod Trail]] to the village of [[Anvik, Alaska]] (1990)<ref name="About.com-1999" />
*Susquehanna River Component Connecting Trail – {{Cvt|552|mi|km}}, extends the [[Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail]] up the [[Susquehanna River]] in Pennsylvania and New York (2012)<ref name="DoI-2012">{{Cite web |date=2012-05-16 |title=America's Great Outdoors: Secretary Salazar Expands Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail |url=https://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/AMERICAS-GREAT-OUTDOORS-Secretary-Salazar-Designates-Captain-John-Smith-Chesapeake-National-Historic-Trail |access-date=2021-05-12 |publisher=Department of the Interior}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20120927104951/http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/loader.cfm?csModule=security%2Fgetfile&pageid=296798 Map]</ref>
*Chester River Component Connecting Trail – {{Cvt|46|mi|km}}, extends the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail up the [[Chester River]] in Maryland (2012)<ref name="DoI-2012" />
*Upper Nanticoke River Component Connecting Trail – {{Cvt|23|mi|km}}, extends the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail up the [[Nanticoke River]] in Delaware (2012)<ref name="DoI-2012" />
*Upper James River Component Connecting Trail – {{Cvt|220|mi|km}}, extends the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail up the [[James River]] in Virginia (2012)<ref name="DoI-2012" />
*Marion to Selma Connecting Trail – {{Cvt|28|mi|km}}, connects the [[Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail]] to [[Marion, Alabama]], where [[Murder of Jimmie Lee Jackson|Jimmie Lee Jackson was murdered]] in 1965 (2015)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Koplowitz |first=Howard |date=2015-07-20 |title=Marion added to Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail |url=https://www.al.com/news/2015/07/marion_added_to_selma_to_montg.html |access-date=2021-05-12 |website=AL.com |language=en}}</ref>

==National Recreation Trails==
{{see also|Category:National Recreation Trails of the United States}}
[[File:NRT_Logo.gif|right|thumb|NRT logo|alt=Rounded triangle-shaped logo with "National Recreation Area" around the border and a red, white, and blue "USA" with the "S" stylized as a trail leading to mountains]]
National recreation trail (NRT) is a designation given to existing trails that contribute to the recreational and conservation goals of a national network of trails. Over 1,300 trails over all fifty states have been designated as NRTs on [[Federal lands|federal]], state, municipal, tribal and private lands that are available for public use and are less than a mile to more than {{convert|500|mi|km}} in length.<ref name="National Park Service">{{Cite web |title=National Recreation Trails - National Trails System |url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationaltrailssystem/national-recreation-trails.htm |access-date=2021-05-09 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref> They have a combined length of more than {{convert|29,000|mi|km}}.<ref name="American Trails database">{{Cite web |title=National Recreation Trails Database |url=https://www.nrtdatabase.org/ |access-date=2021-05-10 |publisher=American Trails}}</ref>

Most NRTs are [[hiking trails]], but a significant number are [[Multi-use trail|multi-use trails]] or [[Bike path|bike paths]], including [[Rail trail|rail trails]] and [[Greenway (landscape)|greenways]]. Some are intended for use with watercraft, horses, [[Cross-country skiing|cross-country skis]], or [[Off-road vehicle|off-road recreational vehicles]].<ref name="American Trails-how to">{{Cite web |title=How To Apply for NRT Designation |url=https://www.americantrails.org/national-recreation-trails/apply |access-date=2021-05-09 |publisher=American Trails}}</ref> There are a number of [[Water trail|water trails]] that make up the [[National Water Trails System]] subprogram.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Water Trails System - National Trails System |url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationaltrailssystem/national-water-trails-system.htm |access-date=2021-05-09 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref> Eligible trails must be complete, well designed and maintained, and open to the public.<ref name="American Trails-how to" />

The NPS and the USFS jointly administer the National Recreation Trails Program with help from other federal and nonprofit partners, notably American Trails, the lead [[Non-profit organization|nonprofit]] for developing and promoting NRTs.<ref name="National Park Service" /> The [[United States Secretary of the Interior|secretary of interior]] or the [[United States Secretary of Agriculture|secretary of agriculture]] (if on USFS land) designates national recreation trails that are of local and regional significance. Managers of eligible trails can apply for designation with the support of all landowners and their state's trail coordinator (if on non-federal land).<ref name="American Trails-how to" /> Designated trails become part of the National Trails System and receive promotional benefits, use of the NRT logo, technical and networking assistance, and preference for funding through the Department of Transportation's [[Recreational Trails Program]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Benefits of NRT Designation |url=https://www.americantrails.org/national-recreation-trails/benefits |access-date=2021-05-09 |publisher=American Trails}}</ref>

American Trails sponsors an annual NRT photo contest<ref>{{Cite web |title=Photo Contest |url=https://www.americantrails.org/national-recreation-trails/photo-contest |access-date=2021-05-10 |publisher=American Trails}}</ref> and a biennial symposium<ref>{{Cite web |title=The International Trails Symposium |url=https://www.americantrails.org/symposium |access-date=2021-05-10 |publisher=American Trails}}</ref> and maintains the NRT database.<ref name="American Trails database" />

{{Featured list}}

== National Geologic Trail ==
The first national geologic trail was established by the [[Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009]], though it did not amend the National Trails System Act to create an official category.<ref>{{Cite web |title=[USC02] 16 USC 1244: National scenic and national historic trails |url=https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=%22National+Geologic+Trail%22&f=treesort&fq=true&num=0&hl=true&edition=prelim&granuleId=USC-prelim-title16-section1244 |access-date=2021-05-06 |publisher=US House of Representatives}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+National Geologic Trail
! scope="col" | Name 
! scope="col" | Image
! scope="col" | States on route
! scope="col" | Agency
! scope="col" | Year {{abbr|est.|established}}
! scope="col" | Length
! scope="col" | Description
|-
! scope="row" |[[Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail|Ice Age Floods]]
|[[File:Dry Falls (Washington).jpg|200x200px|alt=Plateau with steep walls of a former waterfall above a river]]
|Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana
|NPS
| 2009
|{{cvt|3400|mi|km|-1}}
|From around 18,000 to 15,000 years ago, the [[Lake Missoula|glacial Lake Missoula]] breached its ice dams 40 to 100 times, each time releasing the cataclysmic [[Missoula floods]] that carved [[Coulee|coulees]], lakes, cliffs, waterfalls, and [[giant current ripples]] along their path. They created the [[Channeled Scablands]] that form much of eastern Washington's landscape of irregular buttes and basins and the [[Columbia River Gorge]] past the [[Wallula Gap]]. An unmarked tour route connects a network of state parks and other featured sites formed in these erosive floods such as [[Steamboat Rock State Park]], [[Dry Falls]] (pictured), [[Palouse Falls]], and the [[Grand Coulee]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail |url=http://www.nps.gov/iafl/ |access-date=April 11, 2021 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 2016 |title=Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail Long-Range Interpretive Plan |url=http://www.gigaflood.com/IAFL%20LRIP_ADOBE.LowRes.pdf |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Environment}}
*[[Protected areas of the United States]]
*[[List of long-distance footpaths]]
*[[Long-distance trails in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* [[Karen Berger (writer)|Karen Berger]], [[Bart Smith]] (photography), and [[Bill McKibben]] (foreword): ''America's Great Hiking Trails''. Rizzoli, 2014, {{ISBN|978-0789327413}}
* Karen Berger, Bart Smith (photography), and [[Ken Burns]] & [[Dayton Duncan]] (foreword) (2014), ''America's National Historic Trails: Walking the Trails of History''. Rizzoli, 2020, {{ISBN|978-0847868858}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage|United States National Trails System}}
{{Commons category|National Trails of the United States}}
* [http://www.pnts.org/ Partnership for National Trails System]
*[https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationaltrailssystem/index.htm National Trails System] – National Park Service
**[https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationaltrailssystem/national-historic-trails.htm National Historic Trails]
**[https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationaltrailssystem/national-scenic-trails.htm National Scenic Trails]
**[https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationaltrailssystem/national-recreation-trails.htm National Recreation Trails]
*[https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/trails/national America's National Trails] – U.S. Forest Service
*[https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/national-scenic-and-historic-trails National Scenic and Historic Trails] – Bureau of Land Management
*[https://www.americantrails.org/index.php?p=national-recreation-trails National Recreation Trails Program] – American Trails
*[https://www.nrtdatabase.org/ National Recreation Trails database]
*[https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43868.pdf The National Trails System: A Brief Overview] – Congressional Research Service

{{TrailSystem}}
{{US Protected Areas}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National Trails of the United States| 01]]
[[Category:Trails]]
[[Category:Hiking trails in the United States]]
[[Category:Scenic highways in the United States]]
[[Category:United States federal public land legislation]]
[[Category:1968 in American law]]
[[Category:1968 in the United States]]