In 1968, Congress passed the National Trails System Act, which provided for federal aid for the support and maintenance of the Appalachian Trail, and for the creation of a national system of trails. Today, the Federal Government maintains over 20 National Historic and Scenic Trails across the United States, in addition to numerous Recreational Trails in National and State Parks throughout the country. From Alaska to Florida, there is a National Trail running through most of the 50 states, so whether you're looking for a long hike or a short walk, you probably won't have to travel too far.
This web guide will point you to government information on all of the federally-maintained National Trails. For the most part, the sites below come from the National Park Service, the Forest Service, or the Bureau of Land Management.

• National Park Service - This is the home page for the National Park Service, which controls a number of the National Trails in this country. Look up trail information here by searching for "trail", "national historic trail", "national scenic trail", or by typing in a specific trail's name.
• USDA Forest Service - This is the home page for the United States Forest Service, which also controls a number of the country's National Trails. Use a search as described in the previous link to find trail information.
• Bureau of Land Management - This is the home page for the Bureau of Land Management, which controls a few of the National Trails in this country. Search for trail information using the methods described in the above links.




---



---

National Scenic Trails

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

• Appalachian National Scenic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the official National Park Service (NPS) home page for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT). Look here for basic information about the trail, such as its length, predominate use, history, and land ownership.
• Parkway Recreation: Appalachian Trail Access - This site lists the intersections of the Appalachian Trail with the Blue Ridge Parkway. Information such as milepost numbers, parking areas and names, shelter availability, and affiliation with the United States Forest Service, is provided here.
• U.S. National Parks from Space - Appalachian Scenic Trail - This is an interesting site, but it may not be of much practical use to seekers of information on the AT. Aside from giving basic information on the trail, much like that found on the NPS site listed above, this site provides satellite pictures of various areas of the AT, as seen from space in 1982.


Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

• Continental Divide Trail Alliance - This is not a government source, but comes from the official CDS Trail Alliance, which works closely with the government in the support, maintenance, and promotion of the Continental Divide Trail. Look here for trail history, length, trip planning information, and a detailed trail map. Also provided is information on volunteering with the trail and its supporters, joining the CDSTA, and other CDSTA-specific information that may not be of particular use to those seeking basic, trail-specific information.
• Continental Divide National Scenic Trail - This site mainly concerns itself with the 82-mile segment of the trail known as the East Grand County segment. The site provides a wealth of important information about the trail, though, including: length, terrain, trail conditions, historical or cultural sites, vegetation, wildlife, weather (by season), common access points, major segment lengths, trail usage by segment, trail access by segment, trail segment descriptions, and special areas within each segment, all within the East Grand County segment of the trail.


Florida National Scenic Trail
*At the time of creation of this web guide, I found no official government websites on the Florida National Scenic Trail.

• The Florida Scenic Trail - This site comes from the Wakulla County Tourist Development Council, and provides very brief, basic information on the FNST, including current length and trail construction progress.
• GORP - National Scenic Trails - Florida Trail - This site doesn't come from the government, but provides some of the most useful information on the FNST available on the web. Look here for trail distance, route, highlights, "hiker purity", hunting and fishing information, camping information, land and "special" areas covered by the trail, fees and permits information, and the percentage of the trail that has been completed.
• Florida Trail Association - This is another non-government-affiliated site, but is the official site of the Florida Trail Association. This group serves as the official non-government sponsor of the trail, and aids in the support, maintenance, and promotion of the trail. Their site includes important information including trail history, length, and projected route. Also provided is membership and contact information for the FTA.


Ice Age National Scenic Trail

• Ice Age National Scenic Trail (National Park Service - This is the official National Park Service (NPS) home page for the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Look here for basic information about the trail, such as its designation, annual budget, and land coverage.


Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail

• Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the official NPS home page for the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. Very brief trail information, such as the trail's annual budget and park land coverage are included here, in addition to information on the trail's inclusion in the Natchez Trace Parkway and its affiliation with the Tupelo National Battlefield.


North Country National Scenic Trail

• North Country National Scenic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the official NPS home page for the North Country National Scenic Trail. It provides very brief trail information, including designation, annual budget, and states covered by the trail.
• North Country National Scenic Trail home page - This is another NPS-sponsored website about the NCNST. It provides information such as the general route of the trail, a trail description, permitted uses of the trail, a state-by-state description of the trail, and information about how the public can get involved in "creating and completing the trail".


Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

• Pacific Crest Trail, Mount Rainier National Park - This site deals specifically with the segment of the trail that passes through Mount Rainier National Park. It provides information such as trail descriptions, trailhead location, and backpacking information.
• BLM-Medford - Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail - This site concerns mainly the 43 miles of the trail in Oregon and Washington that are maintained by the Medford branch of the BLM. Provided trail information at this site includes: attractions and considerations, fees, open season, accessibility, length, difficulty, use level, location, and directions.
• BLM-CA Pacific Crest Trail - Owens Peak Segment - This site provides information on the BLM Owens Peak Segment of the PCT, which comprises about 41 miles of the total trail. Trail information provided includes: visitor activities, location, length, description, maintenance, directions, permits, fees, limitations, accessibility, camping and lodging, food and supplies, first aid availability, and "know before you go" tips.
• Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, BLM California Ridgecrest Field Office - This site provides information on the Ridgecrest and Caliente BLM office-managed sections of the PCT. Information similar to that described in the above link is provided at this site.


Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

• Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the official NPS home page for the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. It provides information on the trail's inclusion in the George Washington Memorial Parkway, historic sites to see in the area, trail designation, trail length, and land covered by the trail.

California National Historic Trail
• California National Historic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the official NPS home page of the California National Historic Trail. Look here for information on the trail's history, historic sites, designation, annual budget, state coverage, and route.


Iditarod National Historic Trail

• Iditarod National Historic Trail Home Page - This is the home page of the Iditarod National Historic Trail from the Bureau of Land Management. Information provided herein includes: a trail map, trail history, trail management, trail ownership, and a description of the trail.


Juan Bautista De Anza National Historic Trail

• Juan Bautista De Anza National Historic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the official NPS home page of the Juan Bautista De Anza National Historic Trail. Look here for information on the trail's history, designations, length, annual budget, state coverage, ownership, and management.


Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail

• Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the official home page from the NPS for the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail. Information provided by this site includes: trail history, trail length, state coverage, trail ownership and stewardship, annual budget, and the trail's designation.


Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail

• Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the official home page for the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, created by the NPS. Trail information at this site includes history, length, state coverage, land ownership, general route, and designation.


Nez Perce National Historic Trail

• Nez Perce National Historic Park (National Park Service) - This is the official NPS home page of the Nez Perce National Historic Park, which includes portions of the Nez Perce National Historic Trail (in addition to portions of the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail). The information at this site is predominately relative to the National Historical Park rather than the trail, but does give information on the trail's length, route, and state coverage.
• Nez Perce NHP: Administrative History (Chapter Three) - This site, also from the NPS, deals with the National Historic Trails affiliated with the NPNHP, as mentioned above. In particular, information on the history, length, designation, land ownership, development and progress, and administration and management of the Nez Perce National Historic Trail, is provided here.


Oregon National Historic Trail

• Oregon National Historic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the NPS home page for the Oregon National Historic Trail. Look here for brief information on the trail's history, route, state coverage, length, and annual budget.
• Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, National Historic (NHOTIC) Home Page - This site was created by the BLM, and serves as the home page for the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center at Flagstaff Hill. Look here for trail information and history, in addition to educational resources for use by students and teachers, and natural resources and regional information.


Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail

• Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the official NPS home page for the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail. Information provided herein includes: affiliation with the Kings Mountain National Military Park, trail history, state coverage, primary usage and access, designation, annual budget, and state and trail segment details and descriptions.


Pony Express National Historic Trail

• Pony Express National Historic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the official NPS home page for the Pony Express National Historic Trail. Look here for information on the trail's route, historic sites (including 50 existing Pony Express stations or station ruins), annual budget, and designation.


Santa Fe National Historic Trail

• Santa Fe National Historic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the official NPS home page for the Santa Fe National Historic Trail. Look here for information on the trail's original route, annual budget, and administration.


Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail

• Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail (National Park Service) - This is the official NPS home page for the Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail. Look here for information on the trail's route, annual budget, and designations.


Trail of Tears National Historic Trail

• Fort Smith National Historic Site - Trail of Tears NHT - This is an NPS website about the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. Look here for detailed information on the trail's history, as well as visitor information and educational resources for teachers.

New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route
• New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route (National Park Service) - This is the official NPS home page of the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route. Look here for information on the trail's history, purpose, designation, route, land coverage, etc. Also provided is a link to the trail's "expanded web page", which I was unable to open when working on this guide.

Laurel Hutchinson
CLIS 734
Graduate Student
College of Library and Information Science
University of South Carolina
laurel555@yahoo.com

This page was last updated on 10/9/00.