18 of America's great long-distance footpaths, from the Triple Crown down.
America's long-distance trails run for thousands of miles across the country's wildest terrain — and you don't have to thru-hike them all at once to earn them. This is a curated checklist of 18 of the great long trails, from the famous Triple Crown to iconic regional paths and day-hikable sections, with each trail's route and length.
| Trail | Route | Length & Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Trail | Springer Mtn, GA to Mt. Katahdin, ME | 2,194 mi · GA to ME · 1937 |
| Pacific Crest Trail | Campo, CA to Manning Park, BC | 2,650 mi · Mexico to Canada · CA-OR-WA |
| Continental Divide Trail | Crazy Cook Monument, NM to Waterton Lakes, AB | 3,100 mi · Mexico to Canada · NM-CO-WY-MT |
| Trail | Route | Length & Notes |
|---|---|---|
| North Country Trail | Lake Sakakawea SP, ND to Crown Pt, NY | 4,800 mi · ND to VT (longest U.S. trail) |
| Pacific Northwest Trail | Glacier NP, MT to Olympic NP, WA | 1,200 mi · MT to WA Pacific |
| Florida Trail | Big Cypress NP to Pensacola Beach, FL | 1,500 mi |
| Ice Age Trail | Sturgeon Bay to St. Croix Falls, WI | 1,200 mi |
| Natchez Trace Trail | Along Natchez Trace Parkway | 60 mi (designated) · MS-TN |
| Trail | Route | Length & Notes |
|---|---|---|
| John Muir Trail | Happy Isles to Mt. Whitney, CA | 211 mi · Yosemite to Mt. Whitney |
| Long Trail (Vermont) | MA-VT border to Canada | 272 mi · oldest U.S. long trail |
| Wonderland Trail (Rainier) | Mt. Rainier NP, WA | 93 mi · around Mt. Rainier |
| Tahoe Rim Trail | Lake Tahoe, NV-CA | 165 mi · ring of Lake Tahoe |
| Colorado Trail | Denver to Durango, CO | 486 mi · Denver to Durango |
| Arizona Trail | Coronado NM to UT border, AZ | 800 mi · MX to UT |
| Trail | Route | Length & Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AT: Maine 100-Mile Wilderness | Monson to Mt. Katahdin, ME | 10 days · most-remote AT stretch |
| PCT: Trail Pass Sierra | Yosemite NP to Reds Meadow, CA | 10 days · Tuolumne to Reds Meadow |
| Skyline Trail (Mt. Rainier) | Mt. Rainier NP, WA | Paradise loop · 5 mi day hike |
| Half Dome Cables (Yosemite) | Yosemite Valley, CA | 17 mi day hike · permit required |
Turn this list into a keepsake. The Triptyka Long Trails Passport is a printable PDF with a curated checklist, a detail page for each trail, suggested sections, and achievement badges to earn.
Get the Printable Passport — $9.99 on Etsy →You don't have to thru-hike; section-hiking a long trail over many trips is how most people experience the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide trails. Get your permits early — the Pacific Crest Trail and many national scenic trails require them, and quotas fill fast. Follow Leave No Trace to protect these paths for the hikers behind you. Match the trail to the season; desert sections are best in spring and fall, high mountains in mid-to-late summer.
The Triple Crown refers to America's three great long-distance trails: the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail. Completing all three is one of hiking's ultimate achievements.
No. Most people section-hike, tackling a long trail in pieces over many trips or years. Completing it in one continuous push is called thru-hiking, but section-hiking still lets you experience the whole route.
The Continental Divide Trail, running roughly 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada along the spine of the Rockies, is the longest of the Triple Crown trails.
For many, yes. The Pacific Crest Trail and several national scenic trails require permits, sometimes with quotas that fill quickly. Check the managing agency for each trail before you plan.
A printable long trails passport — a curated checklist, a detail page for each trail, suggested sections, and achievement badges — makes it easy to mark off each one.