Did you know there are 10 other national landscape trials in the United States besides the Appalachian trials? Well, there are 11 national-level scenic trials, and the Appalachian Trail is the most popular, for obvious reasons.
The 11 national scenic trails span 31 states in the United States, with a total length of more than 18,000 miles (28,968 kilometers). In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson asked Congress to protect America’s beautiful outdoor trails. This led to the passage of the National Judiciary Act of 1968, which urged the creation of four categories of trials: entertainment, history, scenery and sideways.
Appalachia and the Pacific Ocean existed before the legislation; thus, they became the first two of the American National Landscapes.
Appalachian Trail
Formed 480 million years ago, the Appalachian Trail traverses Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. The 2,194-mile AP trail also passes through eight other states. Its summit is Klingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is 6,643 feet, or 2,025 meters. About 21,000 people have completed the entire journey so far.
Pacific coat of arms
Also designated in 1968 is the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650-mile trail that passes through California, Oregon, and Washington states. Completed in 1993, the trail runs along the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains. As of 2019, about 8,000 people have been granted trekking permits.
Continental Divide Trail
The trail passes through five states, including Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Named in 1978, it is 3,100 miles long and stretches along the Continental Divide. Hikers who can complete the AP Trail, Pacific Crest and Continental Divide will be awarded the Triple Crown of Hiking.
