Backpacking Trails

There are many hiking trails in the United States, but three North/South national scenic trails stand out. These three trails are commonly referred to as the "Triple Crown": the Appalachian Trail, (perhaps the most famous hiking trail in the world); the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail, which offers the most rugged long-distance hiking in the contiguous 48 states.

The Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail, is a 2,174 mile (3500 km) marked hiking trail in the eastern United States, extending beween Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. Along the way, the trail also passes through the states of North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire.

The trail is currently protected along more than 99 percent of its course by federal or state ownership of the land or by right-of-way. Annually, more than 4,000 volunteers contribute over 175,000 hours of effort on the Appalachian Trail, an effort coordinated largely by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) organization.

In the course of its journey, the trail crosses the tops of several of the Appalachian Mountains, running, with only a few exceptions, almost continuously through wilderness.

Throughout its entire length, the AT is marked by 2 by 6 inch (5 by 15 cm) white paint blazes. Side trails to shelters, viewpoints and parking areas use similarly-shaped blue blazes.

The Pacific Coast Trail

The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance mountain hiking trail that runs from the United States border with Mexico to its border with Canada. It passes through the Laguna, San Jacinto, San Bernardino, San Gabriel, Liebre, Tehachapi Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada in California, and the Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington states. The Pacific Crest Trail is 2,650 miles (4,240 km) long. It was designated a National Scenic Trail in 1993. The Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail form the Triple Crown of long distance hiking.

Each year, about 300 people, commonly called thru-hikers, attempt to hike the entire trail from end-to-end. The trip usually takes between four and six months. Around 180 complete the hike each year. Most "thru-hikers" start from the southern Mexican border and reach the north end of the trail before the first hard snow. Picking up supplies along the way, usually packages sent to them via mail, most hikers cover about 25 miles (40 km) per day.

Continental Divide Trail

The Continental Divide Trail is a footpath running 3,100 miles (5,000 km) through the United States of America between Mexico and Canada. It follows the Continental Divide along the Rocky Mountains and traverses five U.S. states - Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. In Montana it crosses Triple Divide Peak which separates the Hudson Bay, Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean drainages.

As of 2004, the trail, a combination of dedicated trails and small roads, is considered 70% complete. The uncompleted portions of the trail must be traveled by bushwhacking or roadwalking.

Only about two dozen people a year attempt to hike the entire trail, taking about six months to complete it.

The Continental Divide Trail along with the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail form the Triple Crown of long distance hiking