Scenic Trails

< back to Historic and Scenic Trails

New England National Scenic Trail

  Established: March 30, 2009 Managing Nonprofits: Appalachian Mountain Club, Connecticut Forest and Park Association Managing Agency: National Park Service   The New England National Scenic Trail (NENST) is 215 miles of the full New England experience, traversing agricultural lands, urban areas, historic village centers,…

Photo of Jack Mountain by Tyler Yates. Provided courtesy PNTA. All rights reserved.

Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail

  Established: March 30, 2009 Managing Nonprofit: Pacific Northwest Trail Association Managing Agency: USDA Forest Service   The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (PNST) is a 1,200-mile continuous pathway from the soaring peaks along the Continental Divide to the rocky shores of the Pacific Ocean.…

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

  Established: October 2, 1968 Managing Nonprofit: Pacific Crest Trail Association Managing Agency: USDA Forest Service   The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCNST) was one of the first two  trails, along with the Appalachian NST, to receive a National Trail designation as part of…

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

  Established: March 28, 1983 Managing Nonprofit: Potomac Heritage Trail Association Managing Agency: National Park Service   The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (PHNST) offers numerous outdoor recreation opportunities whether you prefer to hike, bike, or paddle the Potomac and Youghiogheny Rivers. The network of…

North Country National Scenic Trail

North Country National Scenic Trail

  Established: March 5, 1980 Managing Nonprofit: North Country Trail Association Managing Agency: National Park Service   The North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) gives hikers the opportunity to explore the northernmost reaches of the United States. This Trail is the longest National Scenic Trail…

Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail

  Established: March 28, 1983 Managing Nonprofit: Natchez Trace Parkway Association Managing Agency: National Park Service   A long-used footpath that likely began as a series of game trails made by animals, the roughly 500-mile long Natchez Trace was eventually adopted by Native populations and,…

Ice Age National Scenic Trail

  Established: October 3, 1980 Managing Nonprofit: Ice Age Trail Alliance Managing Agency: National Park Service   During the Ice Age that began about 2.6 million years ago and ended about 11,000 years ago, much of North America was covered by a single, enormous glacier.…

Florida National Scenic Trail

  Established: March 28, 1983 Managing Nonprofit: Florida Trail Association Managing Agency: USDA Forest Service   The Florida National Scenic Trail runs the length of the state that gives the Trail its name, through the swamps, sawgrass prairies, and cypress forests in the south, to…

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

  Established: November 10, 1978 Managing Nonprofit: Continental Divide Trail Coalition, Continental Divide Trail Society Managing Agency: USDA Forest Service   The Continental Divide is an imaginary line that divides the North American continent in half. Water that falls to the west of that line…

Arizona National Scenic Trail

  Established: March 30, 2009 Managing Nonprofit: Arizona Trail Association Managing Agency: USDA Forest Service   The Arizona National Scenic Trail follows a roughly 800-mile course from the US/Mexico border to the Utah state line north of the Grand Canyon. The Trail crosses through several…

2024 National Trails Workshop Call for Proposals Open