The American Discovery Trail is a system of recreational trails and roads that collectively form a coast-to-coast hiking and biking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. Horses can also be ridden on much of this trail. The coastal trailheads are the Delmarva Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the northern California coast on the Pacific Ocean. The trail has northern and southern alternates for part of its distance, passing through Chicago or St. Louis respectively. The total length of the trail, including both the north and south routes, is . The northern route covers with the southern route being . It is the only non-motorized coast-to-coast trail.

The trail passes through at least 14 national parks and 16 national forests and uses sections of or connects to five National Scenic Trails, 10 National Historic Trails, and 23 National Recreation Trails. For part of its distance, it is coincident with the North Country Trail, the Buckeye Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and the Colorado Trail.

The trail passes through the District of Columbia and the following 15 states:

  • Delaware ()
  • Maryland ()
  • West Virginia ()
  • Ohio ()
  • Indiana ()
  • Illinois ()
  • Kentucky ()
  • Iowa ()
  • Missouri ()
  • Nebraska ()
  • Kansas ()
  • Colorado ()
  • Utah ()
  • Nevada ()
  • California ()

Hiking records

[[File:AmericanDiscoveryTrailLogo.png|thumb|right|ADT Society's official trail logo

The first hikers to complete the trail in one continuous walk were Marcia and Ken Powers, a wife and husband team from Pleasanton, California. Their trail walk lasted from February 27 to October 15, 2005. They started out from Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware and ended at Point Reyes, California. They traveled by foot, averaging a day.

The first person to backpack the entire (including both Northern and Southern sections) in one continuous hike was Mike "Lion King" Daniel. He started from Cape Henlopen State Park on June 17, 2007, and ended at Point Reyes, California, on November 5, 2008. The first woman to backpack the entire 6,800 miles (10,944 km) solo in one continuous hike was Briana DeSanctis. She started on January 1, 2022, and ended her journey on February 10, 2024.

The first person to cover the entire equestrian route on horseback was Matt Parker. He undertook the journey between May 2003 and November 2005.

Notable locations

At Cedar Rapids, a mural was posted on Greene Square in 2019 to mark both the American Discovery Trail, which passes through downtown, and the Cedar Lake-Smokestack Bridge project.

The following notable locations are found along or adjacent to the route of the American Discovery Trail, organized from east to west.

Forests

  • Daniel Boone State Forest
  • Baltimore Bend State Forest

Parks

  • Forest Park
  • Missouri State Park
  • Frontier Park
  • Swope Park
  • Arrow Rock State Historic Site
  • Van Meter State Park

Nebraska (Northern route)

Affiliated trails

  • Pony Express National Historic Trail
  • Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
  • MoPac East Trail
  • Oak Creek Trail
  • Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
  • California National Historic Trail
  • Oregon National Historic Trail

Parks

  • Fort Kearny State Historical Park
  • Ash Hollow State Historical Park
  • Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park

Kansas (Southern route)

Affiliated trails

  • Santa Fe National Historic Trail

Parks

  • Shawnee Mission Park
  • Clinton State Park

Colorado

Affiliated trails

  • Pueblo Riverwalk
  • Canon City Riverwalk
  • Cripple Creek Trails System
  • Ute Pass Trail
  • America The Beautiful Trail
  • Green Mountain Falls Bikeway
  • Sinton Trail
  • Pikes Peak Greenway
  • New Santa Fe Trail
  • Carpenter Peak Trail
  • Chatfield Trails System
  • South Platte River Trail
  • Bear Creek Greenway
  • Castle Trail
  • People's Path
  • Warren Gulch Trail
  • Spring Creek Trail
  • South Park Trail
  • Burning Bear Trail
  • Hall Valley Trail
  • Colorado Trail
  • Vail Pass Tenmile Canyon National Recreation Trail
  • Chalk Creek Trail
  • Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
  • Timberline Trail
  • Taylor Pass Trail
  • Brush Creek Trail
  • Crystal River Trail
  • Braderick Creek Trail
  • Lake Ridge Lakes Trail
  • High Trail
  • Sunlight-Powderhorn Snowmobile Trail
  • Leon Lake Trail
  • Crag Crest National Recreation Trail
  • Kannah Creek Trail
  • Old Spanish Trail
  • Colorado Riverfront Trail
  • Liberty Cap Trail
  • Black Ridge Trail
  • Monument Canyon Trail
  • Kokopelli's Trail
  • Fountain Creek Greenway
  • Cavalier Park Trail

Forests

  • Pike National Forest
  • Arapaho National Forest
  • San Isabel National Forest
  • Gunnison National Forest
  • White River National Forest
  • Grand Mesa National Forest

Parks

  • John Martin Reservoir State Park
  • Lake Pueblo State Park
  • Mueller State Park
  • Garden of the Gods Park
  • Roxborough State Park
  • Chatfield State Park
  • Bear Creek Regional Park
  • Mount Falcon Park
  • O'Fallon Denver Mountain Park
  • Elk Meadow Park

Utah

Affiliated trails

  • Kokopelli's Trail
  • Great Western Trail
  • Paiute ATV Trail
  • Oak Creek Trail
  • Lockhart Basin Trail
  • Hurrah Pass Trail

Forests

  • Dixie National Forest
  • Fishlake National Forest
  • Manti-La Sal National Forest

Parks

  • Canyonlands National Park
  • Capitol Reef National Park

Nevada

Affiliated trails

  • Tahoe Rim Trail
  • Pony Express National Historic Trail
  • Mount Jefferson Trail
  • Toiyabe National Recreation Trail

Forests

  • Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

Parks

  • Great Basin National Park
  • Cave Lake State Park
  • Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park
  • Currant Mountain Wilderness
  • Alta Toquima Wilderness
  • Arc Dome Wilderness
  • Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park
  • Sand Mountain Recreation Area
  • Grimes Point National Historic Site
  • Fort Churchill State Historic Park
  • Washoe Lake State Park
  • Mt. Rose Wilderness
  • Lake Tahoe State Park
  • Table Mountain Wilderness

California

Affiliated trails

  • Tahoe Rim Trail
  • Western States Trail
  • Pacific Crest Trail
  • Foresthill Loop Trail
  • Confluence Trail
  • Pioneer Express Trail
  • American River Bike Trail
  • Jedediah Smith National Recreation Trail
  • Delta de Anza Regional Trail
  • Stewartville Trail
  • Ridge Trail
  • Black Diamond Trail
  • Cumberland Trail
  • Black Diamond to Mt. Diablo Trail
  • Bruce Lee Trail
  • Mitchell Canyon Trail
  • Deer Flat Creek Trail
  • Prospectors Gap Trail
  • North Peak Trail
  • Summit Trail
  • Wall Point Trail
  • Briones-Mount Diablo Trail
  • Lafayette Ridge Trail
  • Homestead Valley Trail
  • Oursan Trail
  • Bear Creek Trail
  • Inspiration Trail
  • Bay Area Ridge Trail
  • Sea View Trail
  • Vollmer Peak Trail
  • Grizzly Peak Trail
  • San Francisco Bay Trail
  • SCA Trail
  • Bobcat Trail
  • Miwok Trail
  • Redwood Creek Trail
  • Deer Creek Park Fire Trail
  • Hillside Trail
  • Ben Johnson Trail
  • Stapleveldt Trail
  • Matt Davis Trail
  • Coastal Trail
  • Bolinas Ridge Trail
  • Randall Trail
  • Olema Valley Trail
  • Stewart Trail
  • Glen Trail
  • Bear Valley Trail
  • Coast Trail
  • Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail

Parks

  • Granite Chief Wilderness
  • Auburn State Recreation Area
  • Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
  • American River Parkway
  • Discovery Park
  • William Land Park
  • Contra Loma Regional Park
  • Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
  • Mt. Diablo State Park
  • Shell Ridge Open Space
  • Heather Farms Park
  • Acalanes Ridge Open Space
  • Briones Regional Park
  • Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
  • Tilden Regional Park
  • Presidio of San Francisco
  • Golden Gate National Recreation Area
  • Muir Woods National Monument
  • Mount Tamalpais State Park
  • Point Reyes National Seashore

See also

  • American Perimeter Trail

Further reading

  • Foot, William; Foot, Laurel. (2006) The American Discovery Trail Trail Data, American Discovery Trail Society. . Maps included: Sussex County: bicycle map; Chesapeake and Ohio Canal; American Discovery Trail, Western West Virginia and Ohio Route; and American Discovery Trail, California Route.
  • "American Discovery Trail — Linking Eastern Iowa" legis.iowa.gov.
  • Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Senate, United States Congress. (1998) National Discovery Trails Act and National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act: Hearing Before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifth Congress, Second Session on S. 1069 ... S. 1403 ... February 11, 1998. Volume 4, S. hrg, Volume 105, issue 475, United States Government Printing Office, .
  • United States Congress; House; Committee on Resources; Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands. (1997) Hearing on H.R. 588, to amend the National Trails System Act to create a new category of long-distance trails to be known as National Discovery Trails, to authorize the American Discovery Trail as the first trail in that category, and for other purposes; and H.R. 1513 a bill to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Lincoln National Historic Trail as a component of the National Trails System: hearing before the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands of the Committee on Resources, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fifth Congress, first session on H.R. 588 and H.R. 1513--to amend the National Trails System Act, June 10, 1997--Washington, DC. GPO, .
  • American Hiking Society; National Park Service. (1995) America's Trails: A Directory of Organizations and Managing Agencies 1995. American Hiking Society.
  • Lukei, Reese (1995) The American Discovery Trail: Explorer's Guide. Johnson Books, 1995, .

References

  • ADT Data Books