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The American Discovery Trail is a system of recreational trails and roads that collectively form a coast-to-coast hiking and biking
trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. ...
across the mid-tier of the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
. Horses can also be ridden on most of this trail. The coastal trailheads are the Delmarva Peninsula on the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
and the northern
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
coast on the
Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...
. The trail has northern and southern alternates for part of its distance, passing through
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
and 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 covering . It is the only non-motorized coast-to-coast trail. The trail passes through 14
national park A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual ...
s 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 Colorado Trail is a long-distance trail running for from the mouth of Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango in Colorado, United States. Its highest point is above sea level, and most of the trail is above . Despite its high elevat ...
. The trail passes through the
District of Columbia ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle (Washington, D.C.), Logan Circle, Jefferson Memoria ...
and the following 15 states: *
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...
() *
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...
() *
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...
() *
Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...
() *
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...
() *
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...
() *
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
() *
Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...
() *
Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
() *
Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...
() *
Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...
() *
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...
() *
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to its ...
() *
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
() *
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
()


Hiking records

Joyce and Pete Cottrell, of
Whitefield, New Hampshire Whitefield is a town in Coös County, New Hampshire, United States, in the White Mountains Region. The population was 2,490 at the 2020 census. Situated on the northern edge of the White Mountains, Whitefield is home to the Mount Washington Reg ...
, were the first to backpack the entire official route of the American Discovery Trail. They hiked the segments out of sequence over two calendar years, finishing in 2003. 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 Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...
and ended at
Point Reyes, California Point Reyes (, meaning "Point of the Kings") is a prominent cape and popular Northern California tourist destination on the Pacific coast. Located in Marin County, it is approximately west-northwest of San Francisco. The term is often applie ...
. They trailed 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 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. They are listed from east to west to correspond with the itinerary typically followed by thru-hikers to take advantage of the best seasonal weather conditions. * Cape Henlopen State Park, the eastern terminus of the trail in
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...
. *
Argentine Pass Argentine Pass, elevation , is a high mountain pass that crosses the Continental Divide in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States. Argentine Pass is located on the crest of the Front Range along the bounda ...
, Colorado, the highest point in the trail where it crosses the Rockies. *Limantour Beach,
Point Reyes Point Reyes (, meaning "Point of the Kings") is a prominent cape and popular Northern California tourist destination on the Pacific coast. Located in Marin County, it is approximately west-northwest of San Francisco. The term is often applie ...
, the western terminus of the trail in
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.


Other affiliated locations

The following locations are found along or adjacent to the route of the American Discovery Trail. They are divided into categories within each state, organized by state from east to west.


Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...


Affiliated trails

* Cape Henlopen Bike Trail * Georgetown-Lewes Trail


Forests

*
Redden State Forest Delaware has three state forests, one in each county, totaling more than . These natural resource areas are managed by thDelaware Department of Agriculture Forest Servicesee also Delaware State Forests Blackbird State Forest Located north of Smyr ...


Parks

* Cape Henlopen State Park


Points of interest

* Historic towns of Lewes and Milton


Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...


Affiliated trails

*
Love Point Love Point is the name for the northernmost tip of Kent Island, Maryland, United States and as such, marks the southern point of the mouth of the Chester River. It has served as a major ferry terminal, the western terminus of the Queen Anne's Railr ...
to Lewes, DE "Smuggler's Trail" formerly Queen Anne's Railroad * Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis (WB&A) Rail Trail * Baltimore and Annapolis (B&A) Trail * East Coast Greenway *
Anacostia Tributary Trails The Anacostia Tributary Trail System (ATTS) is a unified and signed system of stream valley trails joining trails along the Anacostia tributaries of Northwest Branch, Northeast Branch, Indian Creek and Paint Branch with a trail along the Anac ...
* Fort Circle Trail * Capital Crescent Trail * Rock Creek Park Trail * Appalachian National Scenic Trail * Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail * Allegheny Highlands Trail * Star Spangled Banner National Historic Trail * Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail


Parks

*
Martinak State Park Martinak State Park is a public recreation area located on the Choptank River and Watts Creek, immediately south of Denton in Caroline County, Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares ...
* Tuckahoe State Park,
Adkins Arboretum Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and arboretum located within Tuckahoe State Park at 12610 Eveland Road, Ridgely, Maryland. The grounds contain five miles of paths through meadows and native plant gardens on the Eastern Shore of Maryla ...
* Horsehead Wetlands Center (Wildfowl viewing) *
Sandy Point State Park Sandy Point State Park is a public recreation area on Chesapeake Bay, located at the western end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The state park is known for the popularity of its swimming beach, with annual attendan ...
*
Greenbelt Park Greenbelt Park is a park in Greenbelt, Maryland, that is managed by the National Park Service. The forested park lies approximately 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Washington, D.C., and is situated just within the Capital Beltway (which bou ...
* Rock Creek Park * Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park


West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...


Affiliated trails

* North Bend Rail Trail * Harrison County Rail-Trail * Dryfork Rail-Trail *
Allegheny Trail The Allegheny Trail is a hiking trail that passes through the Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia, United States. It is the longest named trail in the state excepting the Appalachian Trail, of which traverses the state at Harper's Ferry Ha ...


Forests

* Monongahela National Forest


Parks

* Harpers Ferry National Historic Park * Canaan Valley Resort State Park * Tygart Lake State Park *
Blackwater Falls State Park Blackwater Falls State Park is located in the Allegheny Mountains of Tucker County, West Virginia, US. The centerpiece of the park is Blackwater Falls, a cascade where the Blackwater River leaves its leisurely course in Canaan Valley and enters ...
* North Bend State Park


Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...


Affiliated trails

* Buckeye Trail * Burr Oak Loop Trail * Robert and Mary Lou Paton Trail in
Burr Oak State Park Burr Oak State Park is a public recreation area located northeast of Glouster in the U.S. state of Ohio. The park sits mostly in Morgan County, with part extending into Athens County. The state park is centered at Burr Oak Lake. The dam for ...
* Grandma Gatewood Trail in Hocking Hills State Park * Perimeter Trail in East Fork Park * The Riverwalk in Cincinnati * The Shaker Trace in Miami-Whitewater Forest Hamilton County Park * Hueston Woods State Park Trails ** Hedgeapple Trail ** Big Woods Trail ** Sugar Bush Trail ** West Shore Trail in Hueston Woods State Park


Forests

* Wayne National Forest *
Hocking State Forest Hocking State Forest is a state forest A state forest or national forest is a forest that is administered or protected by some agency of a sovereign or federated state, or territory. Background The precise application of the terms vary by jur ...
*
Tar Hollow State Forest Tar Hollow State Forest is a state forest in Hocking, Ross, and Vinton counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is part of an area of protected land that also includes Tar Hollow State Park Tar Hollow State Park is a public recreation area lo ...
* Scioto Trail State Forest * Pike State Forest *
Shawnee State Forest Shawnee State Forest, also known as "Ohio's Little Smokies", is a state forest in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is located in western Scioto County and eastern Adams County and encompasses of woodland. It is the largest state forest in Ohio. As wi ...


Parks

*
Burr Oak State Park Burr Oak State Park is a public recreation area located northeast of Glouster in the U.S. state of Ohio. The park sits mostly in Morgan County, with part extending into Athens County. The state park is centered at Burr Oak Lake. The dam for ...
* Logan State Park * Hocking Hills State Park * Tar Hollow State Park * Scioto Trail State Park * Pike Lake State Park *
Fort Hill State Memorial Fort Hill State Memorial is a Native American earthwork located in Highland County, Ohio, United States. Built by the Hopewell culture, it is maintained by the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System and the Ohio History Connection. The earthwork ...
* Serpent Mound State Memorial * Davis Memorial * Shawnee State Park * Grant Lake St. Mary's State Park *
East Fork State Park East Fork State Park is public recreation area located around the East Fork of the Little Miami River in Clermont County, southeast of central Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States. It maintains the 33-mile "Steve Newman World-Walker" peri ...
* Little Miami River State Park * Eden Park * Bicentennial Common in Cincinnati * Devou park (
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
) * Harrison's Tomb * Miami - Whitewater Forest Hamilton County Park * Indian Creek Preserve * Gov. Bebb Butler County Metropark * Hueston Woods State Park


Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...
(Northern route)


Affiliated trails

* Whitewater Gorge National Recreation Trail * Cardinal Greenway * Erie Trail-North Judson * Nickel Plate Trail


Parks

* Tippecanoe River State Park * Summit Lake State Park


Indiana (Southern route)


Affiliated trails

* Pigeon Creek Greenway * Knobstone Trail * Two Lakes Trail * Adventure Trail * Burdette Park/University of Southern Indiana Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Nature Trail * Heritage Trail of Madison


Forests

*
Clark State Forest Clark State Forest, located just north of Henryville, Indiana in the United States, is Indiana's oldest state forest, formed in 1903 as a forest research facility and a nursery (horticulture), nursery and later expanded by the Works Progress Admin ...
* Harrison-Crawford State Forest * Hoosier National Forest


Parks

*
Burdette Park Burdette Park is a recreational facility in Vanderburgh County, Indiana. It is the only municipal park in Vanderburgh County not operated by the City of Evansville. Burdette Park provides a recreational and educational environment consisting of ...
*
Clifty Falls State Park Clifty Falls State Park is an Indiana state park on in Jefferson County, Indiana in the United States. It is northeast of Louisville, Kentucky. The park attracts about 370,000 visitors annually. On October 27, 1920, citizens of Madison, Ind ...
* Lincoln State Park * Falls of the Ohio State Park *
O'Bannon Woods State Park O'Bannon Woods State Park is a state park in the state of Indiana, 32 miles (51 km) west of Louisville, Kentucky. O'Bannon Woods was originally known as the Wyandotte Woods State Recreation Area, which was part of the Harrison-C ...


Illinois (Northern route)


Affiliated trails

* Old Plank Road Trail * Illinois and Michigan Canal State Trail *
Grand Illinois Trail The Grand Illinois Trail (occasionally abbreviated GIT) is a multipurpose recreational trail in the northern part of the U.S. state of Illinois. At over in length, it is the longest trail in Illinois. Parts of it are in the coast-to-coast American ...
* Sauk Trail Forest Preserve Trail * Thorn Creek Trail * Hennepin Canal Parkway State Trail * Great River Trail


Parks

* Indian Boundary Park *Dewey Helmick Nature Preserve * Hickory Creek Bikeway Trailhead Park * Channahon State Park * McKinley Woods State Park * William G. Stratton State Park * Gebhard Woods State Park * Illini State Park * Starved Rock State Park * Buffalo Rock State Park * Mathhiessen State Park * Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park


Illinois (Southern route)


Affiliated trails

*
River to River Trail The River to River Trail is a 160 mile (256 km)-long hiking trail that serves Shawnee National Forest in far southern Illinois. The trail is used by both equestrians and hikers. About half is on off road trails. Its eastern terminus has his ...
* Metro-East Levee Trail *
Tunnel Hill State Trail The Tunnel Hill State Trail is a bicycle trail running from Eldorado to Karnak, Illinois. The trail runs along the former bed of a part of the Cairo and Vincennes Railroad, a transportation unit led during its early years by Civil War General A ...


Forests

* Shawnee National Forest


Parks

* Devil's Backbone Park *
Ferne Clyffe State Park Ferne Clyffe State Park is an Illinois state park on in Johnson County, Illinois, United States. The nearest town is Goreville, Illinois, and the nearest connection to a limited-access highway is at Exit 7 on the Illinois portion of Interst ...
* Giant City State Park * Cave In Rock State Park


Iowa (Northern route)


Affiliated trails

* Riverfront Trail * Hoover Nature Trail *
Cedar River Trail The Cedar River Regional Trail is a partially paved rail trail A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also sha ...
* Cedar Valley Nature Trail * Cedar Valley Lakes Trail * Pioneer Trail * Comet Trail * Heart of Iowa Nature Trail * Saylorville-Des Moines River Trail * Raccoon River Valley Trail * T-Bone Trail * Wabash Trace Trail


Parks

* Deerwood Park * George Wyth State Park * Wild Cat Den State Park * Pleasant Creek State Park


Missouri (Southern route)


Affiliated trails

* Katy Trail *
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is a route across the United States commemorating the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 to 1806. It is part of the National Trails System of the United States. It extends for some from Pittsburgh, Pe ...
* Rock Island Spur


Forests

* Daniel Boone State Forest * Baltimore Bend State Forest


Parks

*
Forest Park A forest park is a park whose main theme is its forest of trees. Forest parks are found both in the mountains and in the urban environment. Examples Chile * Forest Park, Santiago China * Gongqing Forest Park, Shanghai * Mufushan National Forest ...
* Missouri State Park * Frontier Park * Swope Park *
Arrow Rock State Historic Site Arrow Rock State Historic Site is an open-air museum encompassing a geographic formation and a portion of the village of Arrow Rock, Missouri. The park is part of the Arrow Rock Historic District, a National Historic Landmark, and commemorates ...
* Van Meter State Park


Nebraska (Northern route)


Affiliated trails

* Pony Express National Historic Trail *
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail The Mormon Trail is the long route from Illinois to Utah that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled for 3 months. Today, the Mormon Trail is a part of the United States National Trails System, known as the Mormon ...
* MoPac East Trail * Oak Creek Trail *
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is a route across the United States commemorating the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 to 1806. It is part of the National Trails System of the United States. It extends for some from Pittsburgh, Pe ...
* 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 Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, known as Scout's Rest Ranch, is a living history state park located west of North Platte, Nebraska. The ranch was established in 1878 with an initial purchase of 160 acres south of the Union Pacific tra ...


Kansas (Southern route)


Affiliated trails

*
Santa Fe National Historic Trail Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnigh ...


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 Pikes Peak Greenway is a 16 mile trail in Colorado Springs, Colorado that parallels Monument and Fountain Creeks and winds through and alongside parks, like Monument Valley Park, and sports complexes. It connects with other trails, such as the M ...
* 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 The Colorado Trail is a long-distance trail running for from the mouth of Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango in Colorado, United States. Its highest point is above sea level, and most of the trail is above . Despite its high elevat ...
* Vail Pass Tenmile Canyon National Recreation Trail * Chalk Creek Trail *
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (in short Continental Divide Trail (CDT)) is a United States National Scenic Trail with a length measured by the Continental Divide Trail Coalition of between the U.S. border with Chihuahua, Mexico a ...
* 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 The Kokopelli's Trail (also known as the Kokopelli Trail) is a multi-use trail (but primarily used by mountain bikes) in Grand County, Utah and Mesa County, Colorado in the western United States. The trail was named in honor of its mythic muse ...
* Fountain Creek Greenway * Cavalier Park Trail


Forests

* Pike National Forest * Arapaho National Forest *
San Isabel National Forest San Isabel National Forest is located in central Colorado. The forest contains 19 of the state's 53 fourteeners, peaks over high, including Mount Elbert, the highest point in Colorado. It is one of eleven national forests in the state of Colo ...
*
Gunnison National Forest The Gunnison National Forest is a U.S. National Forest covering 1,672,136 acres (2,612.71 sq mi, or 6,766.89 km²) White River National Forest * Grand Mesa National Forest


Parks

*
John Martin Reservoir State Park John Martin Reservoir State Park is a state park in Colorado. It contains John Martin Reservoir, which is the second largest body of water in Colorado by capacity. It is also known for being a prime birdwatching location. Bent County, Colorado ...
*
Lake Pueblo State Park Lake Pueblo State Park is a state park located in Pueblo County, Colorado. It includes of shoreline and of land. Activities it offers include two full-service marinas, recreational fishing, hiking, camping and swimming at a special swim beach. ...
*
Mueller State Park Mueller State Park is a Colorado state park encompassing of land outside Divide, Colorado, west of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The park offers many outdoor activities. There are of trails, biking, camping year-round, hunting, hiking, and hor ...
* Garden of the Gods Park * Roxborough State Park *
Chatfield State Park Chatfield State Park is a state park located in Douglas and Jefferson counties of Colorado, United States. The park centers on Chatfield Reservoir, a 1,423 acre surface area lake fed by the South Platte River and two other creeks, including ...
* Bear Creek Regional Park * Mount Falcon Park * O'Fallon Denver Mountain Park * Elk Meadow Park


Utah


Affiliated trails

*
Kokopelli's Trail The Kokopelli's Trail (also known as the Kokopelli Trail) is a multi-use trail (but primarily used by mountain bikes) in Grand County, Utah and Mesa County, Colorado in the western United States. The trail was named in honor of its mythic muse ...
*
Great Western Trail The Great Western Trail is a north-south long distance multiple use route that runs from Canada to Mexico through five western states in the United States. The trail has access for both motorized and non-motorized users and traverses through ...
* 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 *
Arches National Park Arches National Park is a national park in eastern Utah, United States. The park is adjacent to the Colorado River, north of Moab, Utah. More than 2,000 natural sandstone arches are located in the park, including the well-known Delicate Arch, ...


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 The Currant Mountain Wilderness is a wilderness area centered on Currant Mountain in the White Pine Range of Nye County and White Pine County, in the eastern section of the state of Nevada in the western United States. The Currant Mountain ...
* Alta Toquima Wilderness *
Arc Dome Wilderness The Arc Dome Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in the Toiyabe Range of Nye County, in the central section of the state of Nevada in the western United States. It covers an area of approximately , Nevada's largest Wilderness area. Attr ...
* Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park * Sand Mountain Recreation Area * Grimes Point National Historic Site * Fort Churchill State Historic Park *
Washoe Lake State Park Washoe Lake State Park is a year-round public recreation area occupying on the southeast shore of Washoe Lake in Washoe County, Nevada. The state park lies to the east of Lake Tahoe, approximately north of Carson City near U.S. Route 395. Th ...
* 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 Auburn State Recreation Area is a state park unit of California, along of the North and Middle Forks of the American River. The state recreation area (SRA) is situated on the border of Placer and El Dorado Counties in the heart of historic Go ...
* Folsom Lake State Recreation Area *
American River Parkway The American River Parkway is a parkway that runs along the American River throughout Sacramento County, California and consists of many smaller parks and boat launching points. It can be accessed by various exits off U.S. Route 50 in Sacramento ...
* Discovery Park * William Land Park *
Contra Loma Regional Park Contra Loma Regional Park is a regional park in Contra Costa County, California. It is part of the East Bay Regional Parks system. It is located in the city of Antioch and includes an reservoir. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is updating its ...
* Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve *
Mt. Diablo State Park Mount Diablo is a mountain of the Diablo Range, in Contra Costa County of the eastern San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California. It is south of Clayton and northeast of Danville. It is an isolated upthrust peak of , visible from most o ...
* Shell Ridge Open Space * Heather Farms Park * Acalanes Ridge Open Space * Briones Regional Park * Wildcat Canyon Regional Park *
Tilden Regional Park Charles Lee Tilden Regional Park, also known as Tilden Park or Tilden, [], is a regional park in the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area), East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area in California. It is between the Berkeley Hills and San Pablo R ...
* Presidio of San Francisco * Golden Gate National Recreation Area * Muir Woods National Monument * Mount Tamalpais State Park * Point Reyes National Seashore


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


External links

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ADT Data Books
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