Bart Smith (born 1959) is an outdoor photographer who concentrates on documenting America's

National Trails System The National Trails System is a series of trails in the United States designated "to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nati ...

. Over the course of more than 25 years, he became the first person to hike and photograph all of the 11 national scenic trails and to traverse (mostly by hiking, but when necessary, by sailing, paddling, and bush plane) all of the 19 national historic trails. The 30 national trails go through all 50 states, with a total mileage of more than 50,000 miles. Smith's photographs of the national trail system, along with other notable trails, call attention to the diversity of American trails, the landscapes they cross, and the need to protect them. He is the principal photographer of 10 books, and has contributed to many others.

Biography

Smith's interest in hiking began with childhood Boy Scout trips. He told ''Backpacker'' magazine that he remembers becoming interested in the idea of long-distance trails when his Boy Scout troop crossed the

Pacific Crest Trail The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, which lie ...

and he learned that it was possible to walk all the way from his home in the Pacific Northwest to Mexico. Starting in 1992, Smith spent five years hiking the

and honing his skills as an outdoor photographer. In 1997, he successfully submitted a book proposal featuring his PCT photographs to Westcliffe Books, then a Colorado-based publisher of fine nature and outdoor photography books. (Westcliffe is now an imprint of Trails Books, which is itself an imprint of Denver-based Bower House.) The book, ''Along the Pacific Crest Trail'', with text by

Karen Berger Karen Berger (; born February 26, 1958) is an American comic book editor. She is best known for her role in helping create DC Comics' Vertigo imprint in 1993 and serving as the line's Executive Editor until 2013. She currently oversees Berger B ...

and Daniel R. Smith, was published in 1998. For his next book, Smith hiked the

Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail (also called the A.T.), is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tr ...

and partnered with

Earl Shaffer Earl V. Shaffer (November 8, 1918 – May 5, 2002), was an American outdoorsman and author known from 1948 as The Crazy One (and eventually as The Original Crazy One) for attempting what became the first publicized claimed hiking trip in a singl ...

, the Appalachian Trail's first thru-hiker, who wrote the text. ''The Appalachian Trail: Calling me Back to the Hills'' was published in 2002. Smith then hiked the

Florida Trail The Florida Trail is one of eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States. It currently runs , from Big Cypress National Preserve (between Miami and Naples, Florida along the Tamiami Trail) to Fort Pickens at Gulf Islands National Seashore, ...

, the

Ice Age Trail The Ice Age Trail is a National Scenic Trail stretching in the state of Wisconsin in the United States. The trail is administered by the National Park Service, and is constructed and maintained by private and public agencies including the Ice ...

, and finally, the rest of the national scenic trails. The total distance was more than 17,500 miles, according to Steve Elkinton, then the

program leader for the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

. Having completed the national scenic trails, Smith then decided to hike, or, where hiking was not possible, travel by water or air, over the national historic trails network. Smith's work and travels have been covered in and published by national and international media, including ''Backpacker,'' ''Smithsonian'', ''Outside'', and ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

''. Regional media and trail organizations closely followed Smith as he ticked off the trails in his quest to hike the entire national trails system. Media coverage focused on his overall project, as well as on the details of the trips (gear, packweight, logistics, dangers, camera equipment) and the characteristics and importance of individual trails. Examples include the

Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail was a east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and Westward Expansion Trails, emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of what ...

(''Idaho State Journal'' ), the

Lewis and Clark 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, Pen ...

, (Gateway Arch Park Foundation and the ''Helena'' (Montana) ''Independent Record''), the El Camino Real de los Tejas (''My San Antonio''), the

Santa Fe Trail The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, who departed from the Boonslick region along the Missouri River, th ...

(''Santa Fe New Mexican'' and ''Examiner''), and the

Nez Perce Trail The Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo) National Historic Trail follows the route taken by a large group of the Nez Perce tribe in 1877 to avoid being forced onto a reservation. The 1,170-mile (1,883 km) trail was created in 1986 as part of the National Tr ...

(''Billings Gazette'').

Speaking and Trail Advocacy

In addition to his photography, Smith is a frequent speaker for hiking conferences, as well as at venues for the general public, ranging from bookstores to the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...

. His books, media coverage of his travels, and his lectures have brought attention to the diversity of the American trails network and the need to protect the trails and the landscapes they cross.

Bibliography

''America's National Historic Trails'' * Rizzoli, 2020. () * Text by

, foreword by

Ken Burns Kenneth Lauren Burns (born July 29, 1953) is an American filmmaker known for his documentary film, documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle United States, American History of the United States, history and Culture of the ...

and

Dayton Duncan Dayton Duncan (born September 3, 1949) is an American screenwriter, producer and former political aide. He is best known for his collaborations with documentary maker Ken Burns. Early life and education Born and raised in Indianola, Iowa, Du ...

* Silver

National Outdoor Book Award The National Outdoor Book Award (NOBA) was formed in 1997 as an American-based non-profit program which each year presents awards honoring the best in outdoor writing and publishing. It is housed at Idaho State University and chaired by Ron Watte ...

Winner, in Journeys; Gold Foreword/Indie Award Winner in History ''Hiking Trails of the Pacific Northwest'' * Rizzoli, 2020. () * Text by Craig Romano and William Sullivan ''The AT: Hiking the People's Path'' * Rizzoli, 2017. () ''The Pacific Crest Trail'' * Rizzoli, 2016. () * Text by Mark Larabee, foreword by

Cheryl Strayed Cheryl Strayed (; née Nyland; born September 17, 1968) is an American writer and podcast host. She has written four books: the novel ''Torch'' (2006) and the nonfiction books '' Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail'' (2012), ''Tin ...

''America's Great Hiking Trails'' * Rizzoli, 2014. () * Text by Karen Berger, foreword by

Bill McKibben William Ernest McKibben (born December 8, 1960)"Bill Ernest McKibben." ''Environmental Encyclopedia''. Edited by Deirdre S. Blanchfield. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2009. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, December 31, 2017. is a ...

* ''Published in German as Wandern in den USA'' by National Geographic, 2014. () * Gold

Lowell Thomas Awards Lowell Jackson Thomas (April 6, 1892 – August 29, 1981) was an American writer, actor, Television presenter, broadcaster, and traveler, best remembered for publicising T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). He was also involved in promoting the ...

Winner, Gold Foreword/Indie Award Winner in Adventure * ''New York Times'' Travel Books Bestseller ''The Pony Express: An Illustrated History'' * Two Dot, 2009. () * Text by Carol Guthrie ''Along Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail'' * University of Wisconsin, 2008. () * Text edited by Eric and Andrew Hanson III ''Along the Florida Trail'' * Westcliffe Publishing, 2003. () * Text by Sandra Friend ''The Appalachian Trail: Calling me Back to the Hills'' * Westcliffe Publishing, 2002. () * Text by Earl Shaeffer ''Along the Pacific Crest Trail'' * Westcliffe Publishing, 1998. () * Text by Karen Berger and Daniel R. Smith

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Bart Living people American photographers Hikers 1959 births