The United States is home to diverse and fascinating walking trails, offering a glimpse into the nation’s past. From the peaks with buffalo views that echo Native American heritage to the historic trenches of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, these trails provide a rich journey through history.
Whether you’re drawn to the remnants of the East-to-West migration, the stories of native conflicts, or adventures across historic lands, we’ve selected the top 10 most captivating historical trails across the US for you to explore.
Before Embarking on a Historic Trail
A simple lighter or a knife can make all the difference – [Image Credit – Explorersweb]
Before you embark on a historic trail journey whether it is in a state park, a legendary trail system of roads, or just backpacking into the vast backcountry, here are some helpful tips that you need to know.
- Optimal Times and Essentials – prepare by choosing spring or fall for the best weather, stay on marked paths, watch for wildlife, and carry enough water and food to handle sudden weather changes
- Preserving Historic Trails – exploring ethically, respecting nature, following “Leave No Trace” principles, and recognizing their cultural value for future generations
- Tools, Gear, and Equipment – pack a lighter, first aid kit, tent, cooking utensils, camping gear, utility survival knives, map and compass or GPS, flashlight or headlamp with extra batteries, water filter or purification tablets, and a season-appropriate sleeping bag.
1. Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
Lewis and Clark meeting up and setting to explore vast new lands – [Image Credit – Southern Indiana is SoIN]
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail spans about 4,900 miles from the Pacific Northwest to the Pacific Ocean, tracing the important 1804-1806 journey of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. This expedition, ordered by President Thomas Jefferson after buying the Louisiana territory, aimed to explore new lands, map a route to the Pacific, and mark American territory.
2. Pony Express National Historic Trail
Giddy up on a horse and explore through the many adventures the American West saw – [Image Credit – National Park Service]
The Pony Express National Historic Trail embodies the adventurous spirit of the American West. Stretching 2,000 miles from Missouri to California, it celebrates the short-lived but iconic mail service of 1860-1861 that connected the East and West.
3. Appalachian Trail
Experience the many historical sites and early settlements by various settlers on this historical trail – [Image Credit – Appalachian Trail Conservancy]
The Appalachian Trail (AT) draws adventurers and history enthusiasts alike, covering 2,190 miles from Georgia to Maine. Hiking the AT lets you follow in the footsteps of Native Americans, early settlers, and Revolutionary War events.
4. Nez Perce National Historic Trail
Ride on a horse and chase the freedom the Nez Perce tribe fought for – [Image Credit – Lewis and Clark Travel]
The Nez Perce National Historic Trail follows the 1,170-mile flight of the Nez Perce tribe from Oregon to Montana in 1877, as they aimed for freedom in Canada but were chased by the U.S. Army. This trail honors their courage and fight, guiding hikers through landscapes filled with the history of the tribe’s urgent escape.
5. Trail of Tears and Natchez Trace Trails
The long and painful trails that the Native Americans had to endure – [Image Credit – Runa Hikes]
The Trail of Tears through Cherokee National Forest is a poignant 2.5-mile journey along the ancient Unicoi Turnpike, once connecting Cherokee settlements. It became a grim path of Cherokee displacement after the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
This trail, part of a larger network stretching over 5,000 miles across nine states, marks the tragic forced relocation to Oklahoma, where, as estimates suggest, up to 10,000 Native Americans died.
6. Oregon National Historic Trail
The national scenic route that traverses through many states extends across a 2.000-mile radius – [Image Credit – WikiMedia]
The trail, intersecting with the California, Pony Express, and Mormon Pioneer trails, served as a route for families heading West for a new beginning. The challenge of a 2,000-mile trek with visible tracks left by covered wagons highlights themes of resilience, hope, and the pursuit of a better life away from poverty makes you experience real American history.
7. Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
The Hawaiian trailhead with many waterfalls that was used actively during the 19th century – [Image Credit – Extraordinary Hikes]
The 175-mile trail through Kailua-Kona reveals Hawaii’s history, linking ancient rituals, petroglyphs, and chiefs’ settlements. It crosses lava fields, past prime beaches, and features like anchialine pools vital to early communities. A legend recounts a cave sheltering Princess Popoalaea from her cruel husband, although it’s now closed to visitors.
8. From the Pacific Ocean to California: American Discovery Trail
Discovering the US from Washington, D.C heading to the west just as it was done with carts in history – [Image Credit – Shutterstock]
The American Discovery Trail (ADT) is the first coast-to-coast, non-motorized trail in the U.S., created in 1989 and championed by the ADT Society since 1996. It serves as the country’s east-west “backbone,” linking the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails, among others, offering routes through both northern and southern parts of the Midwest journeying through the nations’ expansion.
9. From California to Alaska: The Wild Beauties of the West Coast’s Trails
Many historic journeys to be had on west trails such as the Pacific Crest – [Image Credit – The Trek]
The West Coast features some of the most stunning and tough trails, like the Pacific Crest Trail and the Iditarod National Historic Trail.
The Pacific Crest Trail runs from California’s Mexican border to Washington’s Canadian border, showing hikers amazing and the Iditarod Trail is known for Alaska’s dog sled race, it has parts that are hikeable, following paths taken by Native Alaskan tribes and gold rush explorers.
10. From Canada to Mexico: The Continental Divide Trail
One of the many historical stops across the Continental Divide Trail – [Image Credit – Aschg]
The Continental Divide Trail (CDT), part of the “Triple Crown” since the 1970s, runs from Canada to Mexico along the Rocky Mountains. It immerses hikers in the untouched wilderness and the history of the West, connecting them to early Native American tribes, explorers like Lewis and Clark, settlers’ narratives, and the Glorieta Pass, a pivotal Civil War site.
Bonus: Historic Sites, Parks, and Their Trails
Although they’re not usually known as hiking trails because they’re shorter, many American historic sites and parks have beautiful and history-filled trails worth exploring.
Yosemite National Park
Paths filled with history and beautiful scenery – [Image Credit – Joe Braun Photography]
Yosemite National Park, founded in 1890, is famous for its John Muir Trail, a walking path named after conservationist John Muir that takes visitors through stunning scenery and highlights the park’s role in the U.S. conservation movement.
Grand Canyon
Observing and using ancient roads while enjoying the scenery – [Image Credit – REI]
The Grand Canyon’s trails, such as Bright Angel, not only offer breathtaking views but also connect hikers to its deep cultural and geologic history, tracing paths once used by the Havasupai and Hopi tribes and revealing ancient petroglyphs and sites.
Anasazi Rock Carvings and Pueblo Settlements
The many trails that allow you to enter the ancient world in the Pueblo Settlements – [Image Credit – ABC]
Hiking trails in Utah and Arizona, such as those in Mesa Verde and Canyon de Chelly, offer a firsthand look at the Anasazi’s legacy through preserved rock carvings and Pueblo cliff dwellings, allowing visitors to immerse in the history and creativity of these early desert communities.
Civil War Battlefields
The trail across the Gettysburg battlefield will have you experience the sheer terror that existed during the battle – [Image Credit – Crystal Hunt]
In Virginia and Pennsylvania, trails through Civil War battlefields like Gettysburg and Manassas bring history to life. Visitors can walk where soldiers fought, see reenactors, and feel the weight of America’s past, offering a powerful, firsthand experience of the defining struggles that shaped the nation.
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