Post by ki0eh on Dec 1, 2016 8:01:42 GMT -8
Pages 60-61 of Backpacker Magazine January 2017 issue has a map titled "Long Trail Nation," listing many of the long distance footpaths of the US.
This map is more comprehensive than many that only show the "Triple Crown," or only the designated National Scenic Trails. But with respect to my own particular experience, I found it a bit odd that some trails were excluded compared to some that are in.
In particular, Great Eastern Trail www.greateasterntrail.net didn't make it in - the 3rd even thru hiker just finished a couple of months ago. The map does have other overlays included, e.g. North Country Trail on Finger Lakes Trail and Superior Hiking Trail.
Some Great Eastern Trail components (Pinhoti Trail, Cumberland Trail) are in, but others (PA's Mid State Trail www.hike-mst.org, Tuscarora Trail, Allegheny Trail, KY's Pine Mountain Trail) of apparently similar scope to the paths that were included, didn't appear either.
I'm guessing there is a 100 mile minimum length, which would exclude PA's Standing Stone Trail www.standingstonetrail.org/ compared to, say, Baker Trail.
Cumberland Trail passes through beautiful terrain and has higher construction standards than many Eastern paths, but is one of the Great Eastern Trail components that's most difficult to thru hike, as completed portions are sometimes only accessible by the same road in and out. There aren't many thru hikers sufficiently determined to hike in miles along a road, go one way to the end of completed footpath, go the other way to another end of a completed segment, hike back and then out the same road to then continue on another roadwalk to the next segment. The other Great Eastern Trail components are completed to the point of having at least a designated point to point roadwalk between completed segments.
Any thoughts?
This map is more comprehensive than many that only show the "Triple Crown," or only the designated National Scenic Trails. But with respect to my own particular experience, I found it a bit odd that some trails were excluded compared to some that are in.
In particular, Great Eastern Trail www.greateasterntrail.net didn't make it in - the 3rd even thru hiker just finished a couple of months ago. The map does have other overlays included, e.g. North Country Trail on Finger Lakes Trail and Superior Hiking Trail.
Some Great Eastern Trail components (Pinhoti Trail, Cumberland Trail) are in, but others (PA's Mid State Trail www.hike-mst.org, Tuscarora Trail, Allegheny Trail, KY's Pine Mountain Trail) of apparently similar scope to the paths that were included, didn't appear either.
I'm guessing there is a 100 mile minimum length, which would exclude PA's Standing Stone Trail www.standingstonetrail.org/ compared to, say, Baker Trail.
Cumberland Trail passes through beautiful terrain and has higher construction standards than many Eastern paths, but is one of the Great Eastern Trail components that's most difficult to thru hike, as completed portions are sometimes only accessible by the same road in and out. There aren't many thru hikers sufficiently determined to hike in miles along a road, go one way to the end of completed footpath, go the other way to another end of a completed segment, hike back and then out the same road to then continue on another roadwalk to the next segment. The other Great Eastern Trail components are completed to the point of having at least a designated point to point roadwalk between completed segments.
Any thoughts?
