All of these long distance hiking trails provide a challenging adventure. You want to do your research before tackling any of them. Some such as the Inca, Chilkoot and West Coast trails can only handle a limited number of hikers at one time requiring a level of experience. These three hikes must be hiked in their entirety each taking about a week. Others such as the Pacific Crest, Appalachian and Trans Canada are generally hiked in sections although there are thru hikers.
Appalachian Trail
This very famous long distance trail, first created in 1923, is about 2,165 miles (3,505 km) long from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine along the Appalachian Mountains. Over 96 percent of the route is on government owned land. There are also over 250 shelters along the trail for the convenience of thru hikers. An excellent resource is How to Hike the A.T.: The Nitty-Gritty Details of a Long-Distance Trek
Pacific Crest Trail
More rugged than the Appalachian and at higher attitudes this 2,655 miles (4,272 km) long distance trail runs from Canada to Mexico crossing the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges. It avoids civilization preferring instead scenic and pristine mountainous terrain with few roads. There are sections of unbroken wilderness and other desert sections in the Mojave with no water sources.
West Coast Trail
First established in 1907 the trail follows the rugged coastline of Vancouver Island. Although the trail is only 46 miles (75 km) in length you will require 5 – 7 days to hike the distance. Along the way you will be hiking across sandy beaches, caves, tidal pools, waterfalls and a coastal rainforest.
Inca Trail
The The Inca Trail, Cusco & Machu Picchu Inca Trail follows a route in Peru in the Andres mountains to the lost city of Machu Picchu. On arrival in Cuzco you will require about two days to get acclimatized to the high elevation before embarking on your four day hike. Breathtaking, the ruins of this hillside city overlook the rainforest and a tributary of the Amazon. Some of the guides use a flute to play traditional songs at Machu Picchu adding to the scene.
Trans Canada Trail
With a variety of terrain and at a length of 13,359 miles (21,500 km), the Trans Canada Trail is the world’s longest recreational trail. This long distance hiking trail visits all ten Canadian provinces and all three territories running from the Atlantic to the Pacific and Arctic Oceans. It is about 70% complete.
Continental Divide Trail
This long distance hiking trail follows the crest of the Continental divide for 3,100 miles (5,000 km) from Canada to Mexico. It is about 70% complete.
Chilkoot Trail
In the late 1890’s gold was discovered and the Klondike Gold Rush sent thousands of people north to the new found riches of the Yukon. The North West Mounted Policy required everyone carry one year’s provisions so they hiked heavily loaded up the trail from Skagway, Alaska to Lake Bennett, Yukon Territory. Today this historic route provides a challenging although not lengthy hiking experience. For fascinating information on this trail read Chilkoot Pass: The Most Famous Trail in the North
These seven hikes offer history and wilderness and can be considered the best long distance hikes in the Americas.
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Originally posted 2009-11-25 12:34:59.
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This list of the best North American destinations for a walking holiday does not include the long distance trails such as the Appalachian Trail, but rather places where you can base yourself during your vacation and take a series of day hikes.
East Coast Trail, Newfoundland
Not well known the East Coast Trail covers 540 km along the Avalon Peninsula on the east coast of Newfoundland. Although parts are still under construction you will see icebergs along the rugged coastline, historic St. John’s and plenty of sea birds and seals. Everyone talks about the local people with their colourful personalities which enrich the experience. Accommodation in bed and breakfasts.
Acadia National Park, Maine
The second busiest park in the U.S. also offers 125 miles trails for hiking. There is 45 miles of the historic carriage trail system of crushed gravel created by John D. Rockefeller Jr. More traditional hiking opportunities exist at every level from simple rambles to rugged climbs. On a recent visit a park ranger was pointing out migrating birds of prey from the summit of Cadillac Mountain. The area offers plenty of hotels, campgrounds and cabins in Bar Harbor.
Adirondacks, New York State
Located in upper New York State this region offers over 2,000 miles of hiking trails over a combination public and private lands. Many of the trails have significant climbs on rugged trails. The area features numerous campgrounds, cabins and resorts.
Jasper National Park, Alberta
A gem in the Canadian Rockies, stay in the resort town of Jasper. The park offers a great variety of hiking such as Sulphur Skyline with its great views, the more gentle Maligne Canyon, glaciers of Edith Cavell Trail or the easy Old Fort Point Trail. You will likely see some bears, big horn sheep and elk during your visit.
Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite was one of the first wilderness parks in the United States, today offers over 750 miles of hiking trails. While best known for its waterfalls you will also find meadows and ancient giant sequoias. A great reference is The Official Guide to America’s National Parks
Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon offers many day hike opportunities. The South and North Rim offer trails with spectacular views of the inner canyon. There are no easy trails into the Canyon itself while the experience will be talked about for years. Guided hikes of various lengths are also available from specialized tour operators
PBS is has a television program the U.S. parks is the book by Ken Burns The National Parks: America’s Best Idea
These six National Parks and one coastline offer some magnificent opportunities for walking holidays in North America.
The Hiking Companion: Getting the most from the trail experience throughout the seasons: where to go, what to bring, basic navigation, and backpacking
Price: $9.95
Pages: 136, Edition: illustrated edition, Paperback, Storey Publishing, LLC
Backpacking and Hiking (EYEWITNESS COMPANION GUIDES)
Price: $13.6
Pages: 256, Paperback, DK ADULT
Originally posted 2009-10-08 17:22:59.
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Acadia National Park in Maine offers numerous walking and hiking trails of all levels. One of the longer hiking trails is the moderate 8.4 mile (13.5 km) North Ridge Trail up and back down Cadillac Mountain.
Before starting your hike stop at the Visitor’s Center for the excellent film on the history of Acadia National Park. Then a short drive on the Park Loop Road brings you to the trail head. There is no parking lot so join the other cars along the side the road.
The trail is easy to follow with a mixture of painted blazes and rock piles as you gently climb up the mountain. If you take just a short walk off the main trail you will find wild blueberries. There were plenty of vantage points along the way to observe the rugged Maine coastline and Schoodic Peninsula across the Frenchman Bay. Below us was the resort town of Bar Harbor and two cruise ships anchored just off shore.
As the trail neared the top you are mainly walking across rock until you reach one of the viewing platforms. When we arrived there was a park ranger with binoculars watching for migrating birds of prey which were then identified for the surrounding crowd.
Cadillac Mountain is Acadia’s tallest peak at 1,530 feet and the viewing platforms were crowded with many people who had driven up the other side of the mountain. There is also a small store and snack bar at the top.
If the North Ridge trail sounds too easy then try the South Ridge Trail which also climbs 1530 feet but is 14.8 miles (23.8 km) with some strenuous sections. For easy walking there is the extensive network of Carriage trails.
To get the most from your visit get a copy of Acadia, The Complete Guide: Mount Desert Island & Acadia National Park
Although we were hiking on a long summer weekend we found hiking in Acadia National Park enjoyable with the trails actually not too crowded.
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The site of the 2010 Winter Olympics is Whistler, British Columbia. But is not only a great winter sports destination hiking in Whistler during the summer also provides a great experience in this year round resort.
The town of Whistler is located just under two hours north of Vancouver, situated between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. The resort area includes nearby Garibaldi Provincial Park and has some of the finest hiking in North America with trails for all levels from easy strolls to challenging mountain backpacking.
Want to get the most from your Whistler hiking experience get Done in a Day Whistler: The 10 Premier Hikes
What you will find is spectacular views of the mountains, glaciers, turquoise lakes and green alpine meadows which are covered with wild flowers. As with all mountain wilderness areas be prepared when hiking as the weather can change very quickly. You might want to make some noise along your hike as bears also use the trails and you do not want to surprise a bear.
Black Tusk Meadows trail is located in nearby Giribaldi Provincial Park and offers elevation gains of over 1500 m (4940 feet) taking experienced hikers a long day to complete the main section of the trail.
For the most intermediate level hikers take the gondola from Whistler up Blackcomb Mountain to access the Overlord Trail. This trail offers a great view of the glacier of the same name and connects to a number of other high alpine trails offering superb views of the rugged mountain scenery.
Want someone a little easier, then try the Cheakamus Lake trail which takes you on a 16 km (10 mile) walk around the lake. And there are numerous other trails to keep you busy during your one week walking holiday.
After hiking, you will want to enjoy the amenities found in Whistler Village including restaurants and shops. Other attractions in Whistler during the summer season include golf, canoeing, mountain biking and fishing. And of course, you will want to see the sites where all those gold medals were won in February.
An excellent resource to help your planning is Done in a Day Whistler: The 10 Premier Hikes
. Go hiking in Whistler in 2010, site of the Winter Olympic games.
Originally posted 2010-02-09 11:48:59.
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One of the most interesting hiking trails in the world, the historic Chilkoot Trail is a challenging 53 kilometer (33 mile) long hike up 3,500 feet. The Chilkoot high mountain pass is located in the Coast Mountain range between Dyea, Alaska and Lake Bennett, British Columbia.
Originally this trail was used by the Tlingit natives for trade. On August 16, 1896 a gold nugget was discovered in Bonanza Creek in the Klondike and the rush was on. To get to the gold over 100,000 prospectors sailed to Skagway, Alaska and hiked loaded up one of two routes. The White Pass trail (nicknamed dead horse trail) is today a railway line.
In hiking up the Chilkoot Trail, the prospectors were required to carry sufficient supplies to support themselves for a year, generally 900 kg of food and equipment. At the top of the Chilkoot Pass the North West Mounted Police (forerunners of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) checked to ensure they had the required amount. It could take the prospectors over three months to move the supplies from cache to cache.
The goods carried included 350 pounds of flour, 150 lbs. of bacon and 100 lbs. each of beans and sugar, sleds, stoves, medicine, picks, shovels, etc. It was said that if you stepped out of line along the trail, it could take as long as half a day before someone would let you back in line. Along the sides of the trail, even today, are littered rusting equipment the prospectors left out of exhaustion. Of the 4,000 who actually discovered gold, only a few hundred ultimately emerged rich.
However today it is a rewarding experience for many hikers. You can plan the hike yourself and obtain the required hiking permits. There are also tour companies you can get the permits and handle the logistics.
The trail can be hiked in either direction, but almost every one chooses the west to east option, and for a good reason. Leaving from Skagway puts the steepest part of the trail, the Golden Stairs, on the uphill side. This is the quarter mile section where you climb over 1000 vertical feet. The weather on the Chilkoot can be seriously bad, by starting at the coast and working inland, most of the wind and rain rolling in off the Pacific will be at your back.
The character of the Chilkoot Trail changes along the way, first it climbs steeply from sea level at Skagway to the pass, and then descends only slightly over to 2,000 feet at Bennett Lake.
On the return you may continue your visit of Whitehorse and the Yukon or take the restored White Pass & Yukon narrow gauge railway down to Skagway. This railway was completed in 1901 and today is used mainly by cruise passengers for day trips. In fact it is the busiest tourist railroad in the world today.
People hike the Chilkoot Trail for the history and the natural beauty. Are you up for this challenging hike?
Chilkoot Trail: Heritage Route to the Klondike
Price: $18.96
Pages: 182, Paperback, Lost Moose
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