"Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt." - John Muir

Trails are the blood vessels of our national forests—reaching out, zigzagging through various terrain and elevation, and bringing life into the important conservation work we do as an agency. Next week, many trail organizations will be congregating in Washington, D.C., to participate in Hike the Hill 2026 activities. We celebrate their partnership and continued support as we reflect on the importance and history of our National Trails System.

In 1966, President Johnson wanted to develop and protect a balanced system of trails in urban and rural environments in cooperation with state and local governments and private interests. He envisioned a trail system that would help protect the quality of the outdoor environment and provide  opportunities for people who wanted to experience the outdoors—he specifically highlighted those who liked to walk, hike, or ride horses or bicycles—in equal measure to the developing national highway system.

That request led to the National Trails System Act of 1968, which designated two national scenic trails—the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. It initially established a network of long-distance natural trails to provide the public with outstanding recreational opportunities before expanding to include national historic trails a decade later. Today, this growing system of trails includes 11 congressionally designated National Scenic and 21 National Historic trails, and nearly 1,300 administratively designated National Recreation Trails.

These trails offer a unique opportunity to trace historical routes and provide access to premium outdoor adventures across the nation’s diverse landscapes. They also increase economic benefits to rural communities, educate the public about active management, support biodiversity and maintain critical ecological corridors, and advance public access.

The six National Scenic and Historic Trails the Forest Service administers span over 10,220 miles across 58 national forests, 25 national parks, 29 Bureau of Land Management units, and numerous other tribal, federal, state and local jurisdictions. We also manage portions of 10 scenic and historic trails administered by other agencies.

Each scenic and historic trail has a designated trail administrator tasked with leading coordination across jurisdictions, supporting field staff, developing and implementing comprehensive plan direction, and ensuring the trails are managed as connected, continuous corridors.

Most scenic and historic trails are affiliated with a trail-wide nonprofit organization that is instrumental in mobilizing volunteers and providing trail information, in coordination with the Forest Service administrators. Each year, these organizations recruit and manage thousands of volunteers—whose contributions add millions of dollars of value—to build, maintain and protect these trails.

Think you know your Forest Service administered trails? Check out some facts below:

• Arizona National Scenic Trail (800 miles): From Mexico to Utah, this trail weaves through Arizona’s sky islands, the saguaro-studded deserts, and high alpine peaks, connecting nineteen gateway communities.

• Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (3,100 miles): Stretching from Mexico to Canada along the Rocky Mountains, this trail connects communities, provides breathtaking vistas, and traverses unique ecosystems and cultural landscapes.

• Florida National Scenic Trail (1,500 miles). From South Florida to Georgia this premier long-distance hiking trail guides visitors from stunningly beautiful subtropical cypress domes and longleaf pine flatwoods to prairies and coastal dunes.

• Nez Perce National Historic Trail (1,170 miles): Following the Nez Perce tribe's 1877 heroic flight to seek freedom through Oregon, Idaho and Montana, this trail connects hikers and stock users with the cultural heritage of the West and includes an auto route with stops at interpretive and cultural sites. It is also the only national historic trail administered by the Forest Service.

• Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (2,650 miles): Traversing the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountain ranges from Mexico to Canada, this trail offers spectacular vistas of deserts, mountains, and forests across the American West.

• Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (1,200 miles): From Montana to the Pacific Ocean, this trail crosses seven mountain ranges through rugged and remote landscapes on its way to the Olympic Coast.

The National Trails System is a model of communities, agencies and organizations working together to serve the American people and to care for the landscapes and cultural heritage of this great country. These trails connect more than just places, they connect people to the land, to history, and to each other. Learn more about America’s National Trails.

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