The Great American Rail-Trail is a planned cross-country rail trail in the United States.[1] The trail will run 3,700 miles (6,000 km) between Washington D.C. in the east and the state of Washington in the west. The planned trail is already more than 53% complete, with over 2,000 completed miles on the ground. The trail runs through 12 states and the District of Columbia,[a][2] and will be within 50 miles (80 km) of 50 million Americans.[3] The work is being facilitated by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.[4] The Great American Rail-Trail is composed of over 150 existing multi-use trails with about 90 gaps to be filled. The project was launched in May 2019.[5]
| The Great American Rail-Trail | |
|---|---|
 The Great American Rail-Trail | |
| Length | 3,700 miles (6,000 km) |
| Location | United States |
| Trailheads | East: Washington D.C., West: Washington state. |
| Use | Hiking, Biking |
| Website | Rails to Trails official website |
Route
editThe trail overlaps several long distance rail trails for part or all of their route. From west to east, they include:
- Olympic Discovery Trail, Washington
- Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, Washington
- Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, Idaho
- Olympian Trail, Montana
- Headwaters Trail System, Montana
- Casper Rail Trail, Wyoming
- Cowboy Trail, Nebraska
- Cedar Valley Trail, Iowa
- Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, Illinois
- Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail, Illinois
- Nickel Plate Trail, Indiana
- Cardinal Greenway, Indiana
- Little Miami Scenic Trail, Ohio
- Ohio to Erie Trail, Ohio
- Panhandle Trail, West Virginia
- Great Allegheny Passage, Pennsylvania and Maryland
- C&O Towpath Trail, Maryland
- Capital Crescent Trail, Maryland and D.C.
See also
edit
References
editNotes
edit- ^ States the trail will cross include Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, ending in Washington D.C.
Citations
edit- ^ "A new way to travel across the US". BBC Travel. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- ^ Map of the Great American Rail-Trail
- ^ The Great American Rail-Trail, Rails to Trails Conservancy
- ^ "US is now building a giant bike trail that will go coast-to-coast". The Hill. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- ^ Rosenberg, Lizzy (5 January 2021). "Cross-Country Bike Trips Will Soon Be a Reality With the Great American Rail Trail". Green Matters. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
General references
editThis article may contain an excessive number of citations. (April 2021) |
- "The U.S. Is Building a Bike Trail That Runs Coast-to-Coast Across 12 States". EcoWatch. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- "More Pennsylvania mileage expected for Great American Rail-Trail". PennLive. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- "New 6,000km trail in the US will allow users to cycle across 12 states from coast to coast". Mothership: News from Singapore. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- "Momentum Grows For The Great American Rail-Trail". Forbes. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- "Great American Rail Trail snakes through northwest to eastern Indiana". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- "Covering 12 states and 3,700 miles, the Great American Rail-Trail will be the first ever cross-country hiking and biking trail". Roadtrippers. 13 August 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- "Great American Rail-Trail will let you bike across the country". Curbed. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- "Great American Rail-Trail to Connect Coasts With 4,000 Miles of Trails". Bicycling.com. 24 February 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- Withrow, Brandon (22 June 2019). "The Great American Rail Trail: The Best Cross-Country Road Trip Is on a Bike". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- "Great American Rail-Trail leg planned for Iowa". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- "Want to Bike Cross-Country? Some Old Rails Could Get You There | WIRED". Wired. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
External links
edit- Great American Rail-Trail, official site.