Katana VentraIP

American Discovery Trail

The American Discovery Trail is a system of recreational trails and roads that collectively form a coast-to-coast hiking and biking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. Horses can also be ridden on most of this trail.[1] The coastal trailheads are the Delmarva Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the northern California coast on the Pacific Ocean. The trail has northern and southern alternates for part of its distance, passing through Chicago and St. Louis respectively. The total length of the trail, including both the north and south routes, is 6,800 miles (10,900 km). The northern route covers 4,834 miles (7,780 km) with the southern route covering 5,057 miles (8,138 km). It is the only non-motorized coast-to-coast trail.[2]

American Discovery Trail

6,800 mi (10,900 km)

Argentine Pass, 13,207 ft (4,025 m)

California Delta between Isleton and Antioch, −17 ft (−5.2 m)

Easy to Strenuous

All year

The trail passes through 14 national parks and 16 national forests and uses sections of or connects to five National Scenic Trails, 10 National Historic Trails, and 23 National Recreation Trails. For part of its distance, it is coincident with the North Country Trail, the Buckeye Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and the Colorado Trail.


The trail passes through the District of Columbia and the following 15 states:

the eastern terminus of the trail in Delaware.

Cape Henlopen State Park

Colorado, the highest point in the trail where it crosses the Rockies.

Argentine Pass

Limantour Beach, , the western terminus of the trail in California.

Point Reyes

At Cedar Rapids, a mural was posted on Greene Square in 2019 to mark both the American Discovery Trail, which passes through downtown, and the Cedar Lake-Smokestack Bridge project.[12]


The following notable locations are found along or adjacent to the route of the American Discovery Trail. They are listed from east to west to correspond with the itinerary typically followed by thru-hikers to take advantage of the best seasonal weather conditions.[2]

Cape Henlopen Bike Trail

Georgetown-Lewes Trail

American Perimeter Trail

Foot, William; Foot, Laurel. (2006) The American Discovery Trail Trail Data, American Discovery Trail Society.  285356124. Maps included: Sussex County: bicycle map; Chesapeake and Ohio Canal; American Discovery Trail, Western West Virginia and Ohio Route; and American Discovery Trail, California Route.

OCLC

"" legis.iowa.gov.

American Discovery Trail — Linking Eastern Iowa

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Senate, United States Congress. (1998) National Discovery Trails Act and National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act: Hearing Before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifth Congress, Second Session on S. 1069 ... S. 1403 ... February 11, 1998. Volume 4, S. hrg, Volume 105, issue 475, United States Government Printing Office,  0160570220, 9780160570223.

ISBN

United States Congress; House; Committee on Resources; Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands. (1997) Hearing on H.R. 588, to amend the National Trails System Act to create a new category of long-distance trails to be known as National Discovery Trails, to authorize the American Discovery Trail as the first trail in that category, and for other purposes; and H.R. 1513 a bill to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Lincoln National Historic Trail as a component of the National Trails System: hearing before the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands of the Committee on Resources, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fifth Congress, first session on H.R. 588 and H.R. 1513--to amend the National Trails System Act, June 10, 1997--Washington, DC. GPO,  1097536155.

OCLC

American Hiking Society; National Park Service. (1995) America's Trails: A Directory of Organizations and Managing Agencies 1995. American Hiking Society.

Lukei, Reese (1995) The American Discovery Trail: Explorer's Guide. Johnson Books, 1995,  1555661351, 9781555661359.

ISBN

Official website