What are the 3 major long trails in the United States?

ALDHA-West recognizes those individuals who have hiked, in their entirety, the complete lengths of the Appalachian Trail (AT), The Continental Divide Trail (CDT), and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). For hikers who have completed all three trails, ALDHA-West presents the official “Triple Crown of Hiking” (TC).



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The Appalachian Trail is a mammoth jaunt encompassing 2,174 miles (3,455km) of the ridges and valleys of the Appalachians which spans 14 of America's states.

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The Continental Divide Trail Considered by many to be the most challenging and remote of the Triple Crown trails, the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is a 3000+ mile adventure from Mexico to Canada, traveling through five western states.

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Let me just come out and say it, the Appalachian Trail is the easiest Triple Crown trail for first-time thru-hikers. I know that this opinion might bristle some toe hairs, but it is also the truth.

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However, Montana does have Wyoming beat in one essential category: It has the highest number of hiking trails of any state. “Scoring 69.29 out of 100, Montana ranked as the second-best state for camping in the U.S.,” the website shared in its findings.

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4. Appalachian Trail for the most accessible thru-hiking trek. The 'granddaddy' of this list. Forming part of the 'Triple Crown of Hiking' alongside The Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail is also the most user-friendly.

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You'll want to note that the AT takes five to seven months to complete its 2,190 miles, while the PCT take four to six months to complete 2,650 miles of trail. That shows, when evaluating the most obvious factor, terrain, the AT is without question the more difficult of the two trails.

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1: Cape Town, South Africa Thanks to its location under the shadow of South Africa's iconic Table Mountain, Cape Town has long been a top destination for adventure travelers and hikers alike.

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Virginia has the most mileage of the trail of any state with 550.3 miles (885.6 km) of the trail (one-fourth of the entire trail), including more than 20 miles (32 km) along the West Virginia border.

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1. Abel Tasman. By far the easiest of all the Great Walks is the Abel Tasman Track. It is pretty flat and you have the option of having your pack transferred between huts by boat if you wish!

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