What are the three main trails in the United States?
The Triple Crown consists of the Big Three National Scenic Trails: The Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. Completing the Triple Crown requires about 7,900 miles of hiking through 22 US States.
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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.
The most difficult trail tends to be the one you hike first. The AT has some of the toughest physical sections of the Triple Crown, especially between Mt. Moosilauke in New Hampshire and the Bigelows in Maine.
The trail is 2,650 miles and it generally takes the entire snow-free season to walk. That's about 5 months. Elite athletes who are experienced on the PCT have finished the trail in as little as two months. The few who achieve sub-100 day hikes average well over 30 miles per day.
The average cost of a PCT thru-hike, including gear, food/resupply, and other end-to-end trail expenses, is roughly $8,000 per person for an average thru-hike. That said, it's not uncommon to hear stories of some people spending close to $12,000.
Originally built in 1819 by Ethan Allen Crawford and his father, Abel, Crawford Path is the oldest continuously used and maintained recreation trail in America. Its appeal derives from the fact that its 8.5 miles of mountainous ridgeline travel converges with the famed Appalachian Trail.
The world's longest trail is actually further north though, in Canada. The Great Trail, formerly known as the Trans Canada Trail, runs for a rather daunting 14,912 miles (or 24,000km) and is currently the longest hiking trail in the world.
Completing the entire 2,190+ miles of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) in one trip is a mammoth undertaking. Each year, thousands of hikers attempt a thru-hike; only about one in four makes it all the way. A typical thru-hiker takes 5 to 7 months to hike the entire A.T.
There's no two ways about it: Section K is tough. In fact, only California's infamous John Muir Trail section is considered more challenging on this iconic trail. But for those with the skills and desire, the hike from Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass is also one of the PCT's most rewarding.
At 71 years old, Jon has just walked 2,650 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border to Canada, a feat that approximately 400 people accomplished in 2022, according to the Pacific Crest Trail Association, the not-for-profit group that oversees maintenance on the route.
Snowgrass Flats and the Goat Lakes Loop is a good section of the PCT to do as a day hike, provided you have literally all day: at 12 miles and with more than 2,000 feet of elevation gain, it's a big hike. But it provides access to Goat Rocks, which many call the most scenic spot of the PCT.
Continental Divide TrailArguably the most challenging thru-hike of the National Scenic Trails, it traverses five states, ranges from 4,000 to 14,000-feet in elevation, and passes through alpine tundra, broad glacial valleys, craggy mountain peaks, and desolate desert landscapes.