Join us for a conversation about gearing up for a cross-country trail trek and what it takes to travel across the country by trail!

We highlight lodging along the Great American Rail-Trail, and history buffs can find more from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery Parks and the District DOT receive $25 million to fix and build trails.

RTC and its partners have defined the preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail as more than 3,700 miles—with approximately 2,057 miles of existing trails (trails along the route that are built and maintained by dedicated teams of local staff and volunteers) and 1,696 miles of identified trail gaps.

View five leaf-peeping destinations along the Great American Rail-Tail, a 3,700-mile developing cross country trail.

For me, the positive impact that going car-free has on air quality, reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions and decreasing traffic congestion far outweighs the benefits of owning a car.

As a longtime resident of Hyattsville, Maryland, I watched as the Anacostia River Trail (ART) was expanded and finally completed. It meanders along the Anacostia River from Bladensburg, Maryland, to D.C.’s Wharf area, about 12 miles one way. This is my favorite local trail—and it’s only 2 miles from my house!

In June 2021, my husband, Pat, and I began our trek on the Great American Rail-Trail® in Seattle, Washington, at the western end of the 3,700-mile developing route.