A View From America’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites by Trail
Founded after World War II to promote peace through international cooperation, one of UNESCO’s (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s) most recognizable efforts is its World Heritage Sites program, which aims to preserve and protect cultural and natural heritage by designating landmarks of “outstanding universal value.” Although the United States withdrew from UNESCO in 2025, the country’s 26 World Heritage Sites retain their special designation. Here, Rails to Trails highlights five of these significant sites and the adjacent multiuse trails that enrich the experience.
This article was originally published in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Rails to Trails magazine and has been reposted here in an edited format. Subscribe to read more articles about remarkable trails while also supporting our work.
Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
One of America’s most breathtaking sites, Grand Canyon National Park, can be experienced from a paved, 13-mile multiuse pathway that traverses the southern rim of the canyon and heads south to Tusayan. Winding through ponderosa, pinyon and juniper forests, the Grand Canyon Greenway offers the opportunity to see elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer and other wildlife, and provides a connection to Grand Canyon Village with its numerous historical landmarks.
Statue of Liberty (New York)
Hugging the Hudson River along Manhattan’s West Side, the Hudson River Greenway offers striking views of the skyline and waterway for the entirety of its 13 miles. At its southern terminus in Battery Park, the Statue of Liberty is visible in the distance, and ferries are available from the park for a closer look. Formally dedicated in 1886, this gift of friendship from France to the United States became a worldwide beacon of freedom and democracy.
Yellowstone National Park (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming)
Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is widely considered the world’s first national park and offers unique geothermal and geologic features across 2.2 million acres. The scenic Yellowstone Shortline Trail begins adjacent to the park in Montana’s West Yellowstone community and traverses nearly 9 paved miles along the South Fork of the Madison River and through Custer Gallatin National Forest, following a rail line that once transported tourists to Yellowstone.
Everglades National Park (Florida)
Renowned for its biodiversity, southern Florida’s Everglades National Park includes mangrove forests, sawgrass prairie and hardwood hammocks. From the park’s Shark Valley Visitor Center, hop on the Shark Valley Tram Road, a paved 15-mile loop (closed to motorized traffic except for tram tours) to explore the area by foot, bike or wheelchair. There is exceptional wildlife viewing throughout (including alligators) and, midway, panoramic views from a 70-foot observation tower.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina, Tennessee)
Spanning North Carolina and Tennessee, Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers 800 square miles of protected wilderness, including Appalachian temperate rainforest, supporting more than 2,200 plant species and a world-renowned variety of wildflowers. There are 800+ miles of hiking trails to explore (including the famed Appalachian Trail) and three bike-friendly paths, such as the Oconaluftee River Trail, which begins at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center and offers a 1.5-mile riverside route through elk habitat.
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