Trail Destinations

Top 10 Trails in Tennessee

Posted 10/20/21 by Shelby Deering in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Tennessee, Top10, Trail Destinations

Tennessee's Chattanooga Riverwalk | Photo by TrailLink user pnmcveigh

Tennessee’s state slogan is, “Tennessee: America at Its Best.” Although this isn’t as quippy as one of the many quotes shared by famous Tennessean Dolly Parton, it really does describe the state’s trails and stunning natural areas. From the magnificent Smoky Mountains to the Appalachian Trail to impressively expansive assets like the Cumberland Park State Trail system, Tennessee has plenty of nature to go around. Its rail-trails and greenways run their course through these picturesque surroundings and, equally, pay homage to urban areas where they can be found. Here are 10 of our favorite trails in this Southern state.

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Tennessee's Chattanooga Riverwalk | Photo by TrailLink user pnmcveigh

Top 10 Trails in Tennessee

Posted 10/20/21 by Shelby Deering in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Tennessee, Top10, Trail Destinations

Tennessee’s state slogan is, “Tennessee: America at Its Best.” Although this isn’t as quippy as one of the many quotes shared by famous Tennessean Dolly Parton, it really does describe the state’s trails and stunning natural areas. From the magnificent Smoky Mountains to the Appalachian Trail to impressively expansive assets like the Cumberland Park State Trail system, Tennessee has plenty of nature to go around. Its rail-trails and greenways run their course through these picturesque surroundings and, equally, pay homage to urban areas where they can be found. Here are 10 of our favorite trails in this Southern state.

Mississippi's Longleaf Trace | Photo by Jake Lynch

Top 10 Trails in Mississippi

Posted 10/20/21 by Amy Grisak in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Mississippi, Top10, Trail Destinations

Mississippi trails beckon bicyclists and walkers year ‘round—even in January and February when an extra jacket might be needed—and every walk or ride is a new experience with the ever-changing leaves, flowers and wildlife discovered along the way. Flat terrain or rolling hills make up most of the landscape, with thick pine or hardwood forests keeping even the hot days more bearable. Lush wetlands enhance the Southern feel. Whether traveling through trail-friendly towns, or stretching your legs on longer excursions, these well-established trails are the perfect ways to take advantage of these idyllic areas.

Chief Ladiga Trail | Photo by Ed and Jenn Coleman

Top 10 Trails in Alabama

Posted 10/08/21 by Cindy Barks in America's Trails | Tagged with Alabama, Best Of, Top10, Trail Destinations

Mention the landscapes of Alabama, and most people are apt to conjure up images of the beaches of the Gulf Shores region or the forested Talladega Mountains. And for good reason— the beaches are famous for their sugar-white sand, and the mountains offer epic views of tree-covered ridges and valleys. Still, Alabama has plenty more to offer in the terrain department. Known as the most biodiverse state east of the Mississippi River, it is also home to river deltas, coastal plains and open prairies. Fortunately, a robust system of trails offers access to Alabama’s scenic bounty. Here are 10 of our favorite trails, from the bustling cities in the north to the sand and surf in the south.

Oklahoma River Trails | Courtesy Oklahoma City Community Foundation

Oklahoma’s Oklahoma River Trails

Posted 10/06/21 by Amy Grisak in America's Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Health and Active Living, Oklahoma, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Walkability and Bikeability

Despite the city’s sprawling nature and 680,000 residents, it has a small-town feel, partly due to roughly 90 miles of trails through 10 connected routes. These routes, including the well-loved Oklahoma River Trails, bring people to the neighborhoods, parks, world-class attractions and the flourishing downtown region.

Oklahoma's Old Frisco Trail | Photo by TrailLink user curtandjanet

Top 10 Trails in Oklahoma

Posted 09/28/21 by Robert Annis in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Oklahoma, Top10, Trail Destinations

If you’re thinking to yourself, “Oh, what a beautiful morning … for a bike ride or a pleasant hike,” then maybe you should head to Oklahoma. Both Tulsa and Oklahoma City have terrific trail networks, where you can delve into history, enjoy some lovely scenery and get in a nice workout, all at the same time. (By the end of the year, Oklahoma City should have a completed 42-mile trail loop around the city.) Finding greenways longer than a couple of miles can be difficult outside those metropolitan areas, but we’re confident you’ll find Oklahoma’s rail-trails to be truly OK.

North Carolina's Neuse River Trail | Photo by TrailLink user protoolned

Top 10 Trails in North Carolina

Posted 09/23/21 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, North Carolina, Top10, Trail Destinations

North Carolina abounds in natural beauty with its vast wilderness areas, Appalachian Mountains and scenic Atlantic coastline. Providing access to these treasured outdoor places is a growing hub of interconnected trails, including the Carolina Thread Trail, extending into neighboring South Carolina; the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a developing 1,200-mile footpath; and the East Coast Greenway, linking communities by trail from Florida all the way to Maine. With such a plethora of exciting routes crisscrossing the Tar Heel State, perhaps it’s no surprise that the state legislature recently designated 2023 as the “Year of the Trail.”

Illinois' Wauponsee Glacial Trail | Photo by TrailLink user alexrauch84

Top 10 Trails in Illinois

Posted 09/16/21 by Shelby Deering in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Illinois, Top10, Trail Destinations

While Illinois is certainly known for its Abraham Lincoln roots, Chicago hot dogs and a certain fictitious teenager who had a pretty great “day off,” the state also holds a claim to fame for its 1,000+ miles of picturesque rail-trails. With a varied mix of multiuse trails that run the gamut from urban areas to charming hamlets to countryside brimming with scenery, it’s clear that Illinois has something for everyone when it comes to their trails. Several paths feature restaurants and boutiques that sidle right up to the trail’s edge. From experienced bikers to novices, hiking families to couples, Illinois is a diverse outdoor destination. Here are just 10 of our favorite trails in the Prairie State.

Perry's depot along the Raccoon River Valley Trail | Courtesy Raccoon River Valley Trail Association

Iowa’s Raccoon River Valley Trail

Posted 09/10/21 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, Great American Rail-Trail, Hall of Fame, Iowa, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Walkability and Bikeability

In pastoral west-central Iowa, the Raccoon River Valley Trail has won this year’s blue-ribbon prize: entrance into the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame. The 89-mile pathway garnered some 16,000 votes in the national competition—a figure larger than the population of most of the small towns along its route, several home to fewer than 300 people.

Arkansas's Arkansas River Trail | Photo by Scott Stark

Top 10 Trails in Arkansas

Posted 09/10/21 by Robert Annis in America's Trails | Tagged with Arkansas, Best Of, Top10, Trail Destinations

Arkansas may seem to have gone all-in on singletrack—Bentonville bills itself as the “mountain bike capital of the world”—but there’s a growing number of rail-trails! It makes sense, as Arkansas is a former railroad hotbed, with multiple lines crisscrossing the state. In the coming years, communities in northern Arkansas will spend up to $55 million on new and expanded greenways, including the 60-mile Southwest Trail linking Little Rock to Hot Springs National Park.

The Elwha River Bridge in Port Angeles along the Olympic Discovery Trail has two decks—one for vehicles and one (below it) for pedestrians and bicyclists. | Photo by John Gussman

Connections of Land, Sea and Sky: Olympic Discovery Trail

Posted 09/07/21 by Cory Matteson in America's Trails | Tagged with Featured Magazine Articles, Great American Rail-Trail, People with Disabilities, Tourism , Trail Businesses, Trail Destinations, Washington

Eventually stretching from Puget Sound to the Pacific Ocean, the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) is a showcase of some of the most renowned cultural and natural assets on the North Olympic Peninsula.

Maine's Down East Sunrise Trail | Photo by Patrick Wojahn

Top 10 Trails in Maine

Posted 08/23/21 by Derek M. Strout in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Maine, Top10, Trail Destinations

Lighthouses, lobsters, L.L. Bean ... Maine may be renowned for these things, but we’re confident that its miles of multiuse trails belong on this list as well. Teams of visionary and devoted trail advocates across the state have created plenty of these amazing experiences for the whole family to enjoy. Here are just 10 of our favorite trails in Maine.