Top Trails in the United States
The Great Allegheny Passage (gaptrail.org) at the Eastern Continental Divide in Maryland | Photo by David Ni
Since 1986, Rails to Trails Conservancy has stood at the forefront of America’s efforts to make it safer and easier to walk, bike and be active outside—in every state, in every county and in every neighborhood. With more than 42,500 miles of multiuse trails on the ground nationwide, and more than 150 trail networks in development reaching into every single state, people in all types of communities now rely on this infrastructure. Trails create space for us to move our bodies, build economic opportunity and navigate our communities. They’re essential for our health, transportation choice and quality of life.
Learn About Trails In Your State
Select a state to learn more about top walking and biking trails, stats, projects, stories and trails near me.
National Rail-Trail and Trail Mileage Counts
The following content is updated periodically to provide current information about Rails to Trails Conservancy and rail-trail development at the national and state level. Today, there are 42,500+ miles of multiuse trails on the ground laying the foundation for the 150+ trail networks in development and connecting people to a wealth of benefits and experiences—engaging communities, creating opportunities, inspiring movement, supporting economies, providing access to nature and delivering joy.
United States Rail-Trail Stats
2,423
total rail-trails25,934
miles of rail-trails863
current projects9,029
miles of potential rail-trail
Longest Rail-Trails in the United States
*This list is comprised of rail-trails more than 100 miles long, where at least 90 percent of the trail is on a former railroad corridor.
- Katy Trail State Park (Missouri) – 239 miles
- Palouse to Cascades States Park Trail (Washington) – 236 miles
- Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail (Nebraska) – 203 miles
- Great Allegheny Passage (Maryland, Pennsylvania) – 153 miles
- Columbia Plateau Trail State Park (Washington) – 130 miles
- Paul Bunyan State Trail (Minnesota) – 122 miles
- Flint Hills Trail State Park (Kansas) – 118 miles
- Soo Line Trail (Southern Route) (Minnesota) – 114.5 miles
- George S. Mickelson Trail (South Dakota) – 112 miles
- OC&E Woods Line State Trail (Oregon) – 110 miles
- State Line Trail (Michigan) – 107 miles
- Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (Florida) – 106 miles
$1.4 B
Available Funds in Our Country
United States Trail Funds
FY23 Total Reserved for Transportation Alternatives and Recreational Trails Program (source: FHWA)
TrailLink is a flagship initiative of RTC, dedicated to mapping the nation’s multiuse trails and developing the most authoritative trail platform in the United States. By providing accurate, engaging and high-quality trail information to the public, TrailLink inspires and empowers millions of people to get outside and experience the joy of trails.
TrailLink Top 5 Trails in FY 2025
- Vermont’s Island Line Trail
- North Carolina’s Little Sugar Creek Greenway
- D.C. and Maryland’s Metropolitan Branch Trail
- California’s Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail
- Connecticut’s Air Line State Park Trail
“Love the TrailLink app both for the convenience of finding places to ride, but also directions, information, other rider reviews, pictures, maps and many other helpful features. Find a place to bike, run, walk, or skate. My go to app.”
—TrailLink user Papadano26
Trail Networks
Rails to Trails Conservancy’s TrailNation™ initiative brings to life our vision of trails at the heart of healthy, thriving communities—showcasing the impact of trail networks and redefining how we create them. Since the launch of our first TrailNation project in 2013, our portfolio has grown to 10 regional projects plus the cross-country Great American Rail-Trail® connecting nearly 12,000 miles of trails across neighborhood, city, county and state lines. Ultimately, our regional projects will serve nearly 35 million people living within 2 miles of a network, and the Great American will serve an estimated 50 million people within 50 miles of the route.
Through these models for the country in collaboration with 300+ partners, as well as the TrailNation Collaborative and TrailNation Playbook, we’re moving the needle, accelerating trail development and transforming the American landscape.
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Everyone deserves access to safe ways to walk, bike and be active outdoors.