National Historic Trails Not on Trailsnet
Recreational trails are the main focus of trailsnet.com. Therefore trails for biking, hiking, inline skating and other recreational pursuits are critical components of our network of trails on the Internet. Unfortunately this does not include the extremely fascinating category of trails called National Historic Trails.
National Historic Trails “commemorate prominent routes of exploration, migration,
pioneer cemetery near trail
trade,communication, or military action. Today they generally consist of remnant sites, trail segments, or associated structures. Most are linked together by auto tour routes.”*
National Historic Trails are not recreational. In some places no physical trail actually exists on National Historic Trails and where a physical route does exist, it is more likely to be a road than a path.
Despite not featuring National Historic Trails on trailsnet, it is worthwhile to highlight these incredible national treasures in today’s blog post. So below is a list of the United States National Historic Trails with links to their official websites:
- Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
- California National Historic Route
- Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
- El Camino Real de Los Tejas National Historic Trail
- El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail
- Iditarod National Historic Trail
- Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
- Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
- Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
- Nez Perce National Historic Trail
- Old Spanish National Historic Trail
- Oregon National Historic Trail
- Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
- Pony Express National Historic Trail
- Santa Fe National Historic Trail
- Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail
- Star Spangled Banner National Historic Trail
- Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
- Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
A special thanks goes out to Jere Krakow, Director of the Oregon-California Trails Association and retired Superintendent of National Historic Trails. Jere was kind enough to meet with us in Albuquerque, NM to discuss National Historic Trails in general and the Great Plains Trail specifically.
*From the National Trails System Map and Guide
