Getting Started on the American Discovery Trail

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Getting Started

New to the American Discovery Trail? Start here. These posts cover the foundational questions every ADT hiker works through first — how to choose your route, how to break the trail into sections, how to think about timing and direction. No fluff, just the practical groundwork that makes the rest of your planning feel manageable. 🥾

The Great American Rail-Trail for Hikers: Why This Isn't Just a Bike Trail

Great American Rail-Trail

The Great American Rail-Trail for Hikers: Why This Isn't Just a Bike Trail

Most coverage of the Great American Rail-Trail centers on cycling. But walk it and you're on a different trail — one where the gaps matter less, the route choices open up, and the hardest state to ride becomes some of the best country to hike. Here's what the Great American looks like on foot.

How to Break the American Discovery Trail Into Manageable Sections (Without Losing Your Mind)

American Discovery Trail

How to Break the American Discovery Trail Into Manageable Sections (Without Losing Your Mind)

Last week, Leif Olson completed the entire American Discovery Trail — all 6,800 miles. He joins Bernie Krausse and Brianna DeSanctis in a very small group of hikers who've walked every mile. Most ADT hikers don't do that. Here's how to think about planning the route that's right for you.

ADT vs Great American Rail-Trail: Two Ways to Walk Across America

Great American Rail-Trail

ADT vs Great American Rail-Trail: Two Ways to Walk Across America

Both trails cross America. One is coast-to-coast, the other cross-country from D.C. to Washington State. But they're fundamentally different experiences. Here's how the American Discovery Trail and Great American Rail-Trail compare — and which one fits your goals.

Getting Started

Start Here: Hiking America!

You're standing at the start of a 6,800-mile question: how do you navigate a coast-to-coast route that runs through backcountry, farm roads, and river towns, and that goes largely unmarked for most of its length? Blazes and signs are sparse out here — the route

Thankful for the Trail Ahead - Grateful for this community of dreamers and doers 🥾

Getting Started

Thankful for the Trail Ahead - Grateful for this community of dreamers and doers 🥾

This Thanksgiving, I'm reflecting on an incredible year supporting ADT dreamers and doers. From helping Steve navigate flood detours to watching Rhiis and Sara inspire new trail angels, this community continues to prove that ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things.

Why Hikers Need Better Trail Identification – How QR Code Hiker Tags Are Solving It

Why Hikers Need Better Trail Identification – How QR Code Hiker Tags Are Solving It

A recent Idaho case shows why hikers need reliable trail ID. An innocent camper was mistaken for a fugitive, triggering a manhunt. Here's how QR code hiker tags are solving identification issues for long-distance adventurers.

Embracing the Journey: The Call of the American Discovery Trail

Getting Started

Embracing the Journey: The Call of the American Discovery Trail

Whether you dream of hitting the trail or seeking a community of fellow enthusiasts, here's your gateway to the great outdoors.

The ADT Guide is now "Hiking America!"

Getting Started

The ADT Guide is now "Hiking America!"

On this Independence Day Weekend, we are refreshing our name and brand to more accurately describe our mission - Hiking America!

Hiking America is an independent navigation resource. This site is not authorized by, and has no affiliation with, the American Discovery Trail Society. Our routes are our own, developed and continuously verified through field research and hiker feedback. They are not the official route of the American Discovery Trail, are not derived from American Discovery Trail Society materials, and may deviate from the route marked with signage.