Double-Triple Crown finisher Bernie Krause stepped off the Capitol Reflecting Pool today, beginning a 3,800-mile westbound thru-hike of the Great American Rail-Trail. His journey is also field-verifying Hiking America's GPS data for future hikers.

Double Triple-Crowner Bernie Krausse — with 57,000 career miles — is about to make history with the first-ever known thru-hike of the Great American Rail-Trail. Hiking America has spent months mapping the gap routes to make this 3,700+ mile coast-to-coast journey hikeable right now.

We're creating GPS navigation for the Great American Rail Trail's 81 gaps to support Bernie Krausse's first thru-hike later next month. The trail is 56% complete from D.C. to Washington State — viable for thru-hiking now with the right route data.