Everything you need to know about the rail path that runs from the East Coast to the West Coast in the United States.

Trails have the potential to take us to some of the most breathtaking locations on Earth, such as a verdant bay in Hawaii or a lake in the mountains that is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. But trails are about more than simply offering access to previously unexplored parts of the world; they are also about making it possible for people to travel safely from Point A to Point B.

This is the objective of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, which is an organization that promotes the use of trails and whose slogan is "building a nation united by trails." They are working to convert abandoned and overgrown passageways and trains into safe places for people to walk, bike, and run, including a number of routes that are accessible for wheelchair users (like the Little Miami Scenic Trail in Ohio).

However, the Great American Rail-Trail is the crown jewel of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. The Great American Rail-Trail is a path that will connect Washington, District of Columbia, to the state of Washington via 3,700 miles of multi-use trail. The coast-to-coast initiative will create a continuous route by connecting more than 145 separate rail trails, greenways, and other types of multi-use paths that are already in existence. On a path that was constructed with long-distance travel in mind, guests have the option of traversing a single state, a pair of states, or the entire length of the cross-country route by walking, jogging, or cycling along a path that connects 12 states and the District of Columbia.

The Great American Rail-Route website encourages users to "imagine the unparalleled experience of experiencing America's past via trail — its potential, its beauty and bounty, its people and places." The website goes on to say that the trail will be "safe, smooth, and scenic."

By the end of 2022, the project had achieved more than a fifty percent completion rate, and construction is still underway. Find out everything you need to know about the Great American Rail-Trail, including what to anticipate, when it is expected to be finished, and which sections are already gaining popularity, in the following paragraphs.

This is known as the Great American Rail-Trail Route.

On its ambitious voyage from coast to coast, the 3,700-mile route will travel over the northern half of the United States, passing through a total of 12 states and the District of Columbia. The trail can be travelled in either direction; however, for the purpose of this article, we will focus on the east-to-west journey, which begins on the steps of the United States Capitol in Washington, District of Columbia, and continues on Maryland's Capital Crescent Trail as it travels west through the National Mall.

The route begins in Washington, District of Columbia, and travels through Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio before entering Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska. The route then returns to Washington, District of Columbia. Following that, the path travels across the western states, passing through Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and arriving at its last destination, Washington State. The Olympic Discovery Trail, which now traverses the Olympic Peninsula and terminates at the coast of the Pacific Ocean, will serve as the concluding section of the Great American Rail-Trail when it is completed.

What Travelers Can Anticipate During Their Time on the Great American Rail-Trail

When it is finished, the Great American Rail-Trail will be fully cut off from car traffic and open only to pedestrians and bicyclists; motorized transport will not be permitted on it. The surface of the trail varies, but it has been built so that walkers and cyclists can use it without difficulty throughout. Bikers, walkers, and runners who wish to explore the United States — whether it's a different part of their own state or a state on the other side of the country — will find the route to be a peaceful and secure place to do so if it fulfils its intended purpose.

Stretching almost 6,000km (over 3,700 miles),crossing 12 states,the Great American Rail-Trail will enable cyclists, hikers & riders to traverse entire US. Multi-use trail will run from Washington DC in the East to Washington state in the West.Route will connect 145 existing paths pic.twitter.com/5eKyTzA7ng

— GoodNewsCorrespondent (@GoodNewsCorres1) January 7, 2021

Hotels, campgrounds, and a community of trail users known as Warm Showers who are willing to open their homes to trail users in need of a place to crash are just some of the amenities that are already available in many states and segments to assist trail users travelling long distances. Even while it is possible to travel the entire route in one continuous excursion, the vast majority of visitors prefer to ride the rail trail one segment at a time. According to the projections provided by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, "the trail will directly benefit over 50 million people within 50 miles of the route."

Particularly Memorable Portions of the Great American Rail Trail

The beginning and ending points of the Great American Rail-Trail are both iconic, despite the fact that they couldn't be more dissimilar to one another. The United States Capitol serves as the starting point for the finished Capital Crescent Trail, which also goes by the name Georgetown Branch Trail and travels across the National Mall before going along the outskirts of the Potomac River. After that point, the path becomes a more forested and secluded environment as it travels farther out from the city of Baltimore and closer to the Maryland suburbs.

You won't want to miss out on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail while you're in the state of Ohio. This trail connects urban areas such as Cleveland and Akron to the breathtaking Cuyahoga Valley National Park. In the meanwhile, the gorgeous Cedar Valley Nature Trail in the state of Iowa, which was one of the first rail trails converted in the state, is an excellent location for viewing wildflowers and for spotting the American Goldfinch, which is Iowa's official state bird.

The Great American Rail-Trail will take visitors through the renowned Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, which is a cable-suspension bridge over the Missouri River and measures 3,000 feet in length. This crossing will take place as the trail crosses through the state line between Iowa and Nebraska. As you go farther into Nebraska, you will come to a junction with the Cowboy Recreation and Nature Route, which is the nation's longest (and, possibly, most famous) rail trail.

The Great American Rail-Trail comes to a close in the state of Washington, which is also the final stop on the ultra-scenic Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes in Idaho, which was inducted into the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame. The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes provides views of the rugged Idaho landscape before crossing into Washington.

The route comes to a conclusion when entering the greater Seattle region, where it then connects with the Olympic Discovery Trail, which ultimately leads to the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

When will construction of the Great American Rail-Trail be finished?

Approximately half of the Great American Rail-Trail has been completed. In order to realise the long-term vision of a single, uninterrupted path that runs from Washington, District of Columbia, to Washington State, teams of trail builders in each state are now working to connect previously finished routes.

Viewing the entire route from coast to coast will provide you with a comprehensive summary of which sections have been finished and which parts are either planned or in the beginning phases of preparation.

Even though the Great American Rail-Trail is not scheduled to be finished until "in the next several decades," as stated on their website, you shouldn't let that stop you from going out and exploring the enormous number of completed parts that are presently available in each state.