Found out the Appalachian Trail isn't actually the longest route in the US

I always assumed the AT was the king of long trails, but apparently the Pacific Crest Trail is like 400 miles longer. Saw it on some trail stats page and had to check a map. Has anyone else been surprised by how wrong their assumptions about trail lengths are?

2 comments

2 Comments

hall.ruby1mo ago

Honestly I read somewhere that the Continental Divide Trail is actually the longest, even longer than the PCT. Blew my mind too cause everyone talks about the AT like it's the big one.

finley9391mo ago

That's wild you mentioned that @hall.ruby, because I had the exact same realization last year when I started looking into thru-hiking more seriously. Everybody hypes up the AT like it's the ultimate challenge, but the Continental Divide Trail is legitimately longer and way more remote in sections. Kinda makes you wonder if the AT just gets all the attention because it's older and more established with all the shelters and trail towns. Makes me feel for folks who put all that work into the CDT and don't get the same recognition, you know? It's a whole different beast out there in the Rockies.