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A cold March morning on Springer Mountain in Georgia: a handful of hikers with brand-new packs take a photo at the first white blaze of the Appalachian Trail, about 2,200 miles from Maine. A volunteer crew in hard hats is already a mile up the trail, clearing a fallen tree with a crosscut saw. Hiking has no league table, but it has a deep bench of organizations behind it: the agencies that own the land, the nonprofits that build and protect the long trails, the groups that speak for hikers in Washington, and the clubs that get people out on Saturday mornings. Here’s who’s who among hiking organizations, and the trails they look after.
The land managers and the National Trails System
Most long trails in the US cross public land run by federal agencies: the National Park Service (NPS), the USDA Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, plus state parks and forests. Congress created the National Trails System in 1968. According to the NPS, it now includes:
- 11 national scenic trails, routes of 100 miles or more with outstanding recreation, such as the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, Ice Age and Florida trails.
- 21 national historic trails that follow historic routes of travel.
- More than 1,300 national recreation trails, local and regional trails recognized by the federal government.
The NPS notes that most of these trails exist thanks to partnerships between agencies and citizens. On the Appalachian Trail alone, volunteers give hundreds of thousands of hours a year. Those partners are the next section.
The Triple Crown trails and their associations
| Trail | Length and route | Partner nonprofit | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Trail (AT) | About 2,200 miles, Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Katahdin, Maine, through 14 states | Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), founded 1925 | 16.9 million recreation visits in 2025; administered by the NPS |
| Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) | About 2,650 miles, Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington | Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) | Free long-distance permit for trips of 500+ miles; administered by the Forest Service |
| Continental Divide Trail (CDT) | About 3,100 miles, Mexico to Canada through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana | Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC) | Designated in 1978; about 160 miles still incomplete; administered by the Forest Service |
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
The ATC is the nonprofit that leads day-to-day management of the whole AT with the NPS, working with thousands of volunteers in local AT clubs who maintain their own sections. In 2025 the ATC and NPS counted 16.9 million recreation visits to the trail, enough to make it the ninth most visited unit of the National Park System. The ATC also surveys registered long-distance hikers every year; a 2018–2019 version of that survey became an orthopedic study that found hikers who trained beforehand reported fewer injuries (more on our hiking injuries page).
Pacific Crest Trail Association
The PCTA protects and maintains the PCT and, on behalf of the Forest Service and other agencies, issues the free interagency long-distance permit for anyone hiking or riding 500 miles or more in one continuous trip. About a third of the trail crosses areas with their own permit systems, which is why one permit for the whole journey matters.
Continental Divide Trail Coalition
The CDTC is a national nonprofit working to complete and protect the CDT, the longest and wildest of the three, along the spine of the Rocky Mountains. Hikers typically take four to six months to walk it end to end.
The Triple Crown of Hiking (ALDHA-West)
The American Long Distance Hiking Association–West (ALDHA-West) gives the official Triple Crown of Hiking award to anyone who has hiked the full AT, PCT and CDT, by thru-hike or in sections, with no age or speed rules. It runs on the honor system and had recognized 806 Triple Crown awards as of its 2025 ceremony. Honorees are celebrated at the group’s annual fall gathering.
Long-trail hikers carry more than day hikers: a framed pack, and often a satellite messenger for areas with no cell service. The Osprey Atmos AG 65 is a long-time favorite for multi-day trips, with Osprey’s Anti-Gravity mesh suspension, a removable lid, a sleeve for a 3-liter reservoir and a built-in rain cover (about $370 list at Osprey for the current men’s model). The Garmin inReach Mini 2 weighs 3.5 ounces and sends two-way texts and an interactive SOS over the Iridium satellite network, with up to 14 days of battery in its default tracking mode; it needs an active satellite subscription (launch price $399.99). Both are on our hiking gear page, and watches are on hiking wearables.
Prices change often. The prices on this page are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.
Osprey Atmos AG 65 Backpack
- Anti-Gravity suspension
- 3 L reservoir sleeve, rain cover
- About $370 list
Garmin inReach Mini 2
- 3.5 oz, two-way satellite texts
- Up to 14 days battery (default)
- Subscription required
Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter (SP129)
- 0.1 micron absolute
- About 3 oz
- Two 32 oz pouches
National voices for hikers
American Hiking Society
Founded in 1976, the American Hiking Society (AHS) is the national voice for hikers, working to protect foot trails and the hiking experience in cities, front country and backcountry alike. Its best-known programs: National Trails Day, held since 1993 on the first Saturday in June with events across the country; Volunteer Vacations, trips where volunteers work on trails; and Hike the Hill, which brings hikers to Washington to speak up for trails.
Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics
Based in Boulder, Colorado, the Leave No Trace Center has run the Leave No Trace program as a nonprofit since 1994, building on ideas the Forest Service started teaching decades earlier. It organized the seven principles every hiker should know (see our trail rules and safety page) and works through education, research, volunteering and partnerships, with programs in all 50 states.
Hiking clubs, schools and youth programs
- Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC): founded in Boston in 1876 to explore and protect New Hampshire’s White Mountains, it’s the oldest outdoor group in the US and now has 11 chapters from Maine to Virginia.
- Sierra Club: founded in 1892 with John Muir as its first president; its first outing in 1901 took 96 people to Yosemite, and local chapters still lead hikes and trips.
- Local trail clubs: from the AT’s maintaining clubs to regional groups out West, local clubs run group hikes for every level and keep trails open. Joining one is the easiest way to find hiking partners.
- Outdoor schools: the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) runs wilderness expedition courses, including backpacking courses in the Rockies.
- Scouting: Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico sends youth crews on 12-day backpacking treks, with physical conditioning beforehand and a medical check from a doctor.
- Parks for kids: the NPS Junior Ranger program and Every Kid Outdoors (a free federal lands pass for fourth graders) are covered on our hiking with kids page.
Back to the hiking hub, or compare how another sport is organized on running’s organizations page.
Hiking organizations FAQs
Who manages the Appalachian Trail?
The National Park Service administers it, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, a nonprofit founded in 1925, leads day-to-day management with thousands of volunteers in local trail clubs and other agency partners.
How many national scenic trails are there?
Eleven, per the NPS, alongside 21 national historic trails and more than 1,300 national recreation trails in the National Trails System created in 1968.
How do you get the Triple Crown of Hiking award?
Hike the full Appalachian, Pacific Crest and Continental Divide trails, in any order and in sections if you like, then apply to ALDHA-West. It’s on the honor system; ALDHA-West doesn’t verify the miles.
When is National Trails Day?
The first Saturday in June each year. The American Hiking Society started it in 1993, with group hikes and trail-work events around the country.
What is the oldest hiking club in the US?
The Appalachian Mountain Club, founded in Boston in 1876, is the oldest outdoor group in the country.