USA TODAY 10Best
Enjoy the outdoors on the 10 best recreational trails in the US
Best Recreational Trail (2023)
Recreation trails have been popping up across the country and providing people with new ways to explore the great outdoors. Many of these trails allow users to bike, walk, run, skate and even explore by horseback. To find the best of the bunch, we asked a panel of experts for nominations, then readers voted for their favorites. These are the 10 best recreational trails across the country for 2023.
Photo courtesy of Idaho Tourism
No. 10: Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes - Idaho
The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes runs for 73 miles across the Idaho panhandle through the Silver Valley and along the Coeur d’Alene River. The paved trail attracts walkers, cyclists and skaters in summer, as well as snowshoers and cross-country skiers in winter.
Photo courtesy of Allegheny Trail Alliance
No. 9: Great Allegheny Passage - Maryland and Pennsylvania
The gorgeous Great Allegheny Passage provides more than 150 miles of almost flat hiking and biking trail connecting Pittsburgh and Cumberland, Maryland. It was the first trail to earn a spot in the National Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.
Photo courtesy of Firewater Photography/Kris Decker
No. 8: Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail System - Greenville County, South Carolina
This trail in South Carolina is named after a railroad that was named after a type of rabbit, and now that the railroad no longer runs, this trail follows its path along the Reedy River. The Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail System snakes 22 miles across Greenville County, from picnic areas and parks to schools and businesses. It’s a popular geocaching spot, too.
Photo courtesy of iStock / NickGiomuso
No. 7: Little Miami Scenic Trail - Cincinnati, Ohio
Explore five Ohio counties when traversing the 78-mile Little Miami Scenic Trail, the longest single trail in the Miami Valley trail system. You can hike or bike this paved and shaded trail, which offers access to two state parks: John Bryan and Caesar Creek.
Photo courtesy of The Trail Foundation
No. 6: Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail - Austin, Texas
This 10-mile hike-and-bike trail meanders along the banks of Lady Bird Lake in the middle of Austin. The trail sees some 4.4 million visits a year, a mix of travelers who come to take in the views and locals who love the space as a place to recreate in the fresh air.
Photo courtesy of SD Tourism
No. 5: George S. Mickelson Trail - Black Hills, South Dakota
The George S. Mickelson Trail, completed in 1998, meanders through the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. The 109-mile crushed limestone and gravel trail passes through ponderosa pine and spruce forests – much of it on National Forest land – and features more than 100 converted railroad bridges, four rock tunnels and 15 trailheads.
Photo courtesy of Rebecca Swift
No. 4: B-Line Trail - Bloomington, Indiana
Follow Bloomington's 3.1-mile B-Line Trail through downtown and Switchyard Park. This paved trail is great for walkers, joggers and cyclers, with paved plaza areas for stops, as well as several fitness stations and drinking fountains (for you and your pet) along the way. You can even connect with the 2-mile Bloomington Rail Trail for a longer outing.
Photo courtesy of Eric Sheffield
No. 3: Chessie Trail - Lexington, Virginia
Hike or run along the 7-mile one-way Chessie Trail, which parallels the Maury River in Lexington, Virginia. Old canal towpaths and a portion of the former Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad bed combine to create this rail-trail that offers an opportunity to enjoy fresh air and wildlife spotting.
Photo courtesy of Lokibaho / iStock
No. 2: Katy Trail - Missouri
Katy Trail State Park represents one of the longest rails-to-trails conversion projects in the nation. The largely flat 240-mile trail passes through the Missouri countryside – a popular option for runners, walkers and cyclists. The path has 26 trailheads and four fully restored railroad depots along the way.
Photo courtesy of iStock / Cavan Images
No. 1: Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail - Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama
You're spoiled for choice at the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail complex, which offers 27 trails across nine different ecosystems. You can trek through wildflowers and tall pines on the Rosemary Dunes trail, take in the views from the overlook on the Gulf Oak Ridge trail, and enjoy the abundance of complex amenities, like the Butterfly Garden and the Pavilion.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Deborah Fallows
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. She is... Read More
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. She is the co-author with her husband, James Fallows, of the national best-selling book, Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America, published in May, 2018. Our Towns, the HBO documentary based on the book was released in April, 2021. They recently launched the Our Towns Civic Foundation to support renewal efforts of communities across America. Deb has written extensively on language, culture, travel, and China for The Atlantic, National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times and The Washington Monthly. Her previous book, Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language, is based on her 3-year experience living and working in China.
Deborah Fallows
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. She is the co-author with her husband, James Fallows, of the national best-selling book, Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America, published in May, 2018. Our Towns, the HBO documentary based on the book was released in April, 2021. They recently launched the Our Towns Civic Foundation to support renewal efforts of communities across America. Deb has written extensively on language, culture, travel, and China for The Atlantic, National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times and The Washington Monthly. Her previous book, Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language, is based on her 3-year experience living and working in China.
Nicky Omohundro
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of Read More
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of LittleFamilyAdventure.com, the popular family travel & lifestyle website that inspires families to leave no child left inside. Since 2013 LFA has been providing inspiration to get families outdoors, eat well, and travel everywhere from their own backyard to around the world. Always up for a family adventure, she has traveled to 37 states and 6 countries to zip-line through a Costa Rican rainforest, see Finland’s Northern Lights, and go camping throughout the US. Nicky is the co-founder of Tourism WorX a travel consultancy group. Connect with her Twitter and Instagram.
Nicky Omohundro
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of LittleFamilyAdventure.com, the popular family travel & lifestyle website that inspires families to leave no child left inside. Since 2013 LFA has been providing inspiration to get families outdoors, eat well, and travel everywhere from their own backyard to around the world. Always up for a family adventure, she has traveled to 37 states and 6 countries to zip-line through a Costa Rican rainforest, see Finland’s Northern Lights, and go camping throughout the US. Nicky is the co-founder of Tourism WorX a travel consultancy group. Connect with her Twitter and Instagram.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production... Read More
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.