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Featured National Recreation Trails

THE NATIONAL RECREATION TRAILS (NRT) program works to preserve and celebrate our nation's pathways. We invite you to explore America’s great national system of trails and greenways.

Search over 1,000 National Recreation Trails in the online database
See photos from the National Recreation Trails Photo Contest

Learn more about the National Recreation Trails program

Featured U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Trails

USFWS logo The U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service is a supporter of the National Recreation Trails (NRT) program. A wide variety of trails on National Wildlife Refuges are designated National Recreation Trails. Some of these are featured below; click on the links to see more photos, trail descriptions, and links to National Wildlife Refuges that host the NRTs. Eligible trails may be designated in the future— see the U. S. Department of the Interior designation process for details.

Trails are key to discovering the beauty, history and natural heritage of the National Wildlife Refuge System, America’s only network of lands dedicated primarily to wildlife conservation. We invite you to reconnect with our natural world as you hike or paddle on more than 491 refuges and wetland management districts that are open to visitors, from Alaska to Florida, Maine to California, and on Caribbean and Pacific Islands.


	Interpretive display on the St. Paul Island High Bluffs Trail

Alaska

St. Paul Island High Bluffs Trail — Located in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, this 6-mile backcountry trail takes visitors through a landscape of coastal cliffs, rolling tundra, windswept beaches, and the Bering Sea. See more photos...

Arizona

Arivaca Cienga and Arivaca Creek Trails — These trail access spring-fed marshes and cotonwood groves in the desert on Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.

Painted Desert Trail — This trail on the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge was named for the multi-colored rocks from ancient volcanos that erupted 20-30 million years ago.

Palm Canyon Trail — Located in the Kofal National Wildlife Refuge, an area of rugged beauty, the half-mile trail winds up toward the base of the canyon where native California fan palms can be found.

Colorado

Alamosa South Bluff and Rio Grande Nature Trail — On the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge where visitors can see Sandhill cranes, eagles, wetlands, and the river oxbows.

Monte Vista Walking Trail — The half-mile trail was created by the Friends of the San Luis Valley on the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge.

Interior Trail System and Wetlands Loop Trail — The trail system at Rocky Mountain Arsenal NWR leads visitors through an urban refuge of more than 16,000 acres of open space and wildlife habitat.

Two Ponds Trail — Trails at Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge provides access to ponds and wetlands, cottonwoods along the canals, and views across the Denver Metro area to the Rocky Mountains.

Florida

Centennial Trail — Trails and boardwalks through upland and wetland habitats with an observation tower overlooking the historic rookery at Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Illinois

Lower Cache River Trail — This 3-mile trail is the result of a partnership between the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, and the Nature Conservancy, which is working to preserve, restore, and manage a 60,000-acre complex of wetlands. The trail and surrounding area contains true southern swamps, 100 state-threatened or endangered plant and animal species, and 11 state champion trees.

View along the Magnolia Trail near Natchez, Mississippi

Louisiana

Marc Dupuy, Jr. Wildlife Trail — The trail traverses forested wetlands and connects to a boardwalk and an elevated observation tower on the Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge.

Maine

Carson Trail —Located on Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, this one-mile interpretive trail traverses three natural habitats and offers numerous opportunities to view wildlife.

Minnesota

Froland Waterfowl Production Area Interpretive Trail — The 1.7 mile trail system winds around several wetlands through scenic restored prairie and oak savanna in west-central Minnesota. The trail was designed to expose users to a variety of native habitat types including prairie pothole wetlands, restored tall grass prairie uplands and oak savanna.

Mahnomen Wildlife Trail — Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge offers three miles of scenic hiking over moderately level terrain through scenic natural areas.

Rydell Refuge Trails, Minnesota — This backcountry trail system extends over 7 miles throughout the Rydell National Wildlife Refuge, showcasing a Sundew Bog and the transitional zone between Prairie Parkland and Eastern Broadleaf Forest.

Mississippi

Magnolia Trail, Mississippi — Located just south of Natchez in St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge, this 3-mile nature trail allows visitors to access various wildlife habitats and topographic features, including loess bluffs which offer views of the Mississippi and Homochitto Rivers. The refuge hosts a variety of wildlife, including migratory songbirds, waterfowl, and alligators.

Montana


	The Prairie-Marsh Boardwalk National Recreation Trail

Display Pond Trail — Located in the Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, this 0.4-mile accessible, walking trail allows visitors of all ages and abilities to experience the outdoors and a diversity of wildlife.

Drinking Horse Mountain Trail — The 2.2 mile trail climbs a scenic peak at Bozeman Fish Technology Center in partnership with Gallatin Valley Land Trust.

Lee Metcalf NWR Wildlife Viewing Trail — This 2-mile trail on Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge will eventually serve as a trailhead for the Bitterroot Birding and Nature Trail, the first trail of its kind in Montana.

Prairie-Marsh Boardwalk — This boardwalk trail offers a unique nature walk that transitions from shortgrass native prairie to a nationally-significant wetland ecosystem on the Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Nebraska

Funk Peterson Wildlife Trail — Located in the Funk Waterfowl Production Area, this 3-mile backcountry loop trail is a bird watcher’s paradise, providing habitat for millions of birds.

Meadowlark Trail — Located in Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge, this 6-mile rural loop trail system accesses a variety of natural settings, including woodland, restored native prairie, and riparian habitats. In addition to its scenic features, trail users can enjoy biking, wildlife observation, and cross country skiing.

Niobrara Scenic River Trail — This 5.6 mile river segment through Ft. Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge offers visitors a unique scenic recreational floating experience. The river cuts a deep canyon in the limestone rocks that underlie Nebraska’s famed Sand Hills.

New Hampshire

Little Cherry Pond —Located on Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, this one-mile backcountry and birding trail winds through six different forest communities and offers views of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains.


Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk

North Carolina

Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk — Located in Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, this 3/4-mile loop trail meanders along the Scuppernong River through a cypress swamp and leads into downtown Columbia. The boardwalk introduces visitors to the beauty of the coastal sounds of eastern North Carolina. In addition to its scenic features, the trail provides for recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and wildlife observation.

North Dakota

Lostwood Refuge - Prairie Hiking Trail — This 7.5-mile trail in Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge provides a scenic view of the Missouri Coteau, a distinctive landscape of rolling hills and wetlands shaped by glaciers.

Munch's Coulee Hiking Trail — Located along the Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge State Scenic Byway, this 1-mile loop trail provides spectacular vistas of the Refuge's wildflowers, Lower Des Lacs Lake, and nearby wetlands. In addition to its scenic features, this trail offers ample opportunities for bird watching.

Wetlands & Waterfowl Trail — 1.25-mile long accessible trail provides wheelchair users with the opportunity to hunt or observe waterfowl at a unit of the Arrowwood National Wildlife Reufge Complex.

Oklahoma

Centennial Trail: Located in Washita National Wildlife Refuge, this 0.3-mile nature trail loops through a variety of diverse habitats and allows visitors to observe numerous plant and animal species.

Eagle Roost Nature Trail: Located in Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, this 1.25-mile interpretive nature trail forms a loop through a diversity of habitats and provides opportunities to view bald eagles, whooping cranes and other waterfowl.

Hortons Slough Trail — Located at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in east central Oklahoma, the trail is built along a wetland and overlooks a lake that is home to thousands of migrating snow geese and other waterfowl.

Sandtown Nature Trail — The 20,000 acres of lands that encompass Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge provide homes and shelter for many kinds of animals and plants. The refuge is nestled in the gently rolling foothills of the Ozark Mountains and serves as a major stopover for waterfowl during their spring and fall migrations.

Rich Guadagno Memorial Trail, Oregon

Oregon

Ankeny Rail Trail: Located in Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, this one-mile rail trail takes visitors through a seasonally flooded Oregon ash wetland where various birds and amphibians can be seen and heard year round.

Rich Guadagno Memorial Trail — This trail at Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge is dedicated it to the one of the refuge's former managers, Rich Guadagno, who was killed on September 11, 2001, aboard United Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

Woodpecker Loop Trail — This backcountry trail runs a little over a mile in the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, a prime

South Dakota

Prairie Winds Trail — Located in Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, this 3/4-mile trail passes through a variety of habitats, including prairie grasslands, wetlands, and woodlands. With interpretive signage as a guide, this scenic trail is a prime location for wildlife observation and offers visitors the opportunity to observe white-tailed deer, waterfowl, and songbirds.

Texas

Willows Trail — This trail on the Anahuac National Wildlife Rufuge, a popular destination for birders on the upper Texas coast, includes an 1,100-foot elevated boardwalk.

Utah

Wetland Wonders Walk — This trail on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge begins at the Wildlife Education Center with an observation deck, accessible trail, and access to wetlands wildlife viewing. See more photos...

Washington

Icicle Creek Nature Trail — This 1-mile accessible nature trail at Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery includes wildlife viewing blinds.

Oaks to Wetlands Trail — Located in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, this 6-mile nature trail offers a natural haven for residents of the nearby Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area. A major highlight of the trail is the nationally recognized archaeological site of the village of Cathlapotle, part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. This trail offers a place for area residents to keep in touch with their "wild" neighbors and appreciate the beauty of the type of natural areas that once were common along the lower Columbia River.

What makes a trail a National Recreation Trail? Learn more about the NRT program and the effort to preserve and celebrate America's greatest trails.

For more great photos of NRTs, see the photos and dozens of entries in the annual NRT Photo Contest, sponsored by American Trails.

Visit some of the wide variety of designated NRTs in Bureau of Land Management areas.

See how to update your trail information on the National Recreation Trails on-line database or send changes by e-mail to nrt@americantrails.org.

trail trail

Each year nominations for designation of new National Recreation Trails may be submitted. Details of the program may be found on the NRT website hosted by American Trails: (www.americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails). The National Recreation Trail Program recognizes trails that provide opportunities for all Americans to enjoy the out-of-doors and improve the quality of life of our communities.

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Featured National Recreation Trails

Featured U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Trails