Longest trails: longest paved trail and longest ice skating trail

Where is the longest ice skating trail in America?
Do you know of a longer paved trail anywhere? a longer skating trail? other record trails? Let us know at trailhead@americantrails.org!

3 The 63-mile Hinckley to Duluth segment of Minnesota's Willard Munger State Trail is now completely paved, making this the third-longest paved trail in the world.

2 Then there is the second longest paved trail: Ohio's Little Miami Scenic Trail at 68.5 miles.

	Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes in Idaho

1 We believe the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes in Idaho is the longest at 73 miles of paved path. It follows the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way from Mullan, a mountain mining town near the Montana border, to Plummer, a town on the prairie near the Washington border. The route takes you from high mountain splendor, through the historic Silver Valley, into the chain lakes region, along the shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene, over the Chatcolet Bridge to Heyburn State Park, and finally climbs to the Palouse prairie. See the Friends of the Coeur d'Alene Trails and the Idaho Parks and Recreation website for more on the trail.

The Little Miami Scenic Trail

The second-longest paved trail: The Little Miami Scenic Trail in Ohio will get longer in the near future, according to Thomas J. Recktenwalt, whose excellent website is entered in the American Trails Website Contest:

The Little Miami Scenic Trail is being extended both north towards Springfield, Ohio and south to Cincinnati. The National Trails Parks and Recreation District (Clark County) at is purchasing a right of way to make the trail from I-70 to downtown Springfield a completely dedicated trail. This will add several more miles of trail north. In the south near Cincinnati construction has started to carry the trail an additional 8.8 miles from Milford south to Lunken Airport. Completion of this construction is planned for 2008 by Hamilton County Parks District. Plans are being made to take the trail the last few miles to downtown Cincinnati, where it will cross the Ohio River into Newport, Kentucky via the "Purple People Bridge." This old L&N railroad bridge was opened to pedestrians and cyclists about two years ago.

Woody Ensor adds these comments:

"The southern part of the Little Maimi Scenic Trail is planned to be connected to Lunken Airport. Presently the trail ends at Milford. ODNR owns the railroad right of way thru Terrace Park. Construction money is available. The Village of Terrace Park is about to allow the paved trail to be extended after a 26 year fight. Some time in 2006 it should be possible to ride or walk from Urbana to the Ohio River along the old Little Miami Railroad corridor. I think this will be 95 miles in length."

The Willard Munger State Trail

The third-longest paved trail: The Willard Munger State Trail extends 63-miles between Hinckley, Willow River, Moose Lake, Barnum, Carlton, and Duluth. The trail passes near Banning State Park, through Finlayson, Willow River and General C.C. Andrews State Forest, and through the spectacular scenery of Jay Cooke State Park. The northeast portion of the trail provides scenic views of the St. Louis River and the twin ports of Duluth and Superior. Read more...

The Willard Munger State Trail is a collection of multiple use trails between Hinckley and Duluth. It consists of interconnecting trails offering hiking, bicycling, in-line skating and snowmobiling. It highlights the picturesque scenery and rich history of East Central Minnesota. The trail follows the route of the railroad that saved many lives in the historic Hinckley and Cloquet fires in the nineteenth century. There are three different trail segments in the Willard Munger State Trail: Hinckley - Duluth segment, Alex Laveau Memorial Trail and Boundary segment. See maps, history, and more on the trails at: http://www.munger-trail.com/

Lake Morey, Fairlee, Vermont is home of the longest ice skating trail in the US. Every year in January the Annual Lake Morey Skate-Athon takes place on the four-mile round trip groomed trail. Read more...

Do you know of a longer paved trail anywhere? a longer skating trail? other record trails? Let us know at trailhead@americantrails.org!

Are you a member of American Trails?

Related topics:

Trail design
Structures
Maintenance
Federal funding
Greenways
Health & trails
Rails to trails
Planning

More resources:

Bibliography
Quotations
Glossary
Acronyms
Tools
Products & services

For more opportunities for training on trail design, construction, and management see the National Trails Training Partnership area.