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Hiking and long-distance trails

48 articles

Nordic walking

Nordic walking (sauvakävely): Finnish-origin full-body walking with special poles engaging the upper body; burns about 20% more calories than ordinary walking, popular for older adults and rehabilitation.

Oregon Trail

Oregon Trail: 2,000-mile overland emigrant route from the Missouri River to Oregon's Willamette Valley, used by 300,000-500,000 people 1840-1869; designated a National Historic Trail in 1978.

Pacific Crest Trail

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a 2,650-mile US National Scenic Trail from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington, designated in 1968 and completed in 1993.

Rail trail

Rail trail: multi-use path on a former railway line or beside an active rail corridor, also called rails-to-trails. US network exceeds 22,000 miles; railbanking (1983) preserves corridors; documented health, economic, and transportation benefits.

Ring of Kerry

Ring of Kerry: roughly 179 km circular scenic drive around the Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland, from Killarney via Kenmare, Sneem, Waterville, and Cahersiveen; part of the Wild Atlantic Way, with the Skellig Ring detour to UNESCO-listed Skellig Michael.

Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain

Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain (UNESCO site 669/669bis), the French Way and four northern pilgrim routes to St James's tomb, World Heritage since 1993, extended 2015, 530,987 pilgrims in 2025.

Stampede Trail

The Stampede Trail is an off-highway-vehicle and hiking trail in Denali Borough, Alaska, running west toward the Sushana River, known for the abandoned bus where Chris McCandless died in 1992.

Sure-footedness

Sure-footedness: the ability to keep balance and place feet securely on rough, steep, or uneven terrain. Involves ankle-strategy biomechanics, visual foothold selection, traction, and gait adjustments; uneven ground raises walking energy cost about 28%.

Thru-hiking

Thru-hiking is walking an entire long-distance trail, such as the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail or 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, in one continuous trip within a year; about one in three A.T. attempts succeed.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, also called the Tongariro Crossing, is a 19.4-20.2 km one-day volcanic traverse in Tongariro National Park, New Zealand: Mangatepopo to Ketetahi, Red Crater highest point, Emerald Lakes, ~100,000 summer walkers.

Tour du Mont Blanc

Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB): ~170 km, ~10,000 m ascent hiking circuit around the Mont Blanc massif through France, Italy, and Switzerland, usually 7–12 days, highest point Grand Col Ferret 2,537 m, season mid-June to mid-September.

Trail running

Trail running: off-road running on natural terrain (max 20% paved, ITRA definition), governed by World Athletics/ITRA/WMRA, 20+ million participants, championship formats 35-85 km, distinct from mountain running, fell running and skyrunning.

Trans Canada Trail

Trans Canada Trail (The Great Trail, 2016-2021) is the world's longest multi-use recreational trail network, over 30,000 km across all Canadian provinces and territories, stewarded by a registered charity and funded federally through Parks Canada.

Triple Crown of Hiking

Triple Crown of Hiking: completing the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail, about 8,000 miles total; recognized by ALDHA-West on the honor system, 889 awards as of 2026.

Trolltunga

Trolltunga (the Troll's Tongue) is a rock ledge 700 m above Ringedalsvatnet near Odda, Norway, reached by a 20–27 km Very Demanding hike, season 1 June–30 September, with about 80,000 visitors a year.

UTMB World Series

UTMB World Series, global trail running circuit launched 2022 by UTMB Group; Events, Majors, and Finals at UTMB Mont-Blanc (OCC, CCC, UTMB); Running Stones lottery, UTMB Index, 51 events in 28 countries in 2025.

Via Dolorosa

Via Dolorosa, the Sorrowful Way, is a 600-meter route through Jerusalem's Old City with 14 Stations of the Cross marking Jesus's path to Golgotha; its current form dates to the 18th century and its start at the Antonia Fortress is disputed.

Via Francigena

Via Francigena: medieval pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, recorded in Sigeric's 990 AD diary of 79 stages; 3,200 km Cultural Route of the Council of Europe since 1994, extended to Santa Maria di Leuca in 2019.