American Discovery Trail Society

Mission of the American Discovery Trail Society: To create, manage and promote the American Discovery Trail as a national resource for the enjoyment and benefit of its users. The Society will achieve this mission by: 1. Developing and managing an off-road trail (wherever possible and feasible) across America for non-motorized users. 2. Providing support to local trail groups to enable them to develop and manage their section of trail and increase their constituencies. 3. Creating a national constituency to support and protect the Trail. 4. Providing informational materials to its members and the public for use on the Trail. 5. Providing educational services concerning the ecological, historic and scenic features along the Trail route. The American Discovery Trail (ADT) is a new breed of national trail — part city, part small town, part forest, part mountains, part desert — all in one trail. Its 6,800+ miles of continuous, multi-use trail stretches from Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware, to Pt. Reyes National Seashore, California. It reaches across America, linking community to community in the first coast to coast, non-motorized trail. The ADT provides trail users the opportunity to journey into the heart of all that is uniquely American — its culture, heritage, landscape and spirit. The ADT incorporates trails designed for hiking, bicycle and equestrian use. Because it connects five national scenic and 12 national historic trails, 34 national recreational trails, and many other local and regional trails — it is the backbone for the national trails system. It passes through metropolitan areas like San Francisco and Cincinnati, traces numerous pioneer trails, leads to 14 national parks and 16 national forests and visits more than 10,000 sites of historic, cultural and natural significance. It provides the opportunity for the most adventurous to travel from coast to coast, truly discovering the heart of America.