In Photos: Hiking the US’s National Trails

Selma to Montgomery historic trail, Alabama

The 54 miles between Selma and Montgomery helped change American history. Led by Martin Luther King in January 1965, 500 civil rights marchers went to Selma to rally for voting rights. They attempted to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge (pictured) to march along Route 80 to Montgomery. At the bridge, police blocked the road and ordered the marchers to disperse. When they refused, the troopers attacked and beat them, and forced them back.

Overmountain Victory historic trail

Stretching 330 miles through four states (Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina) the Overmountain Victory trail traces the route used by patriot militia fighting the 1780 Kings Mountain campaign during the US revolution. Here, re-enactors cross the Watauga River in Sycamore Shoals state park, near Elizabethton, Tennessee.

Oregon historic trail

This 2,170-mile, east–west wagon route connecting the Missouri river to Oregon was used by around 400,000 settlers from the1830s on wards. This photograph shows a lone covered wagon on the prairie at Rock Creek state park, Nebraska.

Pony Express historic trail

In operation for only 18 months between April 1860 and October 1861, the Pony Express was the thread that tied east to west, 1,900 miles from Missouri to California. Using mounted riders rather than traditional stagecoaches helped reduce the time for messages to travel between Atlantic and Pacific coasts to about 10 days. Here a “fogbow” is captured over a Pony Express sign in Nevada.

Juan Bautista de Anza historic trail

In 1775-76, Juan Bautista de Anza led 240 men, women and children on an epic journey to establish the first non-native settlement at San Francisco Bay. Today, the 1,200-mile trail connects history, culture, and outdoor recreation from Nogales, Arizona, to the Bay area. This picture is of the Hollister Hills, near Monterey, California.