One of my favorite free resources for all things trail is the Train Run Project, produced by REI. The app is an indispensable tool for route-finding on the go, but the website holds a wealth of information about virtually every runnable trail in the country.
I’ve used TRP extensively to find trails in Colorado, and I’ve also played around with it a bit on business trips out of state, searching for any runnable spots adjacent to my meetings. (On my last trip to Toledo, I found some lovely wooded trails just outside of town, and I’m already planning this 22 mile loop for a spring trip to Bentonville, Ark.).
States With The Most Trail Miles
Every state sports some trails, but which states lead the pack in terms of trail miles? I used TRP to calculate the total number of trail miles in each state.
Colorado leads the pack, followed closely by California. All of the top seven states are in the West, with its vibrant outdoor culture and huge tracts of land.
Top Ten States Ranked By Miles of Trail
| Rank | State | Miles of Trail |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | 16,491 |
| 2 | California | 14,871 |
| 3 | Washington | 10,575 |
| 4 | Montana | 10,365 |
| 5 | Oregon | 9,327 |
| 6 | Arizona | 6,886 |
| 7 | Wyoming | 5,947 |
| 8 | New York | 5,811 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 5,405 |
| 10 | Michigan | 4,976 |
The map below cleary shows how trails are concentrated in mountainous areas (duh), but also that they favor the Rockies, the Pacific Northwest, and eastern seaboard.
States With The Highest Trail Density
Ranking states merely by trail miles is a bit of an unfair metric, as enormous states like Montana simply have more room for trails. Which states use their land best?
I estimated that by calculating each state’s number of trail miles relative to its land area. Washington, D.C., ranks first, with its 111 miles of trail packed into only 68 square miles of land. The next five states are all in New England, tiny in size but littered with trails through the White Mountains, Green Mountains, Presidential Range, and more.
Top Ten States Ranked By Trail Density
| Rank | State | Density Index* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, D.C. | 38.30 |
| 2 | Vermont | 9.65 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 5.69 |
| 4 | Connecticut | 5.55 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 5.15 |
| 6 | Colorado | 3.73 |
| 7 | Washington | 3.73 |
| 8 | New York | 2.89 |
| 9 | New Jersey | 2.85 |
| 10 | Maryland | 2.72 |
*The Density Index reflects the number of trail running miles per state divided by the land area of each state, and is scaled so the U.S. average equals 1.00.
Whereever you are, there’s a trail for you!
