From the border wall complicating access to long trails’ southern termini to the potential repeal of the Roadless Rule, nature, wildlife, and public lands are currently facing unprecedented threats. The White House has already stripped national monuments’ protections. Wildernesses that have been safe from roadway construction could soon be torn up for vehicle access. And ecosystems around the country are threatened by potential new mining operations sprouting up in remote, pristine areas.
Without significant changes, many trails across the country stand to be changed forever—whether by construction, resource extraction, or other types of development. Here’s a small sample of endangered trails worth seeing—and fighting for—now.
Kekekabic Trail, Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area, Minnesota
Location: Northern Minnesota
Distance: 39 miles, point-to-point
Elevation gain: 3,681 feet
Why it’s threatened: In April, the Trump administration rolled back a 20-year federal mining ban in the Boundary Waters. The move could open large parts of this region to sulfide-ore and copper-nickel mining.
This rugged, challenging trek crosses an impressive stretch of wilderness. It requires some logistics and planning, but the views and solitude are mythic. Hikers pass more than a dozen lakes, meaning water sources are abundant, and designated campsites are rarely far from the main trail.
Start at the Snowbank Trailhead outside Ely, MN, and finish your trek at the Kekekabic Trailhead East on Gunflint Trail. You’ll have to arrange a shuttle or pickup to get back to your car or into town.
Grand Gulch, Bears Ears National Monument, Utah
Location: Southern Utah
Distance: 20 miles, point-to-point
Elevation gain: 1,293 feet
Why it’s threatened: The protective boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument were reduced in July by 90 percent, potentially opening it to extractive industries like mining or drilling.
Grand Gulch is a mesmerizing red-rock canyon wilderness in southern Utah. Hidden among the sprawling canyons is a vast record of human history in the form of Ancestral Puebloan dwelling sites and rock art. These cultural treasures lie far from paved roads, deep in what was once part of the National Monument, making this trail a mesmerizing one for backpackers willing to go far.
Kane Gulch to Government Trailhead is one optional route that winds along the bottom of Grand Gulch, then exits Bullet Canyon to Government Trailhead. You’ll need to self-shuttle back up the road to the starting point, so be sure to plan your ride.
Coyote Gulch, Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Utah
Location: Southern Utah
Distance: 6.5 miles, loop
Elevation gain: 659 feet
Why it’s threatened: At the same time the Trump administration shrank Bears Ears, it also shrank Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, potentially opening it up to mining and drilling as well.
For unparalleled desert adventure in classic southern Utah slot canyons, head to Peekaboo and Spooky Slot Canyons in what was once GSENM. What this day hike lacks in elevation change, it makes up for with picturesque canyon walls, technical stretches of trail, and more than a few potholes where you’re likely to get your feet wet.
Sections are exceedingly narrow—even backpacks can make for a tight squeeze—and the road in can be rough. However, the rock formations and magical light deep in the canyons are worth the trouble. Start at Lower Dry Fork Trailhead and loop Spooky Slot Canyon and Dry Fork Trails.
Arizona Trail, Arizona
Location: Arizona (Mexico to Utah)
Distance: 800 miles, point-to-point
Elevation gain: 102,772 feet
Why it’s threatened: Border wall construction along the Arizona-Mexico Border this April closed the trail’s final mile.
This long trail traverses Arizona’s entire length from its southern border with Mexico to its northern border with Utah. It crosses deserts, multiple mountain ranges, canyons, forests, the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon, and many unique communities along its 800 miles. It’s a stunning route that requires relatively advanced desert backpacking and logistics planning skills.
However, there is currently no southern terminus. The final mile between Montezuma Pass in Coronado National Memorial and the border is indefinitely closed for border wall construction, preventing hikers from celebrating their accomplishment at the iconic terminus monument. The Continental Divide Trail suffers from the same problem, leaving hikers and trail associations scrambling to identify alternative endpoints.
Parts of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Location: Georgia to Maine
Distance: 2,200 miles, point-to-point
Elevation gain: 464,500 feet
Why it’s threatened: The Roadless Rule is a 2001 federal conservation policy that protects millions of acres of undeveloped National Forest System lands from road construction and timber harvesting. The federal government is currently trying to repeal it. That would open huge swaths of remote wilderness to construction, new traffic, and logging activity.
The Appalachian Trail is one of the world’s most famous long trails. It passes through 14 states from Georgia to Maine and offers a wide range of landscapes, wildlife, environments, and cultures. From rolling green hills to rocky climbs to snow-dusted mountains, the AT takes the average thru-hiker six months to complete. It’s a route that’s inspired many adventurers and more stories for Backpacker over the years than we can count.
But if the Trump administration continues its push to rescind the Roadless Rule, some 45 million acres of national forests would be open to roadbuilding and logging. Numerous portions of the Appalachian Trail pass through roadless areas that are now threatened, including segments through Bald Mountain National Roadless Area, Lance Creek and Beaver Dam Creek Roadless Areas, Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain Fringe, and more.
Tumalo and Bridge Creeks Trail, Oregon
Location: Tumalo Roadless Area
Distance: 7.2 miles, out-and-back
Elevation gain: 1,128 feet
Why it’s threatened: Repeal of the Roadless Rule
The Tumalo Roadless Area is sometimes called the “heart of Bend, Oregon’s drinking watershed.” It abounds with waterfalls, and this trail in particular takes hikers past dozens of them. It winds deep through old-growth forests populated with pine, hemlock, spruce, and fir trees. Following the creeks, hikers will find one successive cascade after another.
The Tumalo Falls Day Use Area is just 11 miles east of Bend. It’s a popular spot, especially on summer and fall weekends. But once you get a few miles in, crowds thin, and you have the trail, the creeks, and waterfalls mostly to yourself. This 14,829-acre Roadless Area protects drinking water for more than 100,000 people, according to Oregon Wild. It’s also a pristine place for hiking, backpacking, and outdoor recreation.
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