What is the Hiking Triple Crown?

You’ve likely heard of triple crown races—the completion of three long distance runs over the course of a specified period of time. But there is also the triple crown of hiking, informally referring to the three major U.S. long distance hiking trails. These three trails include:

• Pacific Crest Trail — 2,654 miles long through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington between Mexico and Canada following the highest portion of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range.
• Appalachian Trail — 2,184 miles long between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine.
• Continental Divide Trail — 3,100 miles long, between Mexico and Canada following the Continental Divide along the Rocky Mountains and traversing Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.

The trails all together cover about 7,900 miles; with a vertical gain is more than 1,000,000 feet (190 miles). A total of 22 states will be traversed through if the three trails are completed. The American Long Distance Hiking Association West is the only organization that recognizes this hiking accomplishment. At the annual ALDHA-West Gathering each fall the Triple Crown honorees are recognized and awarded plaques for completing the grueling endeavor.

To add more fuel to your fire the youngest person to ever complete the Triple Crown was Reed Gjonnes, 13. Along with her father, she hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2011, The Appalachian Trail in 2012, and the Continental Divide in 2013. There’s also the overachiever who walked the Triple Crown back to back in 239 days in 2005. Matthew Hazley from Northern Ireland was the first person to achieve this.

The Triple Crown has become more advanced, with two of the three trails reaching into Canada. The “Three-Headed Snake”, a.k.a. the Super Triple Crown, comprises the Eastern Continental Trail, the Sea-to-Sea Route and the Great Western Loop. At the time of this publication, no one has completed all three trails, though all three have been thru-hiked at least once.

Interested in taking on the feat? First you should become acquainted with all three of these thru-hikes to ensure you know what you are signing up for.

Hiking Triple Crown Trails

Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail was officially completed in 1937, and me be one of the most established long-distance trails in America. Starting in Georgia, the trail winds through every type of forest found on the east coast. While most thru-hikers get a spring start in Georgia and average 6 months on the trail, ending in Maine during the fall. The trail is very community based, even the upkeep is done by volunteers, providing a safe and fun environment to spend an ample amount of time in the great outdoors.

Continental Divide Trail

Officially designated as a trail in 1978, the Continental Divide Trail is only 73 percent complete, which means thru-hikers have to get clever when venturing forward and watch for private land rights along the way. The longest trail in the Triple Crown Series covers 3,100 miles linking National Parks like Glacier, Yellowstone, and Rocky Mountain. This trail will have you hiking on top of the world and across five states, literally. Most northbound hikers hit this trail in later March or early May, and southbound hikers start usually around June.

Pacific Crest Trail

The very best of the West Coast can be found along the Pacific Crest Trail. Starting in Southern California and extending into Northern Washington, this trail has you touching both ends of the country. The PCT will take you through 25 National Forests and seven National Parks. From the High Sierras in Central California to the Cascades in Washington, this trail gives you plenty of mountains to gawk over for the rest of your life.  90% of PCT hikers begin in Southern California and continue north, starting in late April or early May.

Think you have what it takes to complete the Triple Crown? It won’t be easy, and it will take a lot of time and physical stamina. But if you end up completing it, it will be something you will never forget.

Looking for a shorter stretch of land to explore? These trails are also accessible for weekend backpacking trips or short day hikes. Whether you are going to embark on the journey of a lifetime or an epic weekend adventure, get out there and explore!

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Photo Credit : Sheila Sund , John Hayes , Jean Nearing , Bureau of Land Management , Miguel Vieira