Skip to main content

Hikers Can Soon Circumnavigate the U.S. on the 12,000-Mile American Perimeter Trail

Rue Mckenrick

More and more of us are realizing that escaping into nature is good for the mind, body, and soul. A weekend car-camping trip or even a multi-day backcountry hike is enough to help us recharge. The most rabid nature-lovers, however, demand more — like a months-long thru-hike along the Appalachian Trail. But, for some, even that isn’t enough.

What happens when America’s longest long-distance trails just aren’t long enough? Rue McKenrick is dreaming big — bigger than the Appalachian Trail’s 2,190 miles and bigger still than the Continental Divide Trail’s epic 3,100 miles. The Bend, Oregon-based hiker is scouting routes that could form the American Perimeter Trail. Once completed, McKenrick sees a new 12,000-mile National Scenic Trail that roughly circumnavigates the continental United States along existing hiking trails, scenic roads, and yet-to-be-carved backcountry paths. Most importantly, he said in an interview with Fox 17, “It’s really important for me to get a buffet of everything around, not just something that has guidebooks written about it.”

Recommended Videos

The seeds of the trail were planted for McKenrick more than ten years ago. Back then, he completed the long-distance Triple Crown by hiking the Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, and Appalachian Trails — a total of almost 8,000 miles. It was a life-long goal, but he realized he wanted more. So, he began toying with the idea of an ultra-long-distance trail. In this case, he envisioned one that stitched together the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails with hundreds of smaller trails in-between.

America trail map
Rue Mckenrick

Designing a trail on this scale is dizzying. McKenrick is currently scouting routes in the Midwest while hiking west toward Oregon along the U.S.-Canadian border. Once home, he plans to form a nonprofit and begin formalizing the trail. If the history of the Appalachian Trail is any indication, it’s a process that will likely take decades. But, McKenrick admits that he’s fine with that: “I imagine this is just kind of gonna be my life’s work.”

What started as a passion project has evolved into a lifelong goal to preserve and protect large swaths of the U.S. for future generations. In a recent interview on Gaia GPS’s Out and Back podcast, McKenrick said he wants “to create a protected corridor of land and natural resources that will be available for recreational use.” He hopes that “even if you don’t care about conservation, maybe you care about hiking.”

Topics
Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
Visit Yosemite’s Firefall in 2025 — without a reservation
No reservation? No problem. Here's how to see the Yosemite's Firefall in 2025
Yosemite Firefall at Yosemite National Park in Winter

Every February, Yosemite National Park experiences a Firefall, a natural phenomenon that appears at Horsetail Fall (and one of the reasons winter is a great time to visit). When conditions align, the waterfall glows in vivid orange and red hues at sunset, making it look like the water is on fire. Yosemite needs clear skies, sufficient water flow, and the proper sun angle for this to happen. With this extraordinary event taking place next month, Yosemite National Park is once again implementing a reservation system during the weeks ahead to manage the influx of visitors and protect the park's resources.

50% of these reservations were released back in November, with the rest set to trickle through in the days leading up to the event. However, if you're unfortunate enough not to snag a reservation, here's how you can experience the Firefall in 2025 without one.

Read more
The world’s first curved-screen golf simulator designed for DIY installation is here
First-ever DIY curved-screen golf enclosure kit
Carl's Place Curved Kit

Today, Carl's Place, a custom indoor golf simulator company, has launched the world's first curved-screen golf simulator designed for DIY installation. The exciting new launch of the Curved Golf Enclosure Kit with Impact Screen makes installation of custom-built, professional-grade curved simulators more attainable for golfers, homeowners, and business owners. This all-new indoor golf system provides an immersive, luxury simulator experience explicitly designed for do-it-yourself installation.

Inspired by customer feedback, Carl's Place built the kit to place golfers right in the action for a true "on-course" feel without needing professional installation. The golf simulator expands the visual range of the impact screen into a panoramic view, enhancing depth and realism to provide an improved experience compared to flat-screen simulators. Most importantly, the kit has step-by-step instructions in a written manual and an easy-to-follow video for a straightforward installation process. The DIY nature of the Curved Golf Enclosure Kit installation allows golfers to use the simulator as soon as possible.

Read more
Spend $100 at the REI Outlet and get $20 off with this code
A Helly Hansen Insulated Jacket on a white background.

REI is a great place for all your outdoor clothing needs. The main REI Co-Op is a highlight, but don't forget its outlet store, which provides many products at lower prices. Those prices are even lower right now when you use the voucher code OUTJAN25. Simply spend $100 or more, apply the voucher, and you get $20 off your basket. A great deal for anyone kitting out their winter wardrobe with new additions, let’s take a look at some highlights among the sale. Alternatively, you can just hit the button below to see what’s there for yourself.

What to shop for in the REI Outlet sale
Featuring in our look at the best men’s outdoor clothing camping brands, REI Co-Op is the brand to aim for, but it also sells many of the other best brands. If you’ve been seeking one of the best sleeping bags, how about the ? It’s currently down to $120 for the regular size one, and you’ll get $20 off using the voucher OUTJAN25, meaning it actually costs just $100. It’s lightweight but offers a HL-ElixR Eco synthetic insulation, which uses a blend of three 100% recycled fibers for maximum warmth, a soft feel, and high loft. It has a main zipper with antisnag slider, but also a fold-down secondary zipper for ventilation and easy access.

Read more