Welcome to the Great Western Trail!

The Great Western Trail is actually much more than a trail. It is a corridor of trails and passageways designed to serve the many types of trail interests and users. Travelers in the Old West made their way by foot, horseback, wagons or water craft as they moved between communities, over mountain passes, down rivers, and across valleys.

This legacy continues today, along Great Western Trail, as recreational enthusiasts from around the world experience the magic and romance of the Old West. Opportunities exist for hikers, OHV and horseback riders, mountain bikers, cross country skiers, and snowmobilers as they traverse this scenic and culturally rich area of our nation.

The GWT corridor offers many diverse recreational opportunities for public enjoyment but also provides a stepping stone for rural economic growth. Due to the extensive use of volunteers and the development of private and public partnerships, minimal funding for new construction is required. Since the GWT follows existing roads and trails, where possible, little right-of-way acquisition is necessary for the route. Leadership for this trail's development is already in place with the legally established Great Western Trail Association and active volunteer leaders can now be found in most states.

The trail will soon be undergoing a formal study process, required prior to its official Congressional designation as the Great Western National Scenic Trail. When that process is complete, it will become a significant and vital addition to America's system of national trails.

The Parallel System

The trail experience must be rewarding for every user along the system or it will not meet its intended objectives.

A large portion of the GWT will be shared by a mix of user types, ranging from motorized to non-motorized. With generally infrequent use in remote trail sections, this mix is compatible. As use increases, however, the experience for non-motorized trail users becomes negatively affected. For the motorized user the experience is generally unaffected by increased contact with other user types.

To maintain a quality experience for all users, separate routes for the motorized and non-motorized will be provided within the GWT corridor, when a certain level of use occurs. The organized trails community will need to help managers determine when this action should be taken .for given sections of the GWT. This is key to changing forms of access.

Only when everyones trail experience and access rights are protected, will both the motorized and non-motorized trails community exist in harmony. At that time, normally opposing groups will redirect their energies and pull as a team, working for the benefit of each other.