CRAIG HILL
Craig Hill is The News Tribune’s injury-prone Adventure writer. After eight years covering college football and basketball, he started writing about adventure sports in 2004. He writes about everything from mountaineering and cycling to skiing and camping. You can reach him at craig.hill@thenewstribune.com
JEFFREY P. MAYOR
Jeffrey P. Mayor has been The News Tribune’s Adventure editor since 2003, and oversees our weekly Adventure section. His coverage focuses on fishing, hunting, Mount Rainier and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. You can reach him at jeff.mayor@thenewstribune.com
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Bart Smith has completed his 16-year journey to hike all eight national scenic trails. It is a journey that has carried him 16,415 miles.
Smith, 49, of Lakewood, reached Island Park, Idaho Tuesday afternoon, completing his journey by stepping into the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River.
Bart Smith celebrates the completion of his 16-year journey to hike the entire National Scenic Trail system standing in the Henry's Fork of the Snake River near Island Park, Idaho. The photo was taken by Smith's friend Tom Richardson.
He then drove to Yellowstone National Park and hiked a short section of the Continental Divide Trail to symbolicaly complete his journey at Old Faithful, where he was greeted by Tim Townsend, deputy district ranger for the Old Faithful District in the park.
“I am thankful for the blessings of good health, good fortune and an amazing and supportive wife without whom I would not have been able to succeed on this epic adventure,” Smith wrote in an e-mail to me.
Smith is now flying to Washington, D.C. where he will take part in the 40th anniversary celebration of the National Trail System Act. He will give a presentation on the journey that began with the Pacific Crest National Scenice Trail and has now carried him through 35 states.
When Smith and I talked on Monday, he credited the good weather for allowing him to complete his journey on time.
“It’s been better in September than it was in August,” he said.
When I asked if he was sad to see this journey come to an end, Smith said “I think (Sunday) I started feeling a little bit nostalgic for the trails. I’m going to miss it a bit.”
In addition to hiking each of the trails, Smith has carried 20 pounds of camera gear along with his 50-pound pack. He has published four photo books already, with a fifth due to come out soon.
Here are the trails (and mileage) that make up the National Scenic Trail system:
Natchez Trace 500
Potomac Heritage 704
Ice Age 1,200
Florida 1,400
Appalachian 2,175
Pacific Crest 2,650
Continental Divide 3,200
North Country 4,200
