May 18, 2021by Alicia Leggett Followhttps://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?
After several years of planning, the 5,000+ mile Eastern Divide Trail is nearing completion. The off-road-centric bikepacking route will start in Newfoundland, Canada, and end in Key West, Florida, connecting the grand vistas and ecosystems of the eastern mountains via gravel, dirt roads, bike paths, quiet backroads, and singletrack. The route will be divided into eight carefully designed segments that can be ridden sequentially or independently.
Background
Back in 2015, the Eastern Divide Trail (EDT) was conceived to link the two great Eastern Continental Divides and create a bikepacking-specific route akin to the legendary long-distance hiking trail in the same region, the Appalachian Trail (AT). Similar to the AT, the EDT will connect the scenic eastern mountains and their seemingly infinite ecosystems via the historical and cultural landmarks, natural wonders, and beautiful backcountry that thread through some of the oldest mountains in the world. What this region lacks in oxygen-deprived, high-altitude passes, it makes up for with boundless folded mountain vistas, bristling clear streams, lush forested vegetation, ever-changing ecosystems, and layers of history. Indeed, traversing these landscapes can provide an experience that rivals the one many bike packers seek out on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.
