The American Discovery 250 Relay in 2026
Celebrate America’s 250 with Us
In 2026, we celebrate the outdoors and 250 years of our history with the ADT 250 Relay. This 6,800-mile relay from California to Delaware will cross the Golden Gate Bridge on the 4th of July and ending on Thanksgiving at the Atlantic Ocean. Join the celebration by participating for a day or more in a relay, attending some of the locally-hosted events, or sharing your story of personal growth and adventure. Together, we commemorate America’s past and shape our future.
There are many ways to learn about America. We welcome your involvement as a participant, sponsor, or simply an enthusiast who follows the relay from your couch at home! This is not a sporting event, festival, parade, or fundraiser. It is a celebration of America and a celebration of the American Discovery Trail.
The American Discovery Trail goes past numerous historic sites, through dozens of ecosystems, and it is hosted by hundreds of communities. We look forward to your involvement. Participants will sign up in advance to walk, run or ride specific sections of the trail. The 35-year-old route passes through lands and trails overseen by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and numerous state and local agencies and organizations in fifteen states, as well as near the homes of more than 40 million people. Relayers and participants will be from around the country and also abroad, with opportunities for businesses, families, students, older residents, and communities of all types to be involved.
For more information, contact us at relay@discoverytrail.org or click here to sign up for updates.
How You Can Participate
People have been walking, biking, running, and riding the American Discovery Trail for years - the initial route was laid out in the early 1990s. Our 2026 journey will be about 145 days, staring in early July in California and ending on in November in Delaware.
Join the mailing list and be the first to know when and where you can join the fun - whether that's attending events or participating in the relay, and whether that's in your hometown or many states away! Starting in February, you’ll also be able share your pictures and memories of trail adventures; a selection may be published as a book in 2027.
Most importantly, we are looking for individual relayers or teams of relayers.
The western states will be early in the summer - after the winter snows in the Rocky Mountains have melted. In the late summer we are in the middle of the country, often on bicycles. The relay will reach the eastern states in fall, with visits in our nation’s capitol in mid-November and a plunge in the Atlantic on Thanksgiving Day.
Relayers will need to be members of the American Discovery Trail Society, and we have heard that some may do their journey as a fundraiser for the ADTS.
For additional information about the Relay, see this Frequently Asked Questions page.
Wish to zoom in and see the route? www.discoverytrail.org/adtroute
Those who fill in the form will be added to a special mailing list.
Seeking More Details, look to the FAQs Page: discoverytrail.org/250-relay-faqs
Support This Celebration
Your support will help us create a unique program. Generous contributions from individuals, families, businesses, public agencies and foundations will fund milestone events, and the resources needed to honor America’s past and future and inspire the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts — be they students, veterans, retirees, urbanites, rural residents, and all sorts of others.
Our trail is 6,800 miles, so we are seeking national trail sponsors ($6,800), sponsors for the four regions ($1,700), as well as gold and silver sponsors ($25,000 and $10,000)
Contribute now (click “Donate” below) or call 800-663-2387 for details on how to be a sponsor.