Celebrate America’s 250 with Us
In 2026, we celebrate the outdoors and 250 years of American history with the American Discovery 250 Relay.
This 6,800-mile relay from California to Delaware will carry a copy of the Declaration of Independence from coast to coast, crossing 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 you as a participant, sponsor, or simply an enthusiast who follows the relay from your couch at home!
The relay is a celebration of America and a celebration of the American Discovery Trail — educating people about American history, culture, and nature. This is not a sports or athletic contest, exhibition, festival, parade, or fundraiser. The American Discovery Trail goes past numerous historic sites, through dozens of ecosystems, and it is hosted by hundreds of communities.
The 35-year-old route passes through lands and trails overseen by numerous state and local agencies and organizations in fifteen states, the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, 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
Wish to zoom in and see the route? www.discoverytrail.org/adtroute
How To 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 at the 4th of July in California and ending on Thanksgiving Day in Delaware.
Sign Up for Details on how to Participate, whether attending events or joining in the relay, be it in your hometown or many states away!
We are looking for individual relayers or teams of relayers in 15 states!
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. (see below for approximate dates)
Most relayers will be members of the American Discovery Trail Society, and many are making a donation to support the relay.
For additional information about the Relay:
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions page.
Youtube Video of Background / Info Session.
Link to Press Stories about the Relay.
Approximate Dates at Specific Cities:
7/4 - San Francisco / Golden Gate Bridge
7/10 - Sacramento, Calif.
7/16 - Carson City, Nev.
8/1 - Beaver, Utah
8/19 - Grand Junction, Colo.
9/8 - Colorado Springs / Denver Area, Colo.
9/24 - Kansas City. Kansas
9/28 - Jefferson City, Missouri
10/2 - St. Louis, Missouri
9/21 - Lincoln Neb.
9/29 - Des Moines, Iowa
10/12 - Chicago, Ill.
10/21 - Cincinnati, Ohio
11/17 - Harpers Ferry, W.Virg.
11/20 - Washington, DC
11/22 - Annapolis, Maryland
11/26 - Lewes, Del. - Cape Henlopen
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)
Click “Be a Sponsor” or call Eric Howard at 800-663-2387 for details on the benefits of being a sponsor.