Louisville Courier Journal profiles a new trail that could provide an alternative to the Appalachian Trail:

Planners hope that eventually it could serve as a foundation of a 10,000-mile network of paths running from south Florida to Maine, from Virginia to North Dakota. With increased development and sprawl along the East Coast, they believe the timing is right.

When finished, the Great Eastern Trail would stretch just west of the Appalachian Trail.
Overuse of that trail has caused litter pileups, trampled plants and crowded campsites, said Alison Bullock, a director with the National Park Service’s rivers and trails program who is helping plan the new trail.

Volunteers are making this trail happen, which reminds me: if you’ve got some time on your hands not devoted to essential tasks like blogging, get out there and build a trail.