On this date in hiking history: The first hiking trail in the world

Actually, we don't know the exact date, but construction on the first recreational hiking trail in the world was completed sometime this month in 1819.

The 8.25-mile Crawford Path was cut to the summit of Mt. Washington by Abel and Ethan Crawford, which they advertised in regional newspapers to help attract travelers to their crude lodges in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Here are two photos from the trail. It's not clear when either of these were taken:

Ramble On: A History of Hiking elaborates on the father and son team who built the trail, some of the remarkable accounts of the first adventurers to hike it, as well as the profound role the trail and the Crawford family had on hiking and early tourism.




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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.

The Austin Sisters

On August 31, 1821, three young ladies from the nearby town of Jefferson, New Hampshire arrived at the Crawfords’ homestead determined to ascend Mt. Washington. In her memoir, The History of the White Mountains, Lucy Crawford noted that Eliza, Harriet, and Abigail Austin “were ambitious and wanted to have the honor of being the first females who placed their feet on this high and now celebrated place.” Although foul weather forced the excursionists to bivouac three nights along the lower slopes of the mountain, the Austin sisters became the first women of European descent to set foot atop Mount Washington. Moreover, this was likely the first mountain of any significance to be climbed by white females in the United States.

Please note: the women in this photo are not the Austin sisters, but are Hazel Peek, [an unidentified woman], and Theodora Beckwith. The photo was likely taken around the turn of the 20th century.



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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.

The Crawford Path: The world's first hiking trail

Did you know that the Crawford Path in New Hampshire celebrated its bicentennial on August 9, 2019? Even more significantly, this historic path to the summit of Mt. Washington is most likely the first hiking trail to be built specifically for recreational purposes anywhere in the world. “Ramble On: How Hiking Became One of the Most Popular Outdoor Activities in the World” discusses the important role this path and its builders, Abel Crawford and his son, Ethan Allen Crawford, played in the development of hiking in America in the early-to-mid 1800s.

For more information and to order your copy of the book, please click here. Thank you very much!

Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
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Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park