Hiking Around The Trail of Tears
Information courtesy of National Park Service
Trail of Tears - National Historic Trail - Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee.
In 1838, the United States government forcibly removed more than 16,000 Cherokee Indian people from their homelands in Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia, and sent them to Indian Territory (today known as Oklahoma). The impact to the Cherokee was devastating. Hundreds of Cherokee died during their trip west, and thousands more perished from the consequences of relocation. This tragic chapter in American and Cherokee history became known as the Trail of Tears, and culminated the implementation of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which mandated the removal of all American Indian tribes east of the Mississippi River to lands in the West.
MAPS
GIS map of Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
Interactive GIS map of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
39kb JPG file
The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail traverses nine states, following land and water routes from the Southeastern United States to present-day Oklahoma.
The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail commemorates the removal of the Cherokee and the paths that 17 Cherokee detachments followed westward. Today the trail encompasses about 2,200 miles of land and water routes, and traverses portions of nine states.
The National Park Service, in partnership with other federal agencies, state and local agencies, non-profit organizations, and private landowners, administers the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. Participating national historic trail sites display the official trail logo.
The Trail of Tears Association is a major partner with the National Park Service. The association is a national organization dedicated to the preservation, public awareness, and appreciation of the Trail of Tears.
ACCESSIBILITY:
National Park Service areas along the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, including Arkansas Post National Memorial, Fort Smith National Historic Site, and Pea Ridge National Military Park, generally meet accessibility standards for people with disabilities. However, because of the varied nature and rural character of the many certified sites making up the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, it is best that you inquire locally about accessibility when contacting specific sites for visitation information.
ACTIVITIES:
Numerous programs and activities are available at developed sites and in communities along the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. Contact individual sites and tourism centers for more information.
Non-federal historic sites, trail segments, and interpretive facilities become part of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail through certification. This is a voluntary process in which an owner or manager agrees to adhere to National Park Service standards for resource preservation and visitor use. Look for the official trail logo at all certified locations.
Public lands and state, county, and city parks along the trail route preserve trail resources. Although not yet certified, they may be open for public use. Other trail sites are on non-profit or private property and may not be open to the public. Ask permission before going on private land.
Please respect your hosts’ hospitality when you visit their sites. Leave everything as you find it. Obey signs, use designated parking areas, and limit your stay to the time necessary to appreciate the site. Don’t use metal-detectors, dig at sites, collect artifacts, or remove anything. Some sites contain burials; please respect these sacred places.
Many portions of the historic routes are on road rights-of-way. Remain alert, and aware of your children’s and pets’ locations. Beware of traffic. Know where your nearest emergency aid can be found.
HISTORY:
The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail commemorates the removal of the Cherokee and the paths that 17 Cherokee detachments followed westward. Today the trail includes about 2,200 miles of land and water routes, and traverses portions of nine states.
In 1838 the U.S. Army implemented a federal government policy to remove American Indians from their homelands in the southern Appalachian Mountains to facilitate settlement by whites. The Cherokees were driven from their homes into stockades scattered throughout Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, and then moved to internment camps in southeastern Tennessee. From there, detachments of Cherokees were forcibly moved over water and land routes to Indian Territory (in what is now Oklahoma). Approximately 16,000 men, women, and children made the sorrowful journey – a journey made under adverse conditions and accompanied by a high rate of illness and death.
To commemorate these tragic events, Congress designated the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail in 1987. Even though the federal government forced several southeastern tribes to move during the 1820s and 1830s, the congressionally designated trail is specific to the Cherokee experience.
The National Historic Trails System, established by the National Trails System Act of 1968, commemorates historic routes and promotes their preservation, and development for public use.
National Historic Trails recognize diverse facets of history such as prominent past routes of exploration, migration, trade, communication and military action. The historic trails generally consist of remnant sites and trail segments, and thus are not necessarily contiguous. Although National Historic Trails are administered by federal agencies, land ownership may be in public or private hands. Of the 15 National Historic Trails, 11 are administered by the National Park Service, one by the USDA Forest Service, one by the Bureau of Land Management, and two jointly by the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
Learn more about the target=”_blank”>National Trails System, including National Historic and National Recreation Trails. View the National Trails System map.
The National Park Service, together with partners, administers the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail through staff at an office in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
NEWS:
August 20, 2004 - Browns Ferry Tavern on Trail of Tears NHT
Browns Ferry Tavern in Chattanooga is a newly certified site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. The congressionally designated trail commemorates the tragic history of the 1838 removal of the Cherokee people from their ancestral homelands to territory in the West. The Tavern sign will be unveiled September 25th at a gathering of Trail of Tears supporters at Browns Ferry Tavern with owner Joan Franks, the National Park Service, and the Trail of Tears Association.
PLAN YOUR VISIT:
Operating Hours & Seasons - Hours vary from site to site. Contact individual site owners/managers for more information. For trail brochures and a complete list of certified sites, contact the National Park Service National Trails System Office-Santa Fe. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed on holidays and weekends.
The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail is still being developed. In some areas visitor facilities, signing, and information are limited.
Local Partners & Information Resources:
Information Resources
Trail of Tears Association
Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Getting There - By Plane - You can reach the trail by flying into a number of airports, including Huntsville, Alabama; Fayetteville/Springdale and Little Rock, Arkansas; Atlanta, Georgia; Springfield/Branson and St. Louis, Missouri; Asheville, North Carolina; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Knoxville, Nashville, and Memphis, Tennesee.
By Car - You can reach most trail sites by auto or bicycle, or on foot. Some sites are along unpaved roads or along river corridors.
By Bus - Commercial bus service is available to many cities and towns along the trail.
Getting Around - An auto tour route has been marked along major highways that closely follow the original trail route. Follow the signs exhibiting the distinctive Trail of Tears National Historic Trail logo. Use guidebooks or ask locally for directions to individual trail sites. Check this web site periodically for updated information.
By Mail
National Trails System, Santa Fe (mailing address)
P.O. Box 728
Santa Fe, NM 87504-0728
- or -
National Trails System, Santa Fe (physical address)
1100 Old Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe, NM 87504
By Phone
Visitor Information
(505) 988-6888
By Fax
(505) 986-5214
