Coast-to-Coast relay to celebrate America 250

Longest continuous, non-motorized relay in world history will have stops in Walnut Creek, Antioch July 6-8

Interested individuals or teams can participate

By Dave Whitson, ADT 250 Relay Director, American Discovery Trail Society

FRONT ROYAL, VA – In 2026, the American Discovery Trail Society (ADTS) celebrates the outdoors and 250 years of our independence with the American Discovery 250 Relay— a 6,800-mile (11,000 km) journey along the entire American Discovery Trail from California to Delaware, traversing through hundreds of cities, towns, villages and hamlets, starting in July and ending around Thanksgiving. This event will be the longest continuous, non-motorized relay in world history. The ADTS invites all to join in the celebration by participating for a day or more in a relay, attending one of over 100 local events, or sharing your story of personal growth and adventure. Together, we commemorate America’s past and unify our country.

Specialized Batons

Participants will carry a specialized baton displaying the header and carrying a copy of the Declaration of Independence. There will be three batons to choose from – each engraved with the three founding principles in the document: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. There will be three different colors assigned to each baton as well – red, gold and blue.

We have provided an informational webinar presenting an overview of the event which you can link to HERE.

Interested participants or teams are asked to register for free at discoverytrail.org/america-250-relay.  Runners, cyclists, hikers, wheelchair users and horseback riders are all encouraged to take part. We also encourage interest from those who wish to help with logistics, welcoming events or sponsorships.

The ADTS is making the turn-by-turn route instructions and GPS tracks free to the public during the 2026 year as part of the celebrations thanks to a generous donation from Indiana Trails.

DATES HAVE BEEN SET!

California dates are from July 1st-15th with stops in Walnut Creek and Antioch on July 6th and 7th, leaving on the 8th. The California segment will begin at Limantour Beach in Marin County where we’ll gather for the American Discovery 250 Relay kick-off, cross the Golden Gate Bridge, end with a final leg from Tahoe City on the Tahoe Rim Trail into Nevada on July 15th.

Contra Costa County Segments

• Monday 07/06/2026 — UC Berkeley, CA at 8:00 a.m. run and walk to Heather Farms Walnut Creek, CA — 28.3 miles We’ll meet on the corner of Bancroft and College Ave, right on the edge of the UC Berkeley campus. The Telegraph Channing Garage is a nearby parking option. Estimated arrival time: 5pm
• Tuesday 07/07/2026 — Heather Farms Walnut Creek, CA at 8:30 a.m. run and walk to Antioch Community Park, CA — 36.6 miles The day begins with a special event–a breakfast hosted by the City of Walnut Creek, in collaboration with Save Mount Diablo. Free food! (We’re going to need it.) We’ll aim to hit the road around 9am. Lunch-time gathering in Clayton, hosted by the City of Clayton. Details to follow. Estimated arrival time: 7pm.
• Wednesday 07/08/2026 — Antioch Community Park, CA at 8:30 a.m. bike to Sacramento – William Land Park, CA — 69.4 miles We depart from Antioch / Worth Shaw Community Park. The City of Oakley will offer a refreshment stop for participants at Antioch/Oakley Regional Shoreline around 9:30am. A support vehicle will be accessible in Oakley (7.5 miles), Isleton (30 miles), Locke (39.6 miles), and Clarksburg (55 miles), and also on-call for road-side support. Water will be available in the vehicle to top off bottles, and it will also be possible for participants to have some of their own supplies transported. Estimated arrival time: 4pm.

The entire relay calendar is now available to review here: discoverytrail.org/adt-relay-calendar.

Many Sections of the Trail are Multi-Modal and ADA Accessible

On many days we can have hikers, runners, bicyclers, and others. Thus, a 70-mile “bike” day will certainly include bicyclists who go the full distance, but there also can be people who meet up at the starting point in the morning and walk for a mile or more, or there may be walkers who gather at sites where the bikers stop for lunch or at the end of the day. Also some days listed as “hike” can include families or others who wish to ride their bikes.

There are some days when certain modes are not practical or allowed, such as no bicycles in wilderness areas. Thus, the sign-up form asks the date, the mode of transit, and the desired starting and ending points. Note that the relay will split in Denver, so in September and October we are running two relays at the same time, one through the south-central region and through the north-central region. We unite in late October in Cincinnati.

About the American Discovery Trail

The American Discovery Trail is the nation’s first non-motorized coast-to-coast trail established in the USA in 1990. Since then, hundreds have taken the challenge to walk, bike, wheelchair or horseback the entire trail (or sections thereof) with life-changing results.

It runs for 6,800 miles through 15 states and Washington, D.C. The route incorporates numerous local, state and national trails, with most of them designed for walking, hiking, and running and for bicycle and equestrian use. It connects scores of scenic and historic trails, backcountry roads, national parks and forests plus thousands of state and local properties of historic, cultural and natural significance. Users can experience their local environment, or the 23 ecosystems the trail passes through – deserts, mountains, forests, waterfronts, and plains. You can learn more about the ADT by visiting www.discoverytrail.org.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.