One of the best ways to learn history is to literally follow in the footsteps of those who were there, says Karen Berger, author of the new book, “America’s National Historic Trails.”

“These are historic routes – a trail version of the National Park system,” she says. The 19 federally recognized trails range from 54 to 5,000 miles, and pass largely through rural areas, making them perfect for road trips and socially distant traveling.

A good example is the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. Although the shortest trail at just 54 miles, this route resonates with many travelers, retracing 1965’s famous five-day voting rights march to the Alabama state capitol. The trail crosses the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, where the late Rep. John Lewis and others were beaten by police. Mostly following U.S. Highway 80, the route lets travelers delve into civil rights history at visitors centers, museums and memorials.

Another is the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, right here in North Carolina. During the latter half of the Revolutionary War, the British found themselves outmaneuvered and outsmarted by southern mountain men, who won 1780’s decisive Battle of Kings Mountain in South Carolina. The trail traces the route of the American fighters, known as the Overmountain Men.

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There are a ton of trails in the Pacific Northwest, but only a select few have earned the honor of being designated as national trails.

From thru-hikes to road trip routes, all are part of the National Trails System, created by Congress in 1968 to “promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nation.” The act established three categories of national trails: National Scenic Trails, National Historic Trails and National Recreation Trails.

Each category brings a different experience. The scenic trails are long, multi-state thru-hikes; the historic trails are designed as road trips along historic routes; and the recreation trails are any number of local hiking trails, just with a separate designation.

While the original act helped establish some of the most prominent long-haul trails in the U.S., today the designation generally just means a little extra publicity and attention to existing trails and historic areas. And with the natural beauty and Old West history that abounds in the northwest, this is a perfect region of the country to showcase.

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