As 2025 comes to a close, we’d love to share where the Cheese Trail has been and where it’s headed next.
For more than fifteen years, the Cheese Trail has focused on one core goal: making it easier for people to discover cheesemakers, their cheeses, and the places that bring those stories to life. What began as a regional effort in California has grown into a platform rooted in connection, place, and shared visibility for the artisan cheese community.
In 2026, the Cheese Trail enters its next chapter.
Building National Infrastructure for Cheesemakers
This year, we began building the first national directory of U.S. cheesemakers. While we’re still at the early stages, the foundation is in place, with cheesemakers from more than a dozen states already participating.
The goal is not simply to catalog producers, but to create shared infrastructure that connects cheesemakers with cheese lovers and industry professionals from coast to coast. Working alongside state guilds and regional organizations, the Cheese Trail is designed to complement existing efforts while making discovery easier for both the trade and the public.
Continuing to Grow in California
California remains a vital part of the Cheese Trail’s work.
In spring 2026, we’ll publish our updated California Cheese Trail Map, reflecting the continued evolution of the state’s cheesemaking landscape. At the same time, we’re co-developing the first-ever California Cheese Shop Map in partnership with the California Milk Advisory Board / Real California Milk, highlighting cheese-focused retailers across the state.
Together, these projects aim to strengthen the connection between cheesemakers and the places where their cheese is experienced.
Route 66 and a National Moment
Looking beyond California, we’re also developing the Route 66 Cheese Trail in partnership with the New Mexico Cheese Guild. Timed to coincide with the Route 66 Centennial in 2026, the project will highlight cheesemakers, cheese shops, and food destinations along one of America’s most iconic travel routes.
The Route 66 Cheese Trail reflects a broader idea at the heart of the Cheese Trail’s national expansion: that cheese is deeply tied to place, culture, and community, and that discovery often happens through travel and shared experiences.
As this national work takes shape, we’re inviting cheesemakers and cheese shops across the country to take part. To make participation easier as we grow, first-year memberships are available for $60 using the code CHEESE. Our goal is simple: to make it easier for people to find you, learn your story, and support the places where American cheese is made and enjoyed. Sign up here to showcase your business, cheeses and experiences.
Looking Ahead
Our hope for 2026 is simple. We want to help small and mid-scale cheesemakers be seen, strengthen connections between people and place, and make it easier for more people to explore, taste, and support American cheese.
We’re grateful to the cheesemakers, guilds, partners, and supporters who have helped shape the Cheese Trail so far, and we’re excited about what comes next.
Full cheese ahead.
