National Trails System
The National Trails System of the United States of America includes trails designated as trails and historical routes that are specially designated because of their national importance. The system is maintained by the National Park Service , which works with local, regional and nationwide partners.
Legal basis and establishment
According to the National Trails System Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-543), the National Trails and their surroundings are subject to special federal protection for various reasons. This law established a publicly accessible network of trails , the National Trails System (NST), which is divided into various categories of trails (as well as connecting routes and alternative routes):
- National Recreation Trails are hiking trails that are used for local recreation in the vicinity of large cities;
- National Scenic Trails are long-distance hiking trails with routes through landscapes of outstanding charm;
- National Historic Trails are routes of particular historical significance to the United States. They were only introduced in 1978 and do not consist of continuous streets or paths, but a sequence of sights and memorials that thematically belong to a historical route relationship.
- National Geologic Trails were introduced in 2009 and are similar to National Historic Trails , but connect locations thatare linkedby a geological context.
According to the National Trails System Act , the motivation for establishing the National Trails System is to promote its preservation, public access, usability, and enjoyment of and appreciation for the open spaces and for the historical roots of the nation ( "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 " ). So no completely new paths are built, but existing paths are protected, advertised, signposted, maintained and partially supplemented with infrastructure facilities.
The establishment of National Scenic Trails and National Historic Trails requires a formal law of the US Congress , the National Recreation Trails and connecting or secondary trails only require confirmation by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture , with annual exemplary trails of local and regional importance be selected from the many applications submitted by maintenance authorities and organizations. Since 2012, under the umbrella of the National Recreation Trails and National Water Trails for Canoeing furnishings and other water recreation. They are expelled by the Department of the Interior at the suggestion of the states. The program is coordinated by the National Park Service. By June 2014, 16 National Water Trails had been named.
Road network, administration and further development
The National Trails System consists of 11 National Scenic Trails, 19 National Historic Trails, a National Geologic Trail, over 1200 National Recreation Trails, and two connecting or secondary trails (as of 2012). The length of the route varies between under one and several thousand miles. Together they have a length of 80,000 km (50,000 miles). The routes are not just pure hiking trails, some also allow horse riding and motorized campers are allowed, National Historic Trails and National Geologic Trails are usually not laid out as a continuous path, but consist of individually signposted individual and decentralized sights with largely individual monument protection status that provide information about historical routes or geological relationships.
Because these are long-distance trails established by Congressional resolution, all National Scenic Trails and National Historic Trails are administered by federal agencies: either the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the USDA Forest Service, or the National Park Service (NPS). Two routes are managed jointly by the BLM and NPS. Sometimes these administrations acquire land themselves in order to protect important areas, resources, public access or lines of sight. Mostly, however, they cooperate with the affected states, local authorities, land administrations and private landowners.
The further development of the network of National Recreation Trails is supported by the National Recreation Trails Program (NRTP) in matters of advertising and technology. For example, there is a newsletter, e-mails, an index of routes broken down by country with photos and accompanying information, an annual photo competition and much more. The NRTP is jointly operated by the National Park Service and the USDA Forest Service, with the support of a number of other federal agencies and, in particular, project development and promotion by non-governmental non-profit organizations, particularly American Trails .
In addition to the specially protected National Trails, there are countless other long -distance trails in the United States .
National Historic Trails
Two more trails are in the exploration and evaluation phase as National Historic Trails: the Chisholm Trail and the historic cattle drive from Dodge City to San Antonio.
National Geologic Trails
| Trail name | Year of establishment |
Length (miles) |
|---|---|---|
| Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail | 2009 |
National Scenic Trails
| Trail name | Year of establishment |
Length (miles) |
|---|---|---|
| Appalachian National Scenic Trail | 1968 | 2174 |
| Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail | 1968 | 2638 |
| Continental Divide National Scenic Trail | 1978 | 3100 |
| North Country National Scenic Trail | 1980 | 4600 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail | 1980 | 1000 |
| Florida National Scenic Trail | 1983 | 1300 |
| Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail | 1983 | 700 |
| Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail | 1983 | 695 |
| Arizona National Scenic Trail | 2009 | 807 |
| New England National Scenic Trail | 2009 | 220 |
| Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail | 2009 | 1200 |
Web links
- National Parks System: National Trail System
- National Park Service: Map of the National Trails (PDF, as of 2018)
- Partnership for the National Trails System - Cooperation of non-profit organizations that support individual National Trails.
Individual evidence
- ^ National Trails System: Legislation with the current version of the law
- ^ Department of the Interior: New National Water Trails System to Promote Healthy, Accessible Rivers , press release dated February 29, 2012
- ^ National Park Service: National Water Trails System
- ^ National Park Service: View List of Trails