National Trails System
The National Trails System Act of 1968 (16 U.S.C. §§ 1241–1251) created a nationwide network of trails to provide outdoor recreation opportunities and preserve historic routes across America. The system includes four categories: National Scenic Trails (11 long-distance routes totaling approximately 18,000 miles, including the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail), National Historic Trails (21 routes totaling approximately 29,000 miles, including the Trail of Tears and Lewis & Clark Trail), National Recreation Trails (over 1,300 shorter trails designated by the Secretary of the Interior or Agriculture), and connecting/side trails linking the system together. Managed by a combination of federal agencies (NPS, USFS, BLM), state governments, and volunteer organizations, the National Trails System represents one of Congress's most ambitious commitments to public outdoor recreation.
Current Law (2026)
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Governing law | 16 U.S.C. §§ 1241–1251 (National Trails System Act, 1968) |
| Trail categories | National Scenic Trails, National Historic Trails, National Recreation Trails, Connecting/Side Trails |
| National Scenic Trails | 11 congressionally designated (Appalachian, Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, and 8 others) |
| National Historic Trails | 21 congressionally designated (Trail of Tears, Oregon, Lewis & Clark, Santa Fe, and 17 others) |
| National Recreation Trails | 1,300+ designated by Interior or Agriculture Secretary |
| Total trail miles | ~88,600 miles across all categories |
| Managing agencies | National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management |
| Designation authority | Scenic and Historic: Congress only; Recreation: Secretary of Interior or Agriculture |
| Land acquisition | Federal agencies may acquire land or easements to protect trail corridors |
| Volunteer authority | Federal agencies may use volunteers for trail planning, construction, and maintenance |
Legal Authority
- 16 U.S.C. § 1241 — Congressional policy (establishes a national policy to promote outdoor recreation trails near urban areas and extended trails through remote scenic and historically significant areas)
- 16 U.S.C. § 1242 — National trails system (creates four trail categories; National Scenic Trails provide long-distance outdoor recreation; National Historic Trails follow routes of historical significance; National Recreation Trails provide shorter recreation opportunities; Connecting/Side Trails link the system)
- 16 U.S.C. § 1243 — National recreation trails (the Secretary of the Interior or Agriculture may designate any trail on federal land as a National Recreation Trail after consultation with other agencies and state and local governments; states and localities may also nominate trails on non-federal land for Secretary designation)
- 16 U.S.C. § 1244 — National Scenic and National Historic Trails (only Congress may designate these trails; lists all designated trails with descriptions of their routes, managing agencies, and authorized lengths)
- 16 U.S.C. § 1245 — Connecting or side trails (the Interior or Agriculture Secretary may add side or connecting trails on federal lands to link components of the national system; these trails become system components when marked and designated by the agency)
- 16 U.S.C. § 1246 — Administration and development (the administering agency must develop comprehensive plans for each trail in consultation with other agencies, states, local governments, landowners, and interest groups; establishes standards for trail protection, development, and management)
- 16 U.S.C. § 1247 — State and local trails (the Secretary of the Interior must work with states to identify needs for new park, forest, recreation, and historic trails in state outdoor recreation plans; federal assistance available for state and local trail planning)
- 16 U.S.C. § 1248 — Easements and rights-of-way (the Secretary may grant easements and rights-of-way on national trail corridors to facilitate trail use and protect the corridor without requiring fee-simple land acquisition)
- 16 U.S.C. § 1250 — Volunteer trails assistance (authorizes federal agencies to encourage and use volunteers and volunteer organizations to plan, build, maintain, and manage trails)
How It Works
National Scenic Trails are the crown jewels. These are long-distance, continuous routes located to provide maximum outdoor recreation potential and conservation of nationally significant scenic, historic, natural, or cultural qualities. Only Congress can designate a National Scenic Trail. The 11 currently designated trails include the Appalachian Trail (2,190 miles, Georgia to Maine), the Pacific Crest Trail (2,650 miles, Mexico to Canada), the Continental Divide Trail (3,100 miles, Mexico to Canada), and eight others: the North Country, Ice Age, Potomac Heritage, Florida, Natchez Trace, Arizona, New England, and Pacific Northwest trails. Each trail has a designated federal administering agency — typically NPS or USFS — responsible for developing a comprehensive management plan.
National Historic Trails commemorate and preserve routes of nationally significant historical travel. They need not be continuous or fully developed — many are marked routes with interpretive sites rather than continuous footpaths. The 21 designated Historic Trails include the Trail of Tears (5,043 miles), Oregon Trail (2,170 miles), Lewis and Clark Trail (4,900 miles), Santa Fe Trail (1,203 miles), and others tracing routes of exploration, migration, trade, and forced removal.
National Recreation Trails are the most numerous and locally accessible. Unlike Scenic and Historic Trails, these can be designated administratively by the Secretary of the Interior or Agriculture — no act of Congress required. Over 1,300 Recreation Trails exist on federal, state, and local lands, providing diverse recreation opportunities from urban greenways to backcountry routes.
Federal agencies can acquire land, easements, and rights-of-way to protect trail corridors — primarily through purchase or exchange. For the Appalachian Trail, Congress authorized the NPS to acquire a protective corridor averaging 1,000 feet in width. The Act emphasizes cooperation with willing landowners and relies heavily on easements rather than outright land purchase, particularly for trails crossing private land.
Volunteer management is critical to the system's function. The Appalachian Trail alone is maintained by approximately 6,000 volunteers annually. The Act explicitly authorizes federal agencies to recruit, train, and supervise volunteers and volunteer organizations for trail work, and provides them with workers' compensation coverage and tort claims protection.
How It Affects You
If you're a hiker, backpacker, or trail runner planning to use the National Scenic Trails: The 11 National Scenic Trails are publicly accessible and free to travel, but logistics and permit requirements vary significantly by trail and segment.
For the Appalachian Trail (2,190 miles, Georgia to Maine): no permit is required for most of the trail, but the approach to Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Park (Maine) requires a reservation (limited daily capacity, opens in January for the spring-summer season), and several backcountry zones along the Southern Appalachians require camping permits. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (appalachiantrail.org) maintains detailed shelter and camping information. Thru-hikers (Georgia to Maine in one season) should register with ATC — registration isn't required but connects you to resources and helps trail stewardship planning. Shuttles, resupply towns, and hostel infrastructure along the AT corridor have become a cottage industry.
For the Pacific Crest Trail (2,650 miles, Mexico to Canada): a PCT Long-Distance Permit is required for thru-hikers and section hikers covering more than 500 miles; permits open in January at recreation.gov and fill quickly (approximately 50 NOBO permits per day). Separate wilderness permits are required for crossing permit-required areas like the John Muir Wilderness and Mt. Whitney Zone. California fire regulations and water availability are major variables — check pcta.org for current conditions. A permit to enter Canada at the northern terminus is no longer sufficient alone; Canadian border requirements have changed and PCT hikers should verify entry procedures at cbsa-asfc.gc.ca.
For the Continental Divide Trail (3,100 miles, Mexico to Canada): less regulated than AT or PCT — most sections have no permit requirements except in specific wilderness and permit zones. The CDT Alliance at continentaldividetrail.org maintains trail conditions, alternates, and resupply logistics.
Parking fees at NPS and USFS trailheads typically run $5–$25/day or are included in your America the Beautiful Annual Pass ($80/year for all federal fee areas, available at recreation.gov) — the pass more than pays for itself with even 3-4 visits to fee areas annually.
If you're a private landowner whose property is near or crossed by a National Scenic or Historic Trail: Federal designation of a trail near your property does not restrict your existing uses — the legal protection is in the trail corridor, and corridor acquisition is conducted with willing landowners. You cannot be forced to sell or grant an easement unless the federal government exercises eminent domain (rare and legally expensive). For the Appalachian Trail, Congress authorized a protective corridor averaging 1,000 feet wide, but corridor acquisition has been ongoing since 1968 and still has gaps on private land. If you own land within a designated corridor that NPS or NRCS wants to protect, you may receive outreach about voluntary sale or easement — contact prices are negotiated and typically reflect fair market value; easements often pay 50-80% of full fee value while retaining your ownership and most uses.
If trail users are crossing your private land near a trail gap, know that you can post your property, but you're not required to allow access — the gap in the trail corridor means the federal protection and volunteer maintenance infrastructure don't apply on your land. If trespass is a problem, contact the trail's administering agency (NPS or USFS) — they sometimes have programs to negotiate permissive easements or acquisitions to close corridor gaps.
If you want to volunteer on trail maintenance or construction: Federal agencies actively recruit volunteers for trail work, and it's one of the most impactful ways to spend a Saturday. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (appalachiantrail.org), Pacific Crest Trail Association (pcta.org), and Continental Divide Trail Coalition (continentaldividetrail.org) coordinate volunteer trail crews; they provide tools, training, and leadership. While working as a federally authorized volunteer on National Trail projects, you receive workers' compensation protection under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act and tort claims coverage under the Federal Tort Claims Act — the government treats you legally as a federal employee for injury and liability purposes during the project. Volunteer opportunities range from single-day local trail workdays to multi-week backcountry crew projects that include food and camping.
If you're a municipality or local business along a National Scenic Trail corridor: The economic impact of trail tourism is substantial and well-documented. The Appalachian Trail generates an estimated $4 billion annually in economic activity for communities along its corridor — hostels, gear shops, restaurants, shuttles, and resupply stops. The PCT generates over $100 million in direct spending annually in California, Oregon, and Washington corridor communities. Building infrastructure to serve trail users (welcome centers, shuttles, trail town marketing) has proven economically effective for small rural communities. Contact your trail's non-profit partner organization (ATC, PCTA, CDTC) about participating in their trail town programs, which provide marketing and connection to the hiker community in exchange for documented support infrastructure.
State Variations
The National Trails System is federal, but state involvement is integral:
- States may nominate trails for National Recreation Trail designation
- State parks and forests host many National Recreation Trails
- State trail systems often connect with and complement the federal system
- State land use laws affect trail corridor protection, particularly for trails crossing private land
- Many states have enacted their own trail system legislation modeled on the federal act
Implementing Regulations
- 36 CFR Part 7 — NPS special regulations (trail-specific rules for national scenic and historic trails crossing NPS units)
The National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 1241–1251) is implemented primarily through agency trail management plans (NPS, Forest Service, BLM) rather than comprehensive CFR regulations.
Pending Legislation
No standalone National Trails System reform bills have been introduced in the 119th Congress. Trail-related provisions appear in public lands legislation — see Public Lands Management and National Park Service.
Recent Developments
The Great American Outdoors Act (2020) provided permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which supports trail land acquisition. Trail completion remains a major focus — the Continental Divide Trail and several other Scenic Trails have significant gaps. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included provisions supporting trail maintenance and development on federal lands. The economic impact of trail tourism has driven increased state and local investment in trail connections. Climate change is affecting trail conditions, particularly in high-altitude and arid environments, requiring adaptive management and rerouting in some areas.