Trails, Byways,

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Trails, Byways, Corridors

• National Trails
• Rails-to-trails (rail trails)
• Scenic Byways
• Wild Scenic River Corridors

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National Trails System

• National Trails System
• Act of 1968
• Mandated that trails be developed
• in scenic areas
• along historic travel routes
• near urban areas

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Trail Categories

• National Scenic Trails
• Long trails in nationally significant scenic
• or natural areas.
• 8 exist today.

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Trail Categories

• National Historic Trails
• Long trails that follow historic travel routes.
• 9 exist today.

Iditarod NH Trail, AK
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Trail Categories

• National Recreation Trails

Trails that provide recreation opportunities near
urban areas.
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Trail Managers

• NPS administers National Trail System.
• National Scenic Historic Trails
• 12 managed by NPS
• 4 by FS
• 1 by BLM
• National Recreational Trails
• managed by many different entities.
• Trails exist on private and government lands.

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The First Trails

• Appalachian Trail
• Pacific Crest Trail

Appalachian Trail, ME
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Appalachian Trail

• Benton MacKaye - the Father of the AT
• Started 1921
• Completed in 1937 and 1951

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Appalachian Trail

• First thru-hiker Earl Shaffer (1948)

Earl Shaffer and ATC Chair Murray Stevens
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Appalachian Trail

• 2,168 miles long today
• Managed by Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC)

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Pacific Crest Trail

• Started in 1932 by Clinton Clarke and Warren
  Rogers completed 1993
• 2,650 miles from Canada to Mexico

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Rails-to-trails

• National Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
• Local governments

Rail trail in Alabama
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Scenic Byways
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National Scenic Byways Program

• Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act
  of 1991 (ISTEA)
• Mandated the creation of a National Scenic Byways
  Program.
• Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
  (TEA-21 1996)

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Scenic Byway Categories

• All-American Roads
• A road or highway of national significance.
• Must have at least two intrinsic qualities
  (scenic, natural, historic, cultural,
  recreational, archeological).

Blue Ridge Parkway, VA
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Scenic Byway Categories

• National Scenic Byways
• A road or highway of regional significance.
• Must have at least one intrinsic quality.

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Scenic Byway Categories

• State Scenic Byways
• A road or highway of statewide significance.
• Must have at least one intrinsic quality.
• Administered by state Department of
  Transportation (DOT).

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Designation Process

• State DOT recommends byway to Federal Highway
  Administration (FHA)
• FHA reviews byway
• Secretary of Transportation approves designation

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Criteria for National Designation

• State Scenic Byway designation
• Safe driving route
• Scenic byways corridor management plan in place
• Facilities for visitors
• Continuous route

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Proposed trail category

• Natl Discovery Trails
• Multiple-use trails that connect communities and
  natural areas.
• Proposed legislation (Natl Discovery Trail Act)
• 1 American Discovery Trail (6,800 miles DE to
  CA)

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National Millenium Trails

• Sought to designate 2000 trails across America
  that Honor the past and imagine the future
• New designation for existing trails and byways
• Some new trails built

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River Corridors
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River Corridors

• National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968
• Designed to protect water quality and prevent
  additional impoundments in designated rivers.
• Initially designated 8.
• About 150 today.

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River categories

• National Wild Rivers
• Free of impoundments.
• Primitive shorelines.
• Trail access only.
• High water quality.

Alagnak Wild River, AK 1980, 67 miles
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River categories

• Natl Scenic Rivers
• Free of impoundments.
• Primitive/rural shorelines.
• Trail access mainly. Some road access.
• Water quality sufficient for swimming and fishing.

Bluestone River, WV 1988, 10 miles
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River categories

• Natl Recreational Rivers
• Some existing impoundments.
• Some development along shorelines.
• Road and railroad access.
• Water quality sufficient for swimming and fishing.

Upper Delaware River Scenic (23 miles)
Recreational (50 miles)
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River Managers

• Army Corps of Engineers
• Bureau of Land Management
• National Park Service
• US Fish Wildlife Service
• US Forest Service
• State governments

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Designation

• Recommended by President Designated by congress
• Recommended by state governor Designated by Sec.
  of Interior (state-designated rivers only)

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Class activity

• Read the descriptions.
• Identify the designation category.