The National Trails System is the United States Tourist Route System established by Pub.L. 90-543, 82 Stat. 919 of October 2, 1968 and enshrined in paragraph 1241 (and subsequent) in Section 16 of the United States Code . The Act established a series of National Trails to develop the idea of “preserving, providing public access, the possibility of travel, admiration and respect for the territories and historical resources of the Nation located in open areas”. The Act identified three types of trails: National Scenic Trails , National Recreational Trails and connecting trails ( eng. connecting-and-side trails ). The first national scenic trails were the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Ridge Route , it was also recommended to study another 14 trails for inclusion in the Act.
Members of The Wilderness Society with the support of US Secretary of the Interior Stuart Lee Yudall [1] actively participated in the creation of this federal law on the US National Trail System.
In 1978, after a series of studies, a fourth category was formed - the National Historic Trail . Since 1968, over 40 paths have been studied for inclusion in the system, of which 21 were included in the system. Today, the National Trail System has 30 scenic and historical trails, as well as over 1,000 recreational and two connecting tracks. Their total length is more than 80 thousand kilometers. National trails are used not only in the field of hiking, but also for horseback riding, mountain biking and camping.
As well as long paths , Each US National Trail is managed by a federal agency - the Bureau of Land Management , US Forest Service or the US National Park Service (the two are jointly managed by the Bureau and the National Park Service). These federal agencies protect natural sites and resources in partnership with state and private landowners, government representatives, and trustees. With respect to trails, all official decisions are made by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior and the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture , with no Congressional action required. All national trails are also supported by private non-profit organizations working with federal agencies as part of the Partnership for the National Trails System / PNTS .
The act is codified in the United States Code at paragraphs 1241-1251. The latest edition of the act was introduced on October 18, 2004 [2] [3] [4] .
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National Scenic Trails
National scenic trails were created to provide access to "breathtaking natural beauty and the pursuit of a healthy outdoor recreation." The system of national scenic trails allows you to see first hand such natural attractions of the United States as the Appalachian Mountains in the east and the Rocky Mountains in the west , the southern swamps of Florida and the northern forests from New York to North Dakota, as well as the diverse landscapes of Arizona. 11 hiking trails are included in this category: [5]
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National Historic Trails
National Historic Trails are designed to preserve US historical memory, no matter where events unfold. So, the trails are located in the places of the expedition of Juan Bautista de Anse (California), the battles of the US War of Independence (Mount Kings), the great migrations and the development of individual regions. Also, the trails are recognized to perpetuate the memory of the indigenous peoples of America who died during the colonization. In total there are 19 historical trails [6] :
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National Connecting Trails
In 1990, only two paths were recognized as national connecting paths and included in the act: the Timms Hill trail connecting the Ice Age Trail with the top of Timms Hill (the highest point in Wisconsin ), and the 86-mile Envik connecting trail that connects the Iditarod Trail with the village of Envik [7]
- Timms Hill Trail
- Envik Connecting Trail
National Geological Paths
The first national geological path in 2009 was the National Geological Flood Path of the Ice Age , according to the Act on the consolidated management of national lands
See also
- US National Park Service
- US Forest Service
- Land Management Bureau
- The program of recreational trails
- US Conservation Areas
Notes
- ↑ http://wilderness.org/our-science
- ↑ Act text from the US National Park Service
- ↑ Notes on 16 USC § 1241-1251
- ↑ An Act To amend the National Trails System Act to designate El Camino Real de los Tejas as a National Historic Trail (English)
- ↑ National Trails System brochure, National Park Service & Bureau of Land Management, Dept. of interior; and the Forest Service, Dept. of agricultureure
- ↑ National Trails System, National Park Service & Bureau of Land Management, Dept. of interior; and the Forest Service, Dept. of agricultureure
- ↑ About.com article on National Trails system Archived on April 5, 2015.