T he National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. §§1241-1251) of 1968 established the Appalachian and Pacific Crest National Scenic Trails, and authorized a national system of trails to provide outdoor recreational opportunities and to promote access to the nation's outdoor areas and historic resources. They provide for a variety of outdoor recreation uses. Connecting or Side Trails provide public access to the other types of nationally designated trails or connections between such trails. Congress plays an ongoing role in shaping the National Trails System through legislation and oversight. Congress establishes new trails within the system; directs the Administration to study potential new trails; determines the level of agency funding for trail management; and considers whether new trail categories (such as "national discovery trails") should be included in the system, among other roles. For individual trails, Congress has made specific provisions concerning land acquisition, trail use, and other matters. Ongoing issues for Congress include whether to designate additional trails, how to balance trail designation with other potential land uses, whether trail designation should be accompanied by federal land acquisition, what activities should be permitted on trails, and how to appropriately balance federal and nonfederal funding for trails, among other issues. Additionally, the system contains more than 1,200 NRTs and 6 connecting or side trails, including trails in every state, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. Designation and Land Acquisition

NSTs and NHTs are designated by acts of Congress. Prior to establishing a trail, Congress typically directs the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture to study the route for potential inclusion in the system. In contrast to national scenic and historic trails, national recreation trails may be designated by the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture with the consent of the federal agency, state, or political subdivision with jurisdiction over the lands involved. The Secretaries also have authority to designate connecting and side trails. Organization and Management

The 30 national scenic and historic trails are administered by either the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the land management agencies. In contrast to the NSTs and NHTs, NRTs are typically administered by states, localities, and private organizations, with federal agencies participating when the trails cross federal lands. The National Park Service is responsible for the overall coordination of the national recreation trails, including nonfederal trails. Such uses may include but are not limited to bicycling, cross-country skiing, day hiking, equestrian activities, jogging or similar fitness activities, overnight and long-distance backpacking, snowmobiling, and surface water and underwater activities. Funding

Each agency with management authority over national trails has its own funding for carrying out activities related to trail administration and management. Legislation

In the 114 th Congress, H.R. 1865 and S. 1423 would designate a new Condor National Recreation Trail in California. H.R. Another proposal ( H.R. 2661 ) would add a new type of trail—"national discovery trails"—to the system. Many comparable bills had also been introduced in previous Congresses.
The National Trails System was created in 1968 by the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. §§1241-1251). The system includes four types of trails: (1) national scenic trails (NSTs), which display significant physical characteristics of U.S. regions; (2) national historic trails (NHTs), which follow travel routes of national historical significance; (3) national recreation trails (NRTs), which provide outdoor recreation accessible to urban areas; and (4) connecting or side trails, which provide access to the other types of trails. As defined in the act, NSTs and NHTs are long-distance trails designated by acts of Congress. NRTs and connecting and side trails may be designated by the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture with the consent of the federal agency, state, or political subdivision with jurisdiction over the lands involved.
Congress plays an ongoing role in shaping the National Trails System through legislation and oversight. Broad issues for Congress include, among others:
whether and where to establish new trails in the system, whether to establish new categories of trails (such as "national discovery trails"), and how much funding to provide to agencies for trail management.
When designating individual trails, Congress has considered issues such as:
how to balance trail designation with other potential land uses, how to address federal land acquisition, and whether to make specific provisions for trail use that may differ from those in the overall act.
Congress has established 11 NSTs and 19 NHTs, as well as several NRTs (although recreation trails are more typically designated administratively). In addition, the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture have designated more than 1,200 NRTs and 6 connecting or side trails. The scenic, historic, and connecting trails are federally administered by either the National Park Service (NPS) and/or the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Forest Service (FS) in the Department of Agriculture, with cooperation from states and other entities to operate nonfederal trail segments. The roughly 1,200 national recreation trails are typically managed by states, localities, and private organizations, except where they cross federal lands. The act limits federal land acquisition for the trails system, with specific provisions for different trail types.
Each federal agency with management authority over national trails has its own budget for trail administration and management. Trails have also received funding from federal transportation programs, private donations, permits and fees, and local excise taxes, among other sources.
Uses of the national trails may include, but are not limited to, bicycling, cross-country skiing, day hiking, equestrian activities, jogging or similar fitness activities, overnight and long-distance backpacking, snowmobiling, and surface water and underwater activities. Provisions for motorized vehicle use vary among the different types of trails.
Legislation in the 114th Congress would designate a new national recreation trail (H.R. 1865 and S. 1423), direct a study of one trail route for potential addition to the system as a national historic trail (H.R. 984 and S. 479), and make other changes. As in earlier Congresses, a bill (H.R. 2661) has also been introduced to add a new type of trail—national discovery trails—to the system.