Editing National Trails System (section)

{{Short description|System of trails in the United States}}
{{For|the National Trails of the United Kingdom|National Trails}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}
[[File:US National Trails System, 50th Anniversary map.jpg|thumb|350x350px|Map of the system with trail logos|alt=Map of the United States with trail routes marked and trail logos bordering it]]
[[File:Natl Hist Trail route signs.JPG|thumb|Each national scenic and historic trail has a rounded triangle logo used to mark its route and significant points.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The National Historic Trail Logos - National Trails Office - Regions 6, 7, 8 (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1453/the-national-historic-trail-logos.htm |access-date=2021-04-23 |publisher=National Park Service |language=en}}</ref>|alt=Road signs depicting logos for national historic trails, labeled "Auto tour route" and "Original trail crossed here"]]
The '''National Trails System''' is a series of [[trail]]s in the United States designated "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".<ref name="16&nbsp;USC 1241">{{UnitedStatesCode|16|1241}}</ref> There are four types of trails: the national scenic trails, national historic trails, national recreation trails, and connecting or side trails. The national trails provide opportunities for [[hiking]] and historic education, as well as [[Trail riding|horseback riding]], biking, [[camping]], [[scenic route|scenic driving]], water sports, and other activities. The National Trails System consists of 11 national scenic trails, 21 national historic trails, over 1,300 national recreation trails, and seven connecting and side trails, as well as one national geologic trail, with a total length of more than {{cvt|91000|mi|km|-4}}. The scenic and historic trails are in every state, and Virginia and Wyoming have the most running through them, with six. 

In response to a call by President [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] to have a cooperative program to build public trails for "the forgotten outdoorsmen of today" in both urban and backcountry areas, the [[Bureau of Outdoor Recreation]] released a report in 1966 entitled ''Trails for America''.<ref name="DoI – BoOR-1966">{{Cite web |date=December 1966 |title=Trails for America |url=https://foresthistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/trails_for_america_1966_ocr.pdf |publisher=Department of the Interior – Bureau of Outdoor Recreation}}</ref> The study made recommendations for a network of national scenic trails, park and forest trails, and metropolitan area trails to provide recreational opportunities, with evaluations of several possible trails, both scenic and historic.<ref name="DoI – BoOR-1966" /><ref name="About.com-1999" /> The program for long-distance natural trails was created on October 2, 1968, by the National Trails System Act, which also designated two national scenic trails, the [[Appalachian Trail]] and the [[Pacific Crest Trail]], and requested that an additional fourteen trail routes be studied for possible inclusion.<ref name="16&nbsp;USC 1241"/> Sponsored by Senators [[Henry M. Jackson]] and [[Gaylord Nelson]] and Representative [[Roy A. Taylor]],<ref name="National Park Service-2019" /> part of the bill's impetus was threats of development along the Appalachian Trail, which was at risk of losing its wilderness character,<ref name="About.com-1999">{{Cite web |date=June 6, 1999 |title=The National Trails System |url=http://usparks.about.com/library/weekly/aa060599.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001110001700/http://usparks.about.com/travel/usparks/library/weekly/aa060599.htm |archive-date=November 10, 2000 |access-date=2021-04-11 |website=About.com}}</ref> and the [[Land and Water Conservation Fund]] was used to acquire lands.<ref name="National Park Service-2019" /> In 1978, as a result of the study of trails that were most significant for their historic associations, national historic trails were created as a new category with four trails designated that year. Since 1968, over forty trail routes have been studied for inclusion in the system.<ref>{{UnitedStatesCode3|16|1241|1251}}</ref>

The scenic and historic trails are congressionally established [[long-distance trail]]s, administered by the [[National Park Service]] (NPS), [[United States Forest Service]] (USFS), and/or [[Bureau of Land Management]] (BLM). These agencies may acquire lands to protect key [[Right of way (transit)|rights of way]], sites, resources and [[viewshed]]s, though the trails do not have fixed boundaries.<ref name="About.com-1999" /><ref name="National Park Service-2019" /> They work in cooperation with each other, states, local governments, [[land trust]]s, and private landowners to coordinate and protect lands and structures along these trails, enabling them to be accessible to the public.<ref name="National Park Service-2016" /> These partnerships between the agency administrators and local site managers are vital for resource protection and the visitor experience.<ref name="National Park Service-2019" /> The Federal Interagency Council on the National Trails System promotes collaboration and standardization in trail development and protection.<ref name="National Park Service-2016">{{Cite web |date=2016 |title=The National Trails System Memorandum of Understanding |url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationaltrailssystem/upload/National_Trails_System_MOU_2017-2027.pdf |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 31, 2018 |title=2017 Federal Agency Highlights for the National Trails System |url=https://pnts.org/new/2017-federal-agency-highlights-for-the-national-trails-system/ |access-date=2021-05-12 |publisher=Partnership for the National Trails System |language=en-US}}</ref> National recreation trails and connecting and side trails do not require congressional action, but are recognized by actions of the [[United States Secretary of the Interior|secretary of the interior]] or the [[United States Secretary of Agriculture|secretary of agriculture]]. The national trails are supported by volunteers at private non-profit organizations that work with the federal agencies under the Partnership for the National Trails System and other trail type-specific advocacy groups.<ref name="National Park Service-2016" /><ref name="About.com-1999" />

For fiscal year 2021, the 24 trails administered by the NPS received a budget of $15.4 million.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021 |title=BUDGET JUSTIFICATIONS and Performance Information Fiscal Year 2022: National Park Service |url=https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/fy2022-nps-budget-justification.pdf |publisher=National Park Service |page=61}}</ref>