The U.S. National Trails System Just Expanded by 340 Miles in Nine States, Here's Where
340 miles of trails across nine states have officially been added to the United States' National Trail System, Secretary of the Interior Deb Halaand announced this week. The announcement coincided with National Trails Day on June 3, and adds to over 91,000 miles of existing trails across every state in the union.
“This National Trails Day, I encourage everyone to explore one of the national scenic, historic or recreation trails that make up the National Trails System,” said Secretary Haaland in a press statement. “These trails offer an abundance of opportunities to experience the breathtaking landscapes of our country, all while supporting outdoor recreation activities and boosting local economies.”
The National Trail System includes long-distance Scenic Trails, nationally significant Historic Trails, and more than 1,300 smaller National Recreation Trails. All nine of these newly designated trails fall into the latter category.
The new trails are as follows:
Alabama
Vernon Bush Garden Trail: One-mile trail in Jackson County, AL featuring lake views and picnic areas.
Arkansas
Razorback Greenway: Referred to as “The Backbone of Northwest Arkansas," the trail runs 40-miles through the Ozark Mountains.
Georgia
Harris Greenway Trail: Gwinnett County, GA trail running five miles between local parks and other trail systems.
Illinois/Wisconsin
Fabulous Fox! Water Trail: 158 miles of water trail between southeast Wisconsin and northeast Illinois. It offers more than 70 access points for paddlers along the Fox River.
Oregon
Crown Zellerbach Trail: 22-mile, primarily gravel trail connecting Scappoose and Veronia, OR and running through Coastal Range and Columbia River wetlands.
Tennessee
Enterprise South Nature Park: Chattanooga-area trail with 70 miles of walking and cycling paths through woodland setting.
Texas
Wilson Creek Trail: Running about 10 miles through McKinney, TX, the trail includes active recreation amenities like playgrounds and a disc golf course.
Utah
Iron Hills Trail System: a 29-mile trail network on BLM land in southwest Utah, the trail is known primarily as a mountain biking destination but also accommodates hikers and equestrian uses.
Wisconsin
Old Highway 131 Trail: Running through the Kickapoo Valley Reserve, the trail offers 4.5 miles of hiking, biking snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
