National Trails Act of 1968

The National Trails Act of 1968 established the National Trails System as part of an extended effort to preserve the landscape.

Facing threats to the viability of the Appalachian Trail, created in the 1920s, the Appalachian Trail Conference appealed to Congress for protection for both environmental and recreational reasons. President Lyndon B. Johnson was interested in environmental issues and regarded preservation of wilderness sites as part of his Great Society. Designed to meet public demands for more areas of outdoor recreational activity, the National Trails Act provided a mechanism to establish and maintain a nationwide hiking network. As cities continued to grow, many areas became polluted with little vegetation or areas of aesthetic quality remaining. As Johnson stated, “Once our national splendor is destroyed, it can never be recaptured.”

In 1965, Johnson advanced the idea of a nationwide system of trails run by volunteers, based on a 1962 government study that highlighted the importance of national trails and noted the abilities of volunteers to manage them. Later, the Department of the Interior published a report on “Trails for America,” further providing support for national trails. The combination of these two publications advanced the idea of creating a national trails system, and led to the passage of the National Trails Act in 1968.

The National Trails Act, also known as the National Trails System Act, set up the system of pathways. The act promoted public enjoyment, accessibility, and appreciation of outdoor areas and the nation’s historic resources. The trails could be established either near urban centers or in more remote scenic and historical areas. Located near varying terrains, the scenic trails encompassed deserts, marshes, grasslands, mountains, canyons, rivers, forests, or any landforms that exhibited significant characteristics of the physiographic region. Historic trails followed previous routes of historical significance to the nation.

The measure initially supported two trails, the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, because they represented ideal examples of scenic and historic trails. The Appalachian Trail began in Maine and extended to Springer Mountain in Georgia, a total distance of about 2,160 miles. The Pacific Crest Trail ran for 2,350 miles from the Mexi-can-Californian border northward along the mountain ranges of the west coast to the U. S.-Canada border near Lake Ross in Washington state.

Each individual trail fell under control of either the secretary of the interior or the secretary of agriculture, and each was to be run by either the Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management. The secretary in control of each trail could issue regulations regarding its management, development, protection, and administration. Most trails

A hiker on the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire observes an 80-foot waterfall known as the Crystal Cascade. (National Ceographic/Cetty Images)

Allowed bicycling, cross-country skiing, day hiking, equestrian activities, jogging, overnight and long-distance backpacking, snowmobiling, and surface water and underwater activities. Some trails even permitted motorcycles or four and two-wheel vehicles, though this was rare.

Related legislation such as the National Wilderness Preservation Act of 1964 and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, demonstrated the drive to beautify and protect these natural areas, allowing for areas of recreation and enjoyment.

Further reading: Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (New York: Broadway Books, 1998); William Gray, The Pacific Crest Trail (Washington, D. C.: National Geographic Society, 1975).

—Katherine R. Yarosh