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16 U.S.C. § 1244

National scenic and national historic trails

United States · Title 16 — CONSERVATION · Status: effective

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16 U.S.C. § 1244, National scenic and national historic trails, United States, version 1 as recorded 2026-07-09, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/446937
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National scenic and national historic trails shall be authorized and designated only by Act of Congress. There are hereby established the following National Scenic and National Historic Trails: In addition to the areas otherwise designated under this paragraph, the following routes and land components by which the Cherokee Nation was removed to Oklahoma are components of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, as generally described in the environmentally preferred alternative of the November 2007 Feasibility Study Amendment and Environmental Assessment for Trail of Tears National Historic Trail: The Secretary of the Interior shall— The Secretary of the Interior shall— The Secretary may designate additional routes to the trail if— The trail shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior— in coordination with— in consultation with— The Secretary of the Interior shall— Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of the Interior may provide, to State and local governments and nonprofit organizations, interpretive programs and services and technical assistance for use in— The trail shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with— The Secretary of the Interior may coordinate with public and nongovernmental organizations and institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada, Alaska Native Corporations, and, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Government of Canada and any political subdivisions of the Government of Canada for the purposes of— The Secretary of the Interior, through the agency most likely to administer such trail, and the Secretary of Agriculture where lands administered by him are involved, shall make such additional studies as are herein or may hereafter be authorized by the Congress for the purpose of determining the feasibility and desirability of designating other trails as national scenic or national historic trails. Such studies shall be made in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies administering lands through which such additional proposed trails would pass and in cooperation with interested interstate, State, and local governmental agencies, public and private organizations, and landowners and land users concerned. The feasibility of designating a trail shall be determined on the basis of an evaluation of whether or not it is physically possible to develop a trail along a route being studied, and whether the development of a trail would be financially feasible. The studies listed in subsection (c) of this section shall be completed and submitted to the Congress, with recommendations as to the suitability of trail designation, not later than three complete fiscal years from the date of enactment of their addition to this subsection, or from November 10, 1978, whichever is later. Such studies, when submitted, shall be printed as a House or Senate document, and shall include, but not be limited to: to qualify for designation as a national historic trail, a trail must meet all three of the following criteria: The following routes shall be studied in accordance with the objectives outlined in subsection (b) of this section: Pacific Northwest Trail, extending approximately one thousand miles from the Continental Divide in Glacier National Park, Montana, to the Pacific Ocean beach of Olympic National Park, Washington, by way of— Jedediah Smith Trail, to include the routes of the explorations led by Jedediah Smith— The study shall— The study shall— The Great Western Scenic Trail, a system of trails to accommodate a variety of travel users in a corridor of approximately 3,100 miles in length extending from the Arizona-Mexico border to the Idaho-Montana-Canada border, following the approximate route depicted on the map identified as “Great Western Trail Corridor, 1988”, which shall be on file and available for public inspection in the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture. The trail study shall be conducted by the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, in accordance with subsection (b) and shall include— The study shall be conducted in consultation with Federal, State, regional, and local agencies and representatives of the private sector, including the entities responsible for administering— The Secretary shall conduct the study under this paragraph in consultation with— The Secretary charged with the administration of each respective trail shall, within one year of the date of the addition of any national scenic or national historic trail to the System, and within sixty days of November 10, 1978, for the Appalachian and Pacific Crest National Scenic Trails, establish an advisory council for each such trail, each of which councils shall expire ten years from the date of its establishment, except that the Advisory Council established for the Iditarod Historic Trail shall expire twenty years from the date of its establishment. If the appropriate Secretary is unable to establish such an advisory council because of the lack of adequate public interest, the Secretary shall so advise the appropriate committees of the Congress. The appropriate Secretary shall consult with such council from time to time with respect to matters relating to the trail, including the selection of rights-of-way, standards for the erection and maintenance of markers along the trail, and the administration of the trail. The members of each advisory council, which shall not exceed thirty-five in number, shall serve for a term of two years and without compensation as such, but the Secretary may pay, upon vouchers signed by the chairman of the council, the expenses reasonably incurred by the council and its members in carrying out their responsibilities under this section. Members of each council shall be appointed by the appropriate Secretary as follows: Within two complete fiscal years of the date of enactment of legislation designating a national scenic trail, except for the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and the North Country National Scenic Trail, as part of the system, and within two complete fiscal years of November 10, 1978, for the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails, the responsible Secretary shall, after full consultation with affected Federal land managing agencies, the Governors of the affected States, the relevant advisory council established pursuant to subsection (d), and the Appalachian Trail Conference in the case of the Appalachian Trail, submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, a comprehensive plan for the acquisition, management, development, and use of the trail, including but not limited to, the following items: Within two complete fiscal years of the date of enactment of legislation designating a national historic trail or the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail or the North Country National Scenic Trail as part of the system, the responsible Secretary shall, after full consultation with affected Federal land managing agencies, the Governors of the affected States, and the relevant Advisory Council established pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, a comprehensive plan for the management, and use of the trail, including but not limited to, the following items: In this subsection: The term “route” includes a trail segment commonly known as a cutoff. The term “shared route” means a route that was a segment of more than 1 historic trail, including a route shared with an existing national historic trail. The Secretary of the Interior shall revise the feasibility and suitability studies for certain national trails for consideration of possible additions to the trails. The study requirements and objectives specified in subsection (b) shall apply to a study required by this subsection. A study listed in this subsection shall be completed and submitted to Congress not later than 3 complete fiscal years from the date funds are made available for the study. The Secretary of the Interior shall undertake a study of the routes of the Oregon Trail listed in subparagraph (B) and generally depicted on the map entitled “Western Emigrant Trails 1830/1870” and dated 1991/1993, and of such other routes of the Oregon Trail that the Secretary considers appropriate, to determine the feasibility and suitability of designation of 1 or more of the routes as components of the Oregon National Historic Trail. The routes to be studied under subparagraph (A) shall include the following: The Secretary of the Interior shall undertake a study of the approximately 20-mile southern alternative route of the Pony Express Trail from Wathena, Kansas, to Troy, Kansas, and such other routes of the Pony Express Trail that the Secretary considers appropriate, to determine the feasibility and suitability of designation of 1 or more of the routes as components of the Pony Express National Historic Trail. The Secretary of the Interior shall undertake a study of the Missouri Valley, central, and western routes of the California Trail listed in subparagraph (B) and generally depicted on the map entitled “Western Emigrant Trails 1830/1870” and dated 1991/1993, and of such other and shared Missouri Valley, central, and western routes that the Secretary considers appropriate, to determine the feasibility and suitability of designation of 1 or more of the routes as components of the California National Historic Trail. The routes to be studied under subparagraph (A) shall include the following: The Secretary of the Interior shall undertake a study of the routes of the Mormon Pioneer Trail listed in subparagraph (B) and generally depicted in the map entitled “Western Emigrant Trails 1830/1870” and dated 1991/1993, and of such other routes of the Mormon Pioneer Trail that the Secretary considers appropriate, to determine the feasibility and suitability of designation of 1 or more of the routes as components of the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail. The routes to be studied under subparagraph (A) shall include the following: The Secretary of the Interior shall undertake a study of the shared routes of the California Trail and Oregon Trail listed in subparagraph (B) and generally depicted on the map entitled “Western Emigrant Trails 1830/1870” and dated 1991/1993, and of such other shared routes that the Secretary considers appropriate, to determine the feasibility and suitability of designation of 1 or more of the routes as shared components of the California National Historic Trail and the Oregon National Historic Trail. The routes to be studied under subparagraph (A) shall include the following:

Legislative history

The public laws that enacted or amended this section. Tallies are for the whole bill as it passed each chamber — often an omnibus covering far more than this provision — not a vote on this section alone. The law that originally enacted this section predates the public laws loaded here, so only later amendments are listed.

  • Amended byPub. L. 94-527(S. 2112)1976-10-17
    An Act to amend the National Trails System Act (82 Stat. 919), and for other purposes).
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 95-248(H.R. 8803)1978-03-21
    An Act to amend the National Trails System Act, and for other purposes.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 95-625(S. 791)1978-11-10
    National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 96-87(H.R. 5419)1979-10-12
    A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide for the commemoration of the efforts of Goodloe Byron to protect the Appalachian Trail, and for other purposes.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 96-199(H.R. 3757)1980-03-05
    An act to establish the Channel Islands National Park, and for other purposes.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 96-344(S. 2680)1980-09-08
    A bill to improve the administration of the Historic Sites, Buildings and Antiquities Act of 1935 (49 Stat. 666).
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 96-370(H.R. 7825)1980-10-03
    A bill to establish the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, and for other purposes.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 98-11(S. 271)1983-03-28
    National Trails System Act Amendments of 1983
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 98-405(H.R. 3787)1984-08-28
    An act to amend the National Trails System Act by adding the California Trail to the study list, and for other purposes.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 99-445(S. 1542)1986-10-06
    A bill to amend the National Trails System Act by designating the Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo) Trail as a component of the National Trails System.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 100-35(H.R. 240)1987-05-08
    A bill to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Santa Fe Trail as a National Historic Trail.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 100-187(S. 1297)1987-12-11
    De Soto National Trail Study Act of 1987
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 100-192(S. 578)1987-12-16
    A bill to amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Trail of Tears as a National Historic Trail.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 100-470(S. 1544)1988-10-04
    National Trails System Improvements Act of 1988
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 100-559(S. 2545)1988-10-28
    A bill to redesignate Salinas National Monument in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 101-321(H.R. 3834)1990-07-03
    Selma to Montgomery National Trail Study Act of 1989
    House: 400–0Senate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 101-365(H.R. 1159)1990-08-15
    Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail Act
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 102-328(H.R. 479)1992-08-03
    To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the California National Historic Trail and Pony Express National Historic Trail as components of the National Trails System.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 102-461(H.R. 6184)1992-10-23
    To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the American Discovery Trail for study to determine the feasibility and desirability of its designation as a national trail.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 103-144(S. 836)1993-11-17
    El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Study Act of 1993
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 103-145(S. 983)1993-11-17
    El Camino Real Para Los Texas Study Act of 1993
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 103-437(H.R. 4777)1994-11-02
    To make technical improvements in the United States Code by amending provisions to reflect the current names of congressional committees.
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 104-333(H.R. 4236)1996-11-12
    Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996
    House: 404–4Senate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 106-135(H.R. 791)1999-12-07
    Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail Study Act of 1999
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 106-307(S. 366)2000-10-13
    El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail Act
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 106-509(S. 700)2000-11-13
    Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail Act
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 106-510(S. 938)2000-11-13
    Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Adjustment Act of 2000
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 107-214(H.R. 1384)2002-08-21
    Long Walk National Historic Trail Study Act
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 107-325(S. 1946)2002-12-04
    Old Spanish Trail Recognition Act of 2002
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 107-338(H.R. 1814)2002-12-16
    Metacomet-Monadnock-Mattabesett Trail Study Act of 2002
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 108-342(S. 2052)2004-10-18
    El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Act
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 108-352(S. 2178)2004-10-21
    National Park System Laws Technical Amendments Act of 2004
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 109-54(H.R. 2361)2005-08-02
    Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006
  • Amended byPub. L. 109-378(H.R. 3085)2006-12-01
    To amend the National Trails System Act to update the feasibility and suitability study originally prepared for the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail and provide for the inclusion of new trail segments, land components, and campgrounds associated with that trail, and for other purposes.
    House: 356–5Senate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 109-418(H.R. 5466)2006-12-19
    Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail Designation Act
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 110-229(S. 2739)2008-05-08
    Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008
  • Amended byPub. L. 111-11(H.R. 146)2009-03-30
    Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009
  • Amended byPub. L. 116-9(S. 47)2019-03-12
    John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act
  • Amended byPub. L. 116-111(H.R. 434)2020-01-27
    Emancipation National Historic Trail Study Act
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 117-328(H.R. 2617)2022-12-29
    Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023
    House: 225–201Senate: no recorded tally
  • Amended byPub. L. 117-345(S. 3519)2023-01-05
    Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail Designation Act
    House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally