3 Miles Added to the Nation’s National Trails System

Four cherished multi-use trails across Oregon, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia have recently been upgraded.

To celebrate Great Outdoors Month in June, which began on National Trails Day, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland officially designated these four trails as National Recreation Trails, thereby adding 3 miles to the National Trails System.

The newly recognized National Recreation Trails now join a network of over 1,300 existing trails that cater to a variety of activities, including hiking, walking, dirt biking, and 4x4 driving. These trails are located throughout all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Here are the latest additions.

Recent additions to the trail system

Banks-Vernonia State Trail: About an hour northwest of Portland lies this 21-mile trail that follows an old railroad route between the charming towns of Banks and Vernonia in Oregon. As you traverse, you'll cross fields and forests and over 13 bridges, including the notable Buxton Trestle, which stands 80 feet tall and stretches 733 feet long. This trail is a favorite for hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders. There are five trailheads, with closing times varying between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. depending on the season. The trail opens at 7 a.m. throughout the year.

Comal River Water Trail: Experience floating or swimming along this 1.5-mile stretch of the Comal River, a popular destination for tubing in New Braunfels, Texas, situated about 40 minutes north of San Antonio and 50 minutes south of Austin. The river welcomes recreation year-round, unless high water levels lead to closures, with lifeguards on duty from May through Labor Day.

Hell’s Revenge Trail: Located approximately 30 minutes northeast of Moab, Utah, this 9.7-mile trail navigates petrified dune fields and is designed for seasoned mountain bikers and 4x4 enthusiasts.

Sweet Springs Turnpike Trail: Explore a well-preserved section of a 19th-century stagecoach route for 1.2 miles through fields and woods near Sweet Springs, West Virginia, famous for the historic Sweet Springs Resort, a natural hot spring that dates back to the late 1700s.

Implications for local communities

“These four newly designated national trails will enhance community connections, ensuring that bikers, hikers, and everyone who enjoys our public lands gain better access to outdoor recreational opportunities right in their neighborhoods,” stated National Park Service director Chuck Sams in a press release.

A National Recreation Trail can receive its designation from either the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, as long as the governing federal, state, tribal, nonprofit, or private organization agrees. To qualify, the trail manager must submit an application.

Alongside National Recreation Trails, America’s National Trails System boasts 11 National Scenic Trails (including the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail) and 21 National Historic Trails (such as Alaska’s Chilkoot Trail and Alabama’s Selma to Montgomery Trail), totaling around 90,000 miles of pathways.

Although they are not included in the national park system, National Recreation Trails are managed collaboratively by the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service, often with other federal and nonprofit partners. The only trails officially part of the national park system are national trails, of which the USA has six. Three were added in December 2023: the 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail, the 235-mile New England Trail, and the 4,600-mile North Country Trail. The existing three are the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail, the 444-mile Natchez Trace Trail, and the 710-mile Potomac Heritage Trail.