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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1376 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1376
To amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of
Agriculture to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the
Benton MacKaye Trail as a national scenic trail.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 9, 2025
Mr. Tillis (for himself, Mr. Warnock, and Mr. Budd) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of
Agriculture to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the
Benton MacKaye Trail as a national scenic trail.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail
Feasibility Study Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that the Benton MacKaye Trail--
(1) is a scenic, nonmotorized trail that traverses
approximately 287 miles over some of the most renowned forests
and mountains in the States of Georgia, Tennessee, and North
Carolina;
(2) showcases a wide variety of scenic views, including
high-elevation peaks, mature forests, and secluded waterfalls;
(3) passes through wilderness that is rich with
biodiversity;
(4) passes through six designated Wilderness Areas, the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Chattahoochee-
Oconee, Cherokee, and Nantahala National Forests;
(5) provides a wide array of easily accessible hikes for
novice and intermediate hikers, as well as more challenging
trails for backpacking;
(6) supports economic opportunities for numerous rural
communities which benefit from the visitors of the trail
spending their money on accommodations, food, and outdoor
supplies;
(7) runs from Springer Mountain in Georgia, through
Tennessee, and extends through the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park in North Carolina;
(8) is physically accessible; and
(9) can be maintained at a minimal cost because--
(A) the Benton MacKaye Trail has been maintained at
its current length since 2005;
(B) 95 percent of the Benton MacKaye Trail is
located on Federal land; and
(C) the Benton MacKaye Trail has been successfully
constructed, maintained, and managed by the Benton
MacKaye Trail Association since 1980.
SEC. 3. BENTON MACKAYE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL FEASIBILITY STUDY.
Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(c))
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(50) Benton mackaye trail.--
``(A) In general.--The Benton MacKaye Trail, a
scenic, nonmotorized trail that traverses approximately
287 miles in the States of Georgia, Tennessee, and
North Carolina.
``(B) Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary of
Agriculture, in consultation with interested
organizations, including the Benton MacKaye Trail
Association, shall complete and submit to Congress the
feasibility study for designating the Benton MacKaye
Trail as a national scenic trail.''.
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