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NRTs designated in: 2011 | 2010
| 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006
| 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001
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NRT Designation News

THE NATIONAL RECREATION TRAILS (NRT) program works to preserve and celebrate our nation's pathways. We invite you to explore America’s great national system of trails and greenways.

See the year by year Annual NRT Designations page

Search over 1,000 National Recreation Trails in the online database

See the state-by-state index of Featured National Recreation Trails

2002 National Recreation Trail designations

Twenty-six trails have been designated this year as new National Recreation Trails

On May 31, 2002, Secretary of Interior Gale Norton and National Park Service Director Fran Mainella designated 26 new National Recreation Trails in 16 states in a National Trails Day preview.

The following trails were designated as National Recreation Trails; click on the state or trail name for more information:

photo of runners on trail

Running event on the Air Line State Park Trail (photo by Stan Malcolm)

California:

Sacramento River Trail and Sacramento Rail-Trail - Greenway; Urban trail/bikeway; Rail-trail

Colorado:

Mineral Belt Trail - Greenway; Rail-trail; Urban trail/bikeway; Snow trail; Historical
Poudre River Trail Corridor - Greenway; Urban trail/bikeway; Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area; Poudre-Big Thompson Rivers Legacy Project

Connecticut:

Air Line State Park Trail - South - Greenway; Rail-trai

Florida:

General James A. Van Fleet State Trail - Rail-trail; Backcountry; linear trail State Park
Suncoast Trail - Urban trail/bikeway

Georgia:

Silver Comet Trail - Rail-trail

Illinois:

Lower Cache River Trail - Water trail

Indiana:

Central Canal Towpath - Greenway; Urban trail/bikeway; Historic 1836 canal towpath
Monon Rail-Trail - Greenway; Rail-trail; Urban trail/bikeway
Pleasant Run - Greenway; Urban trail/bikeway
White River "Wapahani" - Greenway; Urban trail/bikeway; Water trail

Maryland:

Baltimore and Annapolis Trail Park -- Greenway; Rail-trail; Urban trail/bikeway; part of East Coast Greenway & American Discovery Trail

Minnesota:

Gateway State Trail - Rail-trail; MN State Trail
Lake Wobegon Trail - Rail-trail; Urban trail/bikeway; Snow trail
North Fork Crow River Trail - Backcountry; Snow trail

North Dakota:

Hay Creek Trail - (ND) - Greenway; Urban trail/bikeway

Oregon:

Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail - Urban trail/bikeway; Road-to-trail; National Historic Landmark; National Scenic Byway

Pennsylvania:

Schuylkill River Water Trail - Water Trail

South Carolina:

Port Royal Sound Adventure Trail - Greenway; Backcountry; Urban trail/bikeway; water trail
TNT Motorsports Park - Backcountry; South Carolina's 1st privately owned OHV park managed for public use

South Dakota:

Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Trail - Rail-trail; Backcountry; Urban trail/bikeway; Snow trail

Virginia:

New River Trail State Park - (VA) -- Greenway; Rail-trail; Urban trail/bikeway
Rivanna Trail - (VA) -- Greenway; Urban trail/bikeway; nominated as a Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail

Washington:

John Wayne Pioneer Trail - (WA) -- Rail-trail; Backcountry; Urban trail/bikeway; Snow trail
Pacific Northwest Trail - (WA) -- Backcountry long-distance trail

National Recreation Trails are components of the National Trails System and recognize already existing trails that connect people to resources and improve their quality of life. The program is jointly administered by the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program and the U.S. Forest Service in conjunction with other federal and nonprofit partners, notably American Trails. Each of the trails inducted into the system will receive a certificate of designation and trail markers. They join a network that contains more than 11,000 miles of trails. More information is available at the National Recreation Trails website, hosted by American Trails. Following are the 40 additions to the National Trails System named by Secretary Kempthorne:

Each year nominations for designation of new National Recreation Trails may be submitted. The National Park Service and USDA Forest Service jointly administer the NRT program with help from other federal and nonprofit partners, notably American Trails, which hosts the National Recreation Trails website (www.americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails). The National Recreation Trail Program recognizes trails that provide opportunities for all Americans to enjoy the out-of-doors and improve the quality of life of our communities.

The nomination process follows an annual timetable which results in official designation by the Secretary of the Interior each June. See the 2003 U.S. Department of Agriculture NRT Designations page for additional trails on National Forests and Grasslands.

The Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program and the USDA Forest Service administer the program in conjunction with a other federal and nonprofit partners, notably American Trails, which hosts the National Recreation Trails website. RTCA is a community resource of the National Park Service which provide technical assistance to community groups and local, State, and federal government agencies to help conserve rivers, preserve open space, and develop trails and greenways.

Each year nominations for designation of new National Recreation Trails may be submitted. Details of the program may be found on the NRT website hosted by American Trails: (www.americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails). The National Recreation Trail Program recognizes trails that provide opportunities for all Americans to enjoy the out-of-doors and improve the quality of life of our communities.