National Scenic and Historic Trails

During a consistent set of messages throughout his presidency, Lyndon B. Johnson inspired a movement. With his “Conservation and Preservation of Natural Beauty” messages, President Lyndon B. Johnson inspired a movement which led Congress to establish the National Trails System Act in 1968. Today, the BLM’s National Scenic and Historic Trails (NSHT) Program connects people to the land, its natural and scenic wonders, the Nation’s heritage, and communities. These trails were first Indigenous sacred landscapes that echo the stories of ancient and present-day cultures. The BLM’s NSHT program acknowledges that these trails traverse lands with a history of removal, genocide, forced assimilation, violence, and broken treaties.  See Native Lands National Trails for more information.

There are currently 32 national trails in the system administered by the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Forest Service.  The BLM administers, manages, and protects these trails as part of its system of National Conservation Lands. Informed by careful inventory, assessment, and monitoring, each Congressionally designated trail protects the nature and purposes identified by Congress. National trails preserve history for future generations, provide opportunities for recreational enjoyment, and safeguard large landscape connectivity for wildlife and ecological resilience, in a context of changes in climate and increasing development.

National trails often traverse multiple jurisdictions requiring immense coordination and partnering between other federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and dedicated volunteers.  The BLM currently protects nearly 6,000 miles of 19 designated trails in 15 States, in addition to thousands of miles of side and connecting trails and trails under study for potential designation. The BLM is the delegated trail administering agency for Iditarod National Historic Trail and co-administers the Old Spanish and El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trails with the National Park Service.  

The BLM offers many ways to explore national trails. Consider stopping at one of five visitor centers offering trail interpretations of stories from our nation’s past. If looking for a more authentic and life changing experience, the well-prepared adventurer may want to visit the more wild and remote trail locations. In coordination with our trail partner organizations, the BLM is committed to provide a safe and enjoyable outdoor experience that fosters individual relationships with these national trails and public lands, provides learning opportunities, and can enhance physical, mental, and spiritual health for everyone.