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Home , American Discovery Trail, Great Eastern Trail

“The American Society is A History of Hiker Advocacy a valued partner to the National Park System. We particularly With dedication and a focused mission, American Hiking Society has established appreciate the succession of our itself as the voice for America’s hikers. Here’s how the organization’s advocacy joint cooperative agreements that efforts evolved over the last 30 years. have strengthened the National

By Celina Montorfano teers and clubs to build and System, American Hiking’s maintain trails, and established the outstanding support of volunteer OLICY AND ADVOCACY work concept of rail-banking, which lies at the core of American Hik- launched the incredibly successful programs, and National Trails ing Society in 2006, just as it did rails-to-trails movement. Along with Day. All have brought attention in 1976, when its founders real- passage of these bills, American Hik- and help to Park Service trails. ized an urgent need for a nation- ing advocated for funding for these Pal trails organization and voice for trails along with trails staff positions We wish you well at this 30th America’s hikers. The political and ge- in the headquarters of the USDA For- anniversary!” ographical landscapes have changed est Service and (in both negative and positive ways) in (NPS). the last 30 years, and American Hik- In the early 1990s, American Hiking — Fran Mainella, former National ing’s resolve to promote and protect built upon the success and attention Park Service director foot trails and the hiking experience is generated by HikaNation, a 1980-81 stronger than ever. coast-to coast walk to increase aware- The organization’s early efforts ness about hiking trails, by launching largely revolved around the National the with “The House Trails Caucus owes a Trails System, created by the 1968 Na- Backpacker magazine. This decade also tional Trails System Act (NTSA), a marked the beginning of a new era for great deal of thanks to American landmark law for trails and hikers. trail funding provided by federal sur- Hiking Society on its 30th Achievements in American Hiking’s face transportation law, first through nascent years include the passage of the Intermodal Surface Transporta- anniversary for its unwavering several important NTSA amendments tion Efficiency Act, enacted in 1992, efforts to promote, maintain, and in the 1980s that designated new na- which included two critical programs tional scenic trails, encouraged volun- for trails—Transportation Enhance- preserve our nation’s spectacular trails and hiking opportunities for Funding, 1996-2006 future generations.” 9 8 7 — Rep. Earl Blumenauer, (D-Ore.), 6 chair of the House Trails Caucus 5 4 3 The longest rail-trail in

Dollars in Millions 2 the is 1 the Katy Trail in 0 at 225 miles. 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 FUN FACTS The longest national scenic trail in the coun- National Trails System funding (via the National Park Service budget) has try is the North Country

steadily increased since American Hiking instituted Hike the Hill: Trails Hiking Trail at 4,600 miles. Advocacy Week. American Actions that American Hiking Society spearheaded Discovery Trail or contributed to significantly in the last 30 years include: feasibility study bill passes in 1983 Congress. 1992 1980 1981 NTSA amendments NTSA amend- designating the , The six-year Intermodal NTSA amendments 1991 1978 ments encourage Natchez Trace, and Surface Transportation designate the Ice Potomac Heritage National Trails System volunteers and Efficiency Act becomes Age and North national scenic trails and Act (NTSA) amend- trail clubs to build law, including trail pro- Country national establishing the railbank- ments designate and maintain grams for the first time. scenic trails. ing program, which Continental Divide trails. launched the rails-to-trails National Scenic Trail. movement.

POLICY AND ADVOCACY MILEPOSTS

ments and the Recreational Trails Pro- agency regulations, plans, policies, agement Policies (at press time, new gram. These programs continued and and strategies. American Hiking di- draft NPS policies had restored critical were expanded through subsequent rectly and positively influenced docu- park protections, but the policies were legislation—the Transportation Equi- ments such as the Forest Service’s not yet finalized). ty Act for the 21st Century (1998) and Recreation Agenda (2000) and the Bu- Much of American Hiking’s policy the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Ef- reau of Land Management’s (BLM) work in the nation’s capital is similar ficient Transportation Equity Act: A National Scenic and Historic Trails to trail work on-the-ground in that Legacy for Users (2005). Strategy and Work Plan (2006), our effectiveness increases greatly Starting in the late 1990s, American among others. Some of these efforts through partnerships and coalitions. Hiking’s policy and advocacy focus, as are more public, including recreation Ever since the organization’s incep- well as the organization’s mission, ex- and conservation organizational sign- tion, American Hiking has spearhead- panded to explicitly encompass the on letters to administration and ed several important coalitions and hiking experience—i.e. the natural re- agency officials or Congress on issues joined others whose focus closely sources and values such as flora and such as egregious proposals to sell off aligns with our mission. In 1992, fauna, expansive landscapes, and quiet our parks, forests and public lands in American Hiking helped form the natural sounds, that make hiking so 2005 and 2006 and threatened roll- “Committee of 17,” the precursor to rewarding—and not just the trail tread, backs to National Park Service Man- the Partnership for the National Trails corridors, or immediate environs. System, which remains one of American Hiking banded with new American Hiking’s closest part- and additional conservation, recre- ners. American Hiking added the ation, and trail organizations to hiker’s voice to critical policy is- advocate for full funding of the sues such as air quality through Land and Water Conservation co-founding the Hikers for Clean Fund, petition the Forest Service Air Coalition and ORV manage- to undergo a rulemaking to ad- ment through the Natural Trails dress and improve off-road vehicle and Waters Coalition, which in- management (which later mani- cludes American Hiking on its fested in 2005), and urge then- steering committee. President Clinton to promulgate The NPS’s Rivers, Trails and the Roadless Area Conservation Conservation Assistance program Rule (unfortunately repealed in benefits greatly from the advocacy 2005 and replaced with a volun- ZEV KANTER work of the Rivers and Trails Coali- tary state petition process). Theodore Roosevelt IV and Rep. James tion, in which American Hiking Much of American Hiking’s Moran (D-Va.) discuss the future of west- plays a leading role. American Hik- policy work is behind the scenes— ern public lands. Rep. Moran co-chairs the ing also plays a critical role in a participating in a wide variety of new National Landscape Conservation coalition committed to building a public comment periods on System Caucus. stronger National Landscape Con- Negotiated mitigation American Hiking fights major from the visual effects threats to trails, including 1997 rollbacks of national park of telecommunication Forest Service protections and proposals to towers on trails Roadless Area Instigated 1998 sell off public lands Conservation creation of 2005 the House Transportation Equity 2000 Rule promulgated 2006 Trails Caucus Act for the 21st Cen- SAFE-TEA Positively influenced tury (TEA-21) signed signed into law, American Hiking announces the the Forest Service’s 2001 into law, increasing expanding upon . funding for trails. Recreation Agenda trails programs established in NLCS Congressional Caucus Helped form ISTEA and TEA- formed at the urging of Ameri- Hikers for Clean Air 21 can Hiking and its partners. Coalition

servation System (NLCS) through in- ber of the Outdoor Alliance, which in- recreation experience. creased funding, protection, and aware- cludes five other national human-pow- On Capitol Hill, American Hiking ness of the BLM’s 26-million-acre sys- ered recreation organizations that sup- instigated the creation of the House tem and its remarkable natural, cultur- port access to, and responsible steward- Trails Caucus as a forum for Members al, and recreational resources. Finally, ship of, the lands, waters, air, and habi- of Congress to learn about and in- American Hiking is a founding mem- tat that are vital to a quality outdoor crease awareness of our nationwide

Why Your Support of American Hiking Society Matters

By Ed Talone Potomac was conceived grow, there was still another “trail rev- to follow early transportation routes olution” at hand. In 1983, a process he trails landscape that greeted the (canals and railroads) between Wash- called “rail banking” came into being. formation of American Hiking Soci- ington, D.C., and Pittsburgh. The Ice This allowed rail corridors to be kept ety in 1976 was vastly different Age Trail in Wisconsin would trace the intact and used for recreation, resulting Tfrom that of today. Backpacking advance of a glacier, while the Florida in more than 13,000 miles of trail na- was just coming into its own with the Trail (conceived in 1966 by American tionwide—including many in towns far advent of lightweight gear, and people Hiking founder Jim Kern) was introduc- from hiking centers. This movement were headed for the woods in unprece- ing hikers to the enchanting world of spawned “greenways” as people began dented numbers. Most national forests swamps and lowlands. to see value in preserving space for its had hiking trails, but they were usually These trails formed the basis for a own sake. limited in length. The main exceptions nationwide network. People started ex- Your American Hiking Society has were the Long Trail in Vermont, the ploring near where they lived, spawning been at the forefront of all of this, sup- Northville-Placid Trail in , and a number of state trail projects, includ- porting legislation, whether for natural the well-known Appalachian and Pacif- ing the in , Pal- areas, rail-trails, roadless initiatives, ic Crest trails. metto Trail in South Carolina, Moun- funding for forests and parks, or direct Suddenly, beginning in about the tains to Sea Trail in North Carolina, funding for trails. Thousands of volun- mid-1970s, people began clamoring for Maah Hey Deh Trail in North Dakota, teer workers have cleared and built long-distance trails in other parts of the and the Ozark Highlands Trail in trails, and National Trails Day has cele- country. Jim Wolf began a series of sum- Arkansas. Two others, the Benton Mac brated the sport of hiking in every cor- mer scouting trips in the West that re- Kaye Trail in and the Tuscarora ner of the land. sulted in the initial routing of the Conti- Trail between and Pennsylva- The “trails map” of 2006 is a crowd- nental Divide Trail. The North Country nia, were initiated because of threats to ed one, and that is a great problem to Trail arrived in 1980 to highlight the the . have! All those who have supported our beauty of the Great Lakes region. The Even as these projects began to efforts should be very proud. system of trails. Currently chaired by major step in 2005, dispelling our mis- trail champion Earl Blumenauer, (D- The efforts of Advocacy Week conception as an eastern-focused or- Ore.), the Caucus includes a biparti- ganization and expanding our efforts san list of more than 50 members. In participants over the years to promote and protect hiking and a similar fashion, American Hiking have contributed to increased trails on western public lands, espe- and NLCS Coalition partners cially the gems of the BLM’s Nation- spurred the formation of the recently funding and awareness for trails al Landscape Conservation System, announced NLCS Congressional and recreation programs which includes lands with special Caucus, a group of Representatives designations in 12 western states. dedicated to promoting and protect- across the nation. Similar to the excitement with the ing the resources of the NLCS. American Discovery Trail in the early One of American Hiking’s most 1990s, American Hiking created an- notable congressional outreach efforts their natural trail corridors by build- other buzz in the trails community in is its annual Hike the Hill: Trails Ad- ing a 5,000-mile interconnected trail early 2006 with the announcement of vocacy Week program, started in 1997. network and an active network of hik- the Great Eastern Trail, a new trail sys- This event brings trail leaders and vol- ing organizations. American Hiking tem connecting more than 10,000 unteers from across the country to greatly boosted its capacity to imple- miles of trail. Washington, D.C., to receive policy ment SAI by opening its first regional American Hiking could not under- updates and training and lobby Con- office in Chattanooga, , in take its significant policy and advoca- gress for trail funding and related is- 2003. cy work without the generous support sues. The efforts of Advocacy Week American Hiking took another of its individual members, Alliance of participants over the years Hiking Organizations, have contributed to no- partner organizations, and table funding increases for foundation supporters. a number of the national American Hiking’s suc- scenic and historic trails cess—and the success of and increased funding and the hiking community at awareness for trails and large—is also made possi- recreation programs across ble by the many letters, the nation. The trail or- phone calls, and outreach ganizations and advocates to Congress and federal who participate year after agencies from our mem- year have also seen an in- bers, grassroots organiza- crease in their credibility tions, and trail activists and capabilities through around the country. strengthened relation- American Hiking thanks ships with congressional its founders, members, and federal agency staff. and supporters for 30 American Hiking took years of stalwart hiker ad- steps toward regionally fo- vocacy, expanding and cused advocacy in 1998 protecting hiking oppor- when it created the South- tunities nationwide, and ern Appalachians Initia- ensuring natural, pristine tive (SAI) and then in 2001 hiking experiences for fu- hosted the first Southeast- ture generations. ern Foot Trails Conference and created the Southeast- To learn more about Ameri- ern Foot Trails Coalition. can Hiking’s policy and advo- SAI seeks to promote and cacy work and how you can protect the long-distance SHUTTERSTOCK get involved, visit www.Amer- foot trails of the Southeast In the late 1990s, American Hiking’s mission extended icanHiking.org/policy/ and connecting trails and beyond the trail tread to encompass the hiking experience. index.html.