II
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION S. 1376
To amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of Agri-
culture 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
APRIL9, 2025
Mr. T
ILLIS(for himself, Mr. WARNOCK, and Mr. BUDD) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agri-
culture, Nutrition, and Forestry
A BILL
To amend the National Trails System Act to direct the
Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on the feasi-
bility of designating the Benton MacKaye Trail as a
national scenic trail.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Benton MacKaye Na-4
tional Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025’’. 5
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6
Congress finds that the Benton MacKaye Trail— 7
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•S 1376 IS
(1) is a scenic, nonmotorized trail that traverses 1
approximately 287 miles over some of the most re-2
nowned forests and mountains in the States of Geor-3
gia, Tennessee, and North Carolina; 4
(2) showcases a wide variety of scenic views, in-5
cluding high-elevation peaks, mature forests, and se-6
cluded waterfalls; 7
(3) passes through wilderness that is rich with 8
biodiversity; 9
(4) passes through six designated Wilderness 10
Areas, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 11
and the Chattahoochee-Oconee, Cherokee, and 12
Nantahala National Forests; 13
(5) provides a wide array of easily accessible 14
hikes for novice and intermediate hikers, as well as 15
more challenging trails for backpacking; 16
(6) supports economic opportunities for numer-17
ous rural communities which benefit from the visi-18
tors of the trail spending their money on accom-19
modations, food, and outdoor supplies; 20
(7) runs from Springer Mountain in Georgia, 21
through Tennessee, and extends through the Great 22
Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina; 23
(8) is physically accessible; and 24
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•S 1376 IS
(9) can be maintained at a minimal cost be-1
cause— 2
(A) the Benton MacKaye Trail has been 3
maintained at its current length since 2005; 4
(B) 95 percent of the Benton MacKaye 5
Trail is located on Federal land; and 6
(C) the Benton MacKaye Trail has been 7
successfully constructed, maintained, and man-8
aged by the Benton MacKaye Trail Association 9
since 1980. 10
SEC. 3. BENTON MACKAYE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL FEASI-11
BILITY STUDY. 12
Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act (16 13
U.S.C. 1244(c)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-14
lowing: 15
‘‘(50) B
ENTON MACKAYE TRAIL .— 16
‘‘(A) I
N GENERAL.—The Benton MacKaye 17
Trail, a scenic, nonmotorized trail that tra-18
verses approximately 287 miles in the States of 19
Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. 20
‘‘(B) S
TUDY.—Not later than 1 year after 21
the date of enactment of this paragraph, the 22
Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with 23
interested organizations, including the Benton 24
MacKaye Trail Association, shall complete and 25
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•S 1376 IS
submit to Congress the feasibility study for des-1
ignating the Benton MacKaye Trail as a na-2
tional scenic trail.’’. 3
Æ
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