I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 588
To amend the National Trails System Act to create a new category of
long-distance trails to be known as national discovery trails, to authorize
the American Discovery Trail as the first trail in that category, and
for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 5, 1997
Mr. BEREUTER (for himself, Mr. CASTLE, Mr. COSTELLO, Mrs. KELLY, Mr.
HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HAMILTON, Mr. PICKETT, Mr. MCINTOSH, Mr.
BUNNING, Mr. EVANS, Mr. DAN SCHAEFER of Colorado, Mr. HEFLEY,
Mr. FROST, Mr. MOLLOHAN, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr.
MILLER of California, Ms. NORTON, Mr. SKAGGS, Mr. POSHARD, Mr.
FAZIO of California, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. STARK, Mr. BARRETT of
Nebraska, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. VENTO, Mr.
EHLERS, Mr. WELLER, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. FAWELL, Mr. LEACH, Mrs.
TAUSCHER, Ms. PELOSI, Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. RAHALL, and Mr.
HINCHEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Resources
A BILL
To amend the National Trails System Act to create a new
category of long-distance trails to be known as national
discovery trails, to authorize the American Discovery
Trail as the first trail in that category, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Discovery
Trails Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL TRAILS SYSTEM ACT AMENDMENTS.
(a) NATIONAL DISCOVERY TRAILS ESTABLISHED.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3(a) of the National
Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1242(a)) is amended
by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
‘‘(5) National discovery trails, established as
provided in section 5, which will be extended, contin-
uous, interstate trails so located as to provide for
outstanding outdoor recreation and travel and to
connect representative examples of America’s trails
and communities. National discovery trails should
provide for the conservation and enjoyment of sig-
nificant natural, cultural, and historic resources as-
sociated with each trail and should be so located as
to 
represent 
metropolitan, 
urban, 
rural, 
and
backcountry regions of the Nation.’’.
(2) FEASIBILITY REQUIREMENTS; COOPERATIVE
MANAGEMENT
REQUIREMENT.—Section 5 of such
Act (16 U.S.C. 1244) is amended by adding at the
end the following new subsection:
‘‘(g)(1) For purposes of subsection (b), a trail shall
not be considered feasible and desirable for designation
as a national discovery trail unless it meets all of the fol-
lowing criteria:
‘‘(A) The trail must link to one or more areas
within the boundaries of a metropolitan area (as
those boundaries are determined under section
134(c) of title 23, United States Code). It should
also join with other trails, tying the National Trails
System to significant recreation and resources areas.
‘‘(B) It must be supported by a competent
trailwide nonprofit organization. Each trail should
have extensive local and trailwide support by the
public, by user groups, and by affected State and
local governments.
‘‘(C) It must be extended and pass through
more than one State. At a minimum, it should be a
continuous, walkable route.
‘‘(2) The appropriate Secretary for each national dis-
covery trail shall administer the trail in cooperation with
a competent trailwide nonprofit organization.’’.
(b) DESIGNATION
OF
THE AMERICAN DISCOVERY
TRAIL AS A NATIONAL DISCOVERY TRAIL.—Section 5(a)
of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(a)) is amended—
(1) by redesignating the paragraph relating to
the California National Historic Trail as paragraph
(18);
(2) by redesignating the paragraph relating to
the Pony Express National Historic Trail as para-
graph (19); and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(20) The American Discovery Trail, a trail of
approximately 6,000 miles extending from Cape
Henlopen State Park in Delaware to Point Reyes
National Seashore in California, extending westward
through Delaware, Maryland, the District of Colum-
bia, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky, where near
Cincinnati it splits into two routes. The Northern
Midwest route traverses Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Iowa, Nebraska, and Colorado, and the Southern
Midwest route traverses Indiana, Illinois, Missouri,
Kansas, and Colorado. After the two routes rejoin in
Denver, Colorado, the route continues through Colo-
rado, Utah, Nevada, and California. The trail is gen-
erally described in Volume 2 of the National Park
Service feasibility study dated June 1995 which
shall be on file and available for public inspection in
the office of the Director of the National Park Serv-
ice, Department of the Interior, the District of
Columbia. The American Discovery Trail shall be