filed under: federal legislation


National Scenic and Historic Trail Administration

This manual provides the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) policy and program guidance on administering congressionally designated National Trails as assigned by the Department of the Interior within the National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) and this manual describes the BLM’s roles, responsibilities, agency interrelationships, and policy requirements for National Trail Administrators

by Bureau of Land Management


6250 NSHT Administration


National Scenic and Historic Trails (National Trails) are authorized and designated only by Act of Congress. Congress may authorize the BLM, through the Secretary, as the agency most likely to administer a designated trail, to make studies for the purpose of determining the feasibility and desirability of designating other trails as National Scenic or National Historic Trails (National Trail Feasibility Study).

The Secretary charged with National Trail administration following congressional designation of a trail executes requirements under the National Trails System Act (NTSA), which may include establishing an advisory council for each trail, completing a trailwide Comprehensive Plan, and leading efforts to develop the trail in coordination with land managing agencies. National Trail administration responsibilities are fulfilled as directed in the NTSA in coordination with tribes; other National Trail Administrators; National Trail managing agencies (including all BLM public land managers along the congressionally designated National Trail); other Federal, state, and local government agencies; private and nonprofit organizations; willing landowners; land users; and individuals (herein referred to as tribes, affected agencies, willing landowners, partners, and interested parties).

One of the purposes of the NTSA is to encourage public/private partnerships as a founding principle. Interested publics or grassroots organizations work on, help identify the location of, and assist in managing a subject trail along with the agencies responsible for administration and management of the trail area.

Published July 2012

About the Author


The Bureau of Land Management in the US Dept. of the Interior sponsors many courses and workshops through a variety of training opportunities. Trails, recreation, land management, technical training, and public involvement are topics that are frequently covered. The BLM has also been a leader in establishing and developing the National Trails Training Partnership.

More articles by this author

More Articles in this Category

National Park Service − Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program

This publication is designed to inform the reader about the services provided by the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program.

Recreational Trails Program Highlight: Tennessee State Parks Tires to Trails Program

Tennessee State Parks Win National Award for Tires to Trails Program

Recreational Trails Program Highlight: Brighton Park, Ohio

Brighton Park, formerly the Henninger Landfill, was a construction and demolition debris landfill in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland that ceased operation in the 1980s.

Recreational Trails Program Highlight: Prison Hill 5th Street Trailhead Project, Nevada

Visible throughout Carson City, the approximately 2,500 acre Prison Hill Recreation Area has been set aside and dedicated as open space for the community of Carson City.