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National Parks Traveler Episode 121: The Plight Of Our National Scenic Trails

By Kurt Repanshek - June 6th, 2021
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What shape are the country's National Scenic Trails in?

Go take a hike. Wouldn’t that be a great escape this weekend? Some of my most enjoyable hikes have been along the Appalachian Trail. That path was easy to reach when I was growing up in New Jersey. Now based in Utah, the A.T. is a distant aspiration. Much closer are both the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail.

This is Kurt Repanshek, your host at National Parks Traveler. All three of those trails – the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail – are officially recognized as National Scenic Trails. In all, there are 11 trails across the United States that carry that designation. Are they all treated equally when it comes to funding, maintenance, and even completion of an uninterrupted path? Not at all, and we’ll dive into those issues and why they are what they are in a minute.

:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode introduction with Kurt Repanshek
:36 Amaranth - Bill Mize - The Sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains
1:06 Western National Parks Association
1:27 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
1:50 Friends of Acadia promotion
2:16 Potrero Group 
2:46 Jim Kern discusses his new book, Broken Promise: The Plight Of Our National Scenic Trails
19:33 Torch - Bill Mize - The Sounds of the Everglades
19:57 National Parks Traveler
20:09 North Cascades Institute 
20:28 Washington’s National Park Fund 
21:04 Grand Teton National Park Foundation 
21:34 Interior Federal Credit Union 
22:14 Jim Kern's discussion of National Scenic Trails continues.
42:25 Shee Beg Shee More - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
42:55 Episode Closing
43:47 Orange Tree Productions 
44:20 Splitbeard Productions
44:31 National Parks Traveler footer

Comments

Submitted by STM on June 6, 2021 - 8:16am.

Good episode. Interesting that the Secretary just designated 10 new recreation trails and yet we can't take care of, nor complete the national scenic trails we have....deaignsting trails arbitrarily doesn't solve or improve anything. It further dilutes things 


Submitted by Grizz on June 7, 2021 - 7:33pm.

STM, The designation of national recreation trails has no financial or other impact on National Scenic Trails.

Anyone who thinks that Congress will ever give agencies the authority for eminent domain to complete National Scenic Trails is deluded.


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Fossilized footprints, USGS photo from White Sands National Park

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The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

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This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

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