§ 1243 — National Recreation Trails; Establishment And Designation; Prerequisites

(a) The Secretary of the Interior, or the Secretary of Agriculture where lands administered by him are involved, may establish and designate national recreation trails, with the consent of the Federal agency, State, or political subdivision having jurisdiction over the lands involved, upon finding that— (i) such trails are reasonably accessible to urban areas, and, or (ii) such trails meet the criteria established in this chapter and such supplementary criteria as he may prescribe. (b) As provided in this section, trails within park, forest, and other recreation areas administered by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture or in other federally administered areas may be established and designated as “National Recreation Trails” by the appropriate Secretary and, when no Federal land acquisition is involved— (i) trails in or reasonably accessible to urban areas may be designated as “National Recreation Trails” by the appropriate Secretary with the consent of the States, their political subdivisions, or other appropriate administering agencies; (ii) trails within park, forest, and other recreation areas owned or administered by States may be designated as “National Recreation Trails” by the appropriate Secretary with the consent of the State; and (iii) trails on privately owned lands may be designated “National Recreation Trails” by the appropriate Secretary with the written consent of the owner of the property involved.