Cool news - the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail
From the Seattle
Post-Intellegencer:
Obama creates Pacific Northwest Trail
When the national scenic trails system was created four decades ago, the goal was to build a walking path across the United States.
That goal came closer to reality in March, when President Obama signed a bill creating the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail and two others. They are the first such trails designated in 26 years.
"The dream of a transcontinental pathway across America is 1,200 miles closer to reaching fruition," said Ron Strickland, a former Washington resident who first proposed the Pacific Northwest trial in 1970.
The trail will eventually run from Glacier National Park in Montana to the Pacific Ocean at Cape Alava in Washington. Portions of the trail have existed for centuries, and for the past three decades the nonprofit Pacific Northwest Trail Association has been gradually improving the route and erecting a few signs.
The federal designation means money will be provided to connect all portions of the trail, build bridges and other improvements, and erect signs and access points along its length, said Jon Knechtel of the association.
"I anticipate that within 10 years, this will gain the same popularity as the Pacific Crest Trail," Knechtel said.
Very cool -- the infrastructure of the trails systems in the Northwest needs a lot of work. There are volunteer crews that go out but they can only do so much. Getting some federal funds will help a lot both to establish and connect this new route but also to help improve the existing ones.
We have a group out here that is building a trail along an old railroad right-of-way -- some people love the idea, some people do not but it is slowly moving forward.
Posted by DaveH at June 15, 2009 8:39 PM