Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2026

Plain-English Summary: Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2026

This bill would direct the federal government to conduct a formal study examining whether the Benton MacKaye Trail — a roughly 300-mile hiking trail that runs through Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina in the southern Appalachian Mountains — should be officially designated as a National Scenic Trail. A National Scenic Trail designation is a special federal recognition given to long-distance trails of exceptional natural, cultural, and recreational value, similar to how the famous Appalachian Trail is recognized. The study would evaluate whether the Benton MacKaye Trail meets the legal and practical requirements for that status.

The feasibility study itself would likely assess factors such as the trail's scenic and natural qualities, land ownership along the route, the cost of federal management, and public interest in the trail. No actual designation would happen as a result of this bill — it simply authorizes and requires the research and analysis needed to make an informed decision about whether designation makes sense in the future.

The bill would primarily affect hikers, outdoor recreation enthusiasts, local communities near the trail corridor, and landowners whose property borders the trail in Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. A National Scenic Trail designation, if it eventually followed, could bring increased federal funding, greater public visibility, and more visitors to the region, though it could also involve new federal oversight of surrounding lands. At this stage, the bill has cleared the House Natural Resources Committee and is awaiting a full vote in the House of Representatives.