Arizona National Scenic Trail Act

By U.S. Senator Jon Kyl I am pleased to join my fellow Arizona Senator John McCain in introducing the Arizona National Scenic Trail Act. This bill would amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Arizona Trail as a national scenic trail. In 1968, the U.S. Congress established the National Trails System to promote the preservation of historical resources and outdoor areas. National scenic and historic trails may be designated only by an act of Congress. Senator McCain and I have been working on Arizona Trail legislation since 2003. Previous forms of the bill focused on conducting a feasibility study to determine whether the trail is physically possible and financially feasible. In the meantime, the Arizona Trail Association and its state and federal partners have continued to develop the trail with national designation in mind, so I dont believe a feasibility study is now required. In fact, much of the Arizona Trail already exists, extending over 800 continuous miles from the Mexican border to Utah. Clearly the trail is physically possible. It is also financially feasible, since it does not require a single land acquisition, and commitments already exist to manage the trail and complete the remaining few miles of trail construction. Therefore, Senator McCain and I believe the trail is ready for federal designation and to become part of our national system. That designation will help streamline its management, boost tourism and recreation, and preserve a magnificent natural, cultural, and historical experience of the American West. Recently I had the opportunity to hike a portion of the trail. I wish I had the time to hike it all. The trail is a roller-coaster ride through the wide range of ecological diversity in Arizona. The trail corridor begins at the Coronado National Memorial on the U.S.-Mexico border and winds some 800 miles, ending on the Bureau of Land Managements Arizona Strip District on the Utah border. Between these two points, it invites recreationists to explore the states most renowned mountains, canyons, deserts and forests, including the Grand Canyon and the Sonora Desert. This trail is unique in that it maximizes the incorporation of already existing public trails into one continuous trail to showcase some of the most interesting and spectacular scenery in the West. In Pima County, most of the trail can be found beginning in the Rincon Mountains, following Cienegas Creek up to Saguaro National Park, and continuing through the Santa Catalina Mountains. Over 16 federal, state, and local agencies, as well as numerous community and business organizations, and countless volunteers, have cooperated to develop and sustain the trail as a recreational resource for future generations, and we owe them our thanks. We look forward to working in both chambers of Congress on a bipartisan basis to get our legislation passed and ensure the Arizona Trail becomes a permanent part of our landscape.