Interior Secretary Ken Salazar recently designated 22 new national recreation trails, including two in the Southeast. The Virginia Occoquan Water Trail is a 40-mile canoe trail southwest of D.C. that passes through ancient hemlock groves, granite cliffs, historic sites, and wildlife sanctuaries. In Alabama, the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail made the cut. The Branyon is a 7.5-mile paved trail that winds through pristine coastal forests in Alabama’s Gulf State Park.
The national recreation trail system includes more than 1000 trails in all 50 states, ranging from backcountry singletrack to urban greenways. New trails are designated annually in an attempt to create a highly publicized trail system that’s suitable for all Americans.
Find out more at American Trails.
