Congress·Reported·S. 1376

Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025

Benton MacKaye Trail: National Scenic Trail Study

Oct 27, 2025·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

This bill is one vehicle in a longer effort. See the full story across every version.View effort →

Next up: The SenateNo action in 8 months

The Senate must act next: a Senate floor vote.

Legislative Progress

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How we got here

This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.

Reintroduced
Reintroduced from H.R. 8403 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
H.R. 8403 (118th) →

Key Points

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to study if the Benton MacKaye Trail should be officially named a National Scenic Trail. This 287-mile path winds through the mountains and forests of Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
The trail is already popular for hiking and backpacking, passing through the Great Smoky Mountains and several national forests. Since 95% of the trail is already on federal land, making it a national trail would likely be inexpensive and easy to manage.
Supporters say this official status would help rural communities by bringing in more tourists. People visiting the trail spend money at local restaurants, hotels, and outdoor shops, which helps the local economy in the three states the trail passes through.
The government would have one year to finish the study and report back to Congress. They will work with local hiking groups that have been taking care of the trail since 1980 to see if it meets the standards for the national trail system.

Impact Analysis

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Milestones

4 milestones5 actions

Oct 27, 2025Senate

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 211.

The bill is now on the schedule for the full chamber to consider. It's in line for debate and a vote.

Oct 27, 2025Senate

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Reported by Senator Boozman without amendment. Without written report.

The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.

Oct 21, 2025Senate

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.

Apr 9, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Apr 9, 2025

Introduced in Senate

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

No votes or news coverage recorded for this bill yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025

Bill NumberS 1376

Congress119th Congress

ChamberSenate

Latest ActionPlaced on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 211.

Data Sources

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

Read Full Bill Text

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(4)

D: 2R: 2

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.