Analyst Brief June 01, 2026

H.R. 2768 — Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025, as amended

Current Status

Reported by Committee

Executive Summary

H.R. 2768 directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a feasibility study on designating the 287-mile Benton MacKaye Trail, which spans Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, as a National Scenic Trail. The bill requires the study to be completed within two years of enactment in consultation with local stakeholders, including the Benton MacKaye Trail Association. This is a standard, bipartisan procedural step required under the National Trails System Act before Congress can officially designate a new national scenic trail, serving as a low-controversy vehicle to boost regional outdoor recreation and tourism.

Bill Data

Primary Sponsor

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann

Bill Number

H.R. 2768

Session

119th

Co-Sponsors

Rep. Steve CohenRep. Chuck EdwardsRep. Lucy McBath
View on Congress.gov ↗

Arguments For

  • Economic & Tourism Boost: Provides a bipartisan, localized win for members in GA, TN, and NC by taking the first step toward a designation that historically increases regional tourism and outdoor recreation revenue.
  • Low Political Risk: Authorizing a feasibility study does not alter land management or designate the trail outright, making it an easy 'yes' vote that satisfies conservationists without triggering immediate pushback from property rights advocates.

Likely Supporters

Benton MacKaye Trail AssociationOutdoor Industry AssociationLocal Chambers of Commerce in GA, TN, and NCConservation and hiking advocacy groups

Arguments Against

  • Fiscal Conservatism: Hardline fiscal conservatives may object to authorizing new federal studies and utilizing agency resources for trail expansions during periods of constrained budgets.
  • Slippery Slope on Land Use: Property rights advocates occasionally oppose trail studies on the grounds that eventual National Scenic Trail designation could lead to federal land acquisition, buffer zones, or restrictions on adjacent private property development.

Likely Opponents

Hardline fiscal conservative organizationsStrict private property rights advocacy groups (if local eminent domain concerns arise)

📋 Key Provisions

  • Amends Section 5(c) of the National Trails System Act to authorize a feasibility study for the Benton MacKaye Trail.
  • Defines the trail as a scenic, nonmotorized route traversing approximately 287 miles across Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
  • Mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to complete and submit the feasibility study to Congress no later than 2 years after enactment.
  • Requires the Secretary to consult with interested organizations, specifically naming the Benton MacKaye Trail Association.
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Claim Analysis Page 3, Lines 14-15

Defines the trail as approximately 287 miles long across three specific states.

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"approximately 287 miles in the States"

Claim Analysis Page 3, Line 16

Requires the study to be completed within 2 years of enactment.

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"Not later than 2 years after"

Claim Analysis Page 3, Lines 19-20

Mandates consultation with the Benton MacKaye Trail Association.

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"including the Benton MacKaye Trail Association"