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Bill
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Title II — Recreation

H.R. 6913 · 119th Congress · Dec 19, 2025 · Lineage

II Recreation

Sec. 121 Bigfoot National Recreation Trail

(a)
Feasibility study—
(1)
In general— Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this section, the Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”), in cooperation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a study that describes the feasibility of establishing a national recreational trail for nonmotorized uses, to be known as “Bigfoot National Recreation Trail”, that follows the route described in paragraph (2).
(2)
Route— The route referred to in paragraph (1) shall extend from the Ides Cove Trailhead in the Mendocino National Forest to Crescent City, California, following the route as generally depicted on the map titled “Bigfoot National Recreation Trail—Proposed” and dated July 25, 2018.
(3)
Additional requirement— In completing the study required under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with—
(A)
appropriate Federal, State, Tribal, regional, and local agencies;
(B)
private landowners of land adjacent to, or in the vicinity of, the route described in paragraph (2);
(C)
nongovernmental organizations; and
(D)
interested members of the public.
(b)
Designation—
(1)
In general— On completion of the study under subsection (a), if the Secretary determines that the Bigfoot National Recreation Trail is feasible and meets the requirements for a National Recreation Trail under section 4 of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1243), the Secretary shall designate the Bigfoot National Recreation Trail (referred to in this section as the “Trail”) in accordance with—
(A)
the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.);
(B)
this Act; and
(C)
other applicable law (including regulations).
(2)
Administration— On designation by the Secretary, the Trail shall be administered by the Secretary, in consultation with—
(A)
other Federal, State, Tribal, regional, and local agencies;
(B)
private landowners; and
(C)
other interested organizations.
(3)
Private property rights—
(A)
In general— No portions of the Trail may be located on non-Federal land without the written consent of the landowner.
(B)
Prohibition— The Secretary shall not acquire for the Trail any land or interest in land outside the exterior boundary of any federally managed area without the consent of the owner of the land or interest in the land.
(C)
Effect— Nothing in this section—
(i)
requires any private property owner to allow public access (including Federal, State, or local government access) to private property; or
(ii)
modifies any provision of Federal, State, or local law with respect to public access to or use of private land.
(c)
Cooperative agreements— In carrying out this section, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with State, Tribal, and local government entities and private entities—
(1)
to complete necessary Trail construction, reconstruction, realignment, or maintenance; or
(2)
to carry out education projects relating to the Trail.
(d)
Map—
(1)
Map required— On designation of the Trail, the Secretary shall prepare a map of the Trail.
(2)
Public availability— The map referred to in paragraph (1) shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Forest Service.

Sec. 122 Elk Camp Ridge Recreation Trail

(a)
Designation—
(1)
In general— In accordance with paragraph (2), the Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”), after providing an opportunity for public comment, shall designate a trail (which may include a system of trails)—
(A)
for use by off-highway vehicles, mountain bicycles, or both; and
(B)
to be known as the “Elk Camp Ridge Recreation Trail” (referred to in this section as the “Trail”).
(2)
Requirements— In designating the Trail under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall only include routes that are—
(A)
as of the date of enactment of this Act, authorized for use by off-highway vehicles, mountain bicycles, or both; and
(B)
located on land that is managed by the Forest Service in Del Norte County in the State.
(3)
Map— A map that depicts the Trail shall be on file and available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Forest Service.
(b)
Management—
(1)
In general— The Secretary shall manage the Trail—
(A)
in accordance with applicable law (including regulations);
(B)
in a manner that ensures the safety of citizens who use the Trail; and
(C)
in a manner that minimizes any damage to sensitive habitat or cultural resources.
(2)
Monitoring; evaluation— To minimize the impacts of the use of the Trail on environmental and cultural resources, the Secretary shall annually assess the effects of the use of off-highway vehicles and mountain bicycles on—
(A)
the Trail;
(B)
land located in proximity to the Trail; and
(C)
plants, wildlife, and wildlife habitat.
(3)
Closure— The Secretary, in consultation with the State and Del Norte County in the State and subject to paragraph (4), may temporarily close, temporarily reroute, or permanently reroute a portion of the Trail if the Secretary determines that—
(A)
the Trail is having an adverse impact on—
(i)
wildlife habitat;
(ii)
natural resources;
(iii)
cultural resources; or
(iv)
traditional uses;
(B)
the Trail threatens public safety; or
(C)
closure of the Trail is necessary—
(i)
to repair damage to the Trail; or
(ii)
to repair resource damage.
(4)
Rerouting— Any portion of the Trail that is temporarily closed by the Secretary under paragraph (3) may be permanently rerouted along any road or trail—
(A)
that is—
(i)
in existence as of the date of the closure of the portion of the Trail;
(ii)
located on public land; and
(iii)
open to motorized or mechanized use; and
(B)
if the Secretary determines that rerouting the portion of the Trail would not significantly increase or decrease the length of the Trail.
(5)
Notice of available routes— The Secretary shall ensure that visitors to the Trail have access to adequate notice relating to the availability of trail routes through—
(A)
the placement of appropriate signage along the Trail; and
(B)
the distribution of maps, safety education materials, and other information that the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
(c)
Effect— Nothing in this section affects the ownership, management, or other rights relating to any non-Federal land (including any interest in non-Federal land).

Sec. 123 Trinity Lake Trail

(a)
Trail construction—
(1)
Feasibility study— Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall study the suitability and feasibility of constructing a recreational trail for nonmotorized uses around Trinity Lake (referred to in this section as the “Trail”).
(2)
Construction—
(A)
Construction authorized— Subject to appropriations and in accordance with paragraph (3), if the Secretary determines under paragraph (1) that the construction of the Trail is suitable and feasible, the Secretary may provide for the construction of the Trail.
(B)
Use of volunteer services and contributions— The Trail may be constructed under this section through the acceptance of volunteer services and contributions from non-Federal sources to reduce or eliminate the need for Federal expenditures to construct the Trail.
(3)
Compliance— In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall comply with—
(A)
the laws (including regulations) generally applicable to the National Forest System; and
(B)
this Act.
(b)
Effect— Nothing in this section affects the ownership, management, or other rights relating to any non-Federal land (including any interest in non-Federal land).

Sec. 124 Trails study

(a)
In general— Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this section, the Secretary of Agriculture, in accordance with subsection (b) and in consultation with interested parties, shall conduct a study—
(1)
to improve motorized and nonmotorized recreation trail opportunities (including mountain bicycling) on land not designated as wilderness within the portions of the Six Rivers, Shasta-Trinity, and Mendocino National Forests located in Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity, and Mendocino Counties in the State; and
(2)
of the feasibility of opening a new trail, for vehicles measuring 50 inches or less in width, connecting Forest Service Highway 95 to the existing off-highway vehicle trail system in the Ballinger Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle Area.
(b)
Consultation— In carrying out the study under subsection (a), the Secretary of Agriculture shall consult with the Secretary of the Interior regarding opportunities to improve, through increased coordination, recreation trail opportunities on land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior that shares a boundary with the National Forest System land described in subsection (a)(1).

Sec. 125 Construction of mountain bicycling routes

(a)
Trail construction—
(1)
Feasibility study— Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this section, the Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) shall study the feasibility and public interest with respect to constructing recreational trails for mountain bicycling and other nonmotorized uses on the routes generally depicted in the report titled “Trail Study for Smith River National Recreation Area Six Rivers National Forest” and dated 2016.
(2)
Construction—
(A)
Construction authorized— Subject to appropriations and in accordance with paragraph (3), if the Secretary determines under paragraph (1) that the construction of 1 or more routes described in that paragraph is feasible and in the public interest, the Secretary may provide for the construction of the routes.
(B)
Modifications— The Secretary may modify the routes, as determined to be necessary by the Secretary.
(C)
Use of volunteer services and contributions— Routes may be constructed under this section through the acceptance of volunteer services and contributions from non-Federal sources to reduce or eliminate the need for Federal expenditures to construct the route.
(3)
Compliance— In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall comply with—
(A)
the laws (including regulations) generally applicable to the National Forest System; and
(B)
this Act.
(b)
Effect— Nothing in this section affects the ownership, management, or other rights relating to any non-Federal land (including any interest in non-Federal land).

Sec. 126 Partnerships

(a)
Agreements authorized— The Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior, or the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior acting jointly, may enter into agreements with qualified private and nonprofit organizations to carry out the following activities on Federal land under the jurisdiction of the respective Secretary in Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity, and Del Norte Counties in the State:
(1)
Trail and campground maintenance.
(2)
Public education, visitor contacts, and outreach.
(3)
Visitor center staffing.
(b)
Contents— An agreement entered into under subsection (a) shall clearly define the role and responsibility of the applicable Secretary and the private or nonprofit organization.
(c)
Compliance— Each Secretary shall enter into agreements under subsection (a) in accordance with existing law.
(d)
Effect— Nothing in this section—
(1)
reduces or diminishes the authority of each Secretary to manage land and resources under the jurisdiction of the Secretary; or
(2)
amends or modifies the application of any existing law (including regulations) applicable to land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary.

Sec. 127 Trinity Lake visitor center

(a)
In general— The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) may establish, in cooperation with any other public or private entity that the Secretary determines to be appropriate, a visitor center in Weaverville, California—
(1)
to serve visitors; and
(2)
to assist in fulfilling the purposes of the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area.
(b)
Requirements— The Secretary shall ensure that the visitor center authorized under subsection (a) is designed to provide for the interpretation of the scenic, biological, natural, historical, scientific, paleontological, recreational, ecological, wilderness, and cultural resources of the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area and other Federal land in the vicinity of the visitor center.
(c)
Cooperative agreements— In a manner consistent with this section, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the State and any other appropriate institutions and organizations to carry out this section.

Sec. 128 Del Norte County visitor center

(a)
In general— The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this section as the “Secretaries”) may establish, in cooperation with any other public or private entity that the Secretaries determine to be appropriate, a visitor center in Del Norte County, California—
(1)
to serve visitors; and
(2)
to assist in fulfilling the purposes of Redwood National and State Parks, the Smith River National Recreation Area, and any other Federal recreational land in the vicinity of the visitor center.
(b)
Requirements— In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretaries—
(1)
may act jointly or separately; and
(2)
shall ensure that the visitor center authorized under that subsection is designed to interpret the scenic, biological, natural, historical, scientific, paleontological, recreational, ecological, wilderness, and cultural resources of Redwood National and State Parks, the Smith River National Recreation Area, and any other Federal recreational land in the vicinity of the visitor center.

Sec. 129 Study; partnerships related to overnight accommodations

(a)
Study— The Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”), in consultation with interested Federal, State, Tribal, and local entities and private and nonprofit organizations, shall conduct a study to evaluate the feasibility and suitability of establishing overnight accommodations on Federal land that is—
(1)
outside of the boundaries of Redwood National and State Parks; and
(2)
within 20 miles of the northern or southern boundary of such Parks.
(b)
Partnerships—
(1)
Agreements authorized— If the Secretary determines, based on the study conducted under subsection (a), that establishing the accommodations described in that subsection is suitable and feasible, the Secretary may, in accordance with applicable law, enter into 1 or more agreements with qualified private or nonprofit organizations for the development, operation, and maintenance of the accommodations.
(2)
Contents— Any agreement entered into under paragraph (1) shall clearly define the role and responsibility of the Secretary and the private or nonprofit organization entering into the agreement.
(3)
Effect— Nothing in this subsection—
(A)
reduces or diminishes the authority of the Secretary to manage land and resources under the jurisdiction of the Secretary; or
(B)
amends or modifies the application of any law (including regulations) applicable to land under the jurisdiction of the Secretary.