---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 1245"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "1245"
heading: "Connecting or side trails; establishment, designation, and marking as components of national trails system; location"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/1245"
units:
  - "Chapter 27 — National Trails System"
---

# §1245. Connecting or side trails; establishment, designation, and marking as components of national trails system; location


Connecting or side trails within [park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3), forest, and other recreation [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) administered by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior or [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Agriculture may be established, designated, and marked by the appropriate [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) as components of a national recreation, national scenic or national historic trail. When no [Federal land](/usc/16/3102.md?p=2) [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) is involved, connecting or side trails may be located across lands administered by interstate, [State](/usc/16/1251.md?p=3), or local governmental agencies with their consent, or, where the appropriate [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) deems necessary or desirable, on privately owned lands with the consent of the landowner. Applications for approval and designation of connecting and side trails on non-[Federal lands](/usc/16/620e.md?p=2) shall be submitted to the appropriate [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–543, § 6, Oct. 2, 1968, 82 Stat. 922; Pub. L. 95–625, title V, § 551(16), Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3515; Pub. L. 98–11, title II, § 206, Mar. 28, 1983, 97 Stat. 45.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1983—Pub. L. 98–11 substituted “marked by the appropriate Secretary as components” for “marked as components” and “, or, where the appropriate Secretary deems necessary or desirable, on privately owned lands with the consent of the landowner. Applications for approval and designation of connecting and side trails on non-Federal lands shall be submitted to the appropriate Secretary” for “: Provided, That such trails provide additional points of public access to national recreation, national scenic or national historic trails”.

1978—Pub. L. 95–625 substituted “, national scenic or national historic” for “or national scenic,” and “, national scenic, or national historic” for “or scenic”.