PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A hiking and biking hotspot just outside of the Rose City has been designated as a National Recreation Trail.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of the Interior designated four new national sites — including the Banks-Vernonia State Trail.
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Found about 34 miles outside of Portland, the Banks-Vernonia Trail was the state’s first railroad line that was then converted into a trail. It stretches for 21 miles, with an 8-foot-wide paved trail for hikers and cyclists. Oregon State Parks also reported it has 4-foot wide gravel trails for equestrians and their horses.
The trail additionally features 13 bridges and connects to the L.L. Stub Stewart State Park.
Other recently-designated sites include the Comal River Water Trail in Texas, Hell’s Revenge Trail in Utah and Sweet Spring Turnpike Trail in West Virginia.
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The Federal Interior Department announced the new national trails ahead of Great Outdoors Month and National Trails Day, which falls on June 1.
“Increased access to green spaces nurtures our mind and bodies, and helps to build stronger communities,” DOI Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. “The additions we are making today are part of our commitment to ensure that we leave a better, healthier planet for generations to come.”
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