Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2024

S 4352 (Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2024) requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct a one-year study on designating the Benton MacKaye Trail as a national scenic trail. The bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to assess the feasibility of this designation, consulting with the Benton MacKaye Trail Association and other interested groups. The trail, a 287-mile nonmotorized route through Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina forests, wilderness areas, and national parks, directly affects rural communities that benefit economically from trail-related tourism. This study is procedural - it does not change the trail’s status but evaluates whether it meets criteria for national scenic trail designation under existing law.