Colorado Trail Coalition

This document contains comments from The Colorado Trail Foundation (CTF) regarding the 2007 Directive for Planning, Development, and Management of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDNST). Their comments highlight concerns about motorized restrictions, bicycle use limitations, and increased federal oversight, many of which could apply to the Alaska Long Trail if it receives NST designation. 

The CDNST Directive comments reveal a clear pattern of motorized restrictions, federal overreach, and land use limitations that could apply to the Alaska Long Trail if it becomes a National Scenic Trail (NST). Advocacy groups are pushing for explicit bans on motorized use, setting a precedent for future closures. Even bicycle access is at risk, showing how restrictive NST policies can become. Federal agencies, not local communities, control CDNST management, weakening local decision-making. The directive also prioritizes scenic integrity, which can justify land acquisitions and restrict development or resource use near the trail. The CDNST serves as a warning—if the Alaska Long Trail follows the same path, motorized users will lose access, landowners may face easement pressures, and Alaskans will have little say in the trail’s future. Now is the time to oppose NST designation and demand protections for land access, multiple-use recreation, and local control.