National Park Service LogoU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNational Park Service
National Park Service:  U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service Arrowhead
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic TrailSailing the Chesapeake
view map
text size:largestlargernormal
printer friendly
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
Park Planning
 

Captain John Smith Trail Legislation

On December 19, 2006, President George W. Bush signed legislation establishing the Capt. John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail - the first national water trail in the United States. The trail will commemorate the exploratory voyages of Captain Smith on the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries in 1607-1609.

Administered by the National Park Service, the trail will provide significant opportunities for education, recreation and heritage tourism in the Bay region. The National Park Service will administer the trail in coordination with the existing Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network adn the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program that is leading efforts to restore the estuary.

Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail Management Plan

With extensive public input, the National Park Service will develop a comprehensive management plan for the new trail beginning in 2007. Working with a broad partnership, including the Conservation Fund, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and many others throughout the region, the National Park Service will develop and manage the first national water trail under the auspices of the Chesapeake Bay Program.

Comprehensive Management Plan

 The National Park Service (NPS) prepares a variety of planning and environmental documents to help guide it in managing park resources. These documents can range from site-specific impact analyses on facility locations to broader park-wide plans for future use and management of a park. The NPS places a high value on public participation and strives to encourage participation in all aspects of environmental decision-making.

The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail is beginning the two-year process of developing a Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP). The purpose of the CMP is to establish the administrative objectives, policies, processes, and managment actions needed to fulfill the preservation and public use goals of the CAJO under the authorities of the National Trails System Act, as amended (16 USC 1241-1251). A CMP for a national historic trail provides a framework for a wide range of partnership activities that are possible and desirable to provide for public use and understanding of trail history and for appreciation of trail resources. The primary source of information throughout the planning process will be the National Park Service's Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) site. This site provides access to current plans, environmental impact analyses, and related documents. Users of the site can submit comments for documents available for public review.

Visit this site.

 Interpretive Planning

Through a collaborative process involving trail partners, agencies, Gateways, tribes, community organizations, and others, the National Park Service is developing the Interpretive Plan for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. The Interpretive Plan will provide a vision for the future of interpretation and education for the trail and define long-term goals for meaningful connections between visitors and Bay resources.

The planning process identifies trail audiences, interpretive themes, and strategies for achieving desired visitor experiences. The plan will be a guiding document with reference information that Gateways and other providers can use to develop visitor experiences along the trail.

 

Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment

A study of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail was made available for public review and comment from July 17 through August 16, 2006. The study was an essential part of the trail designation process. You can read the document by selecting the files below.

 

Statement of Significance

The Statement of Significance for the John Smith Trail is available below. You can read a brief overview or download the Statement in its entirety or in sections.

A pair of wood ducks.  

Did You Know?
The Chesapeake Bay is located along the Atlantic flyway, which every year channels the annual seasonal flights of millions of migratory birds. The region has always been a favored winter residence or stopover for many species of waterfowl on their way south from their summer breeding grounds.

Last Updated: May 23, 2008 at 13:29 EST