About the Trail Management

Managing  a water trail of some 3,000 miles requires an extensive coordination effort and a wide range of partnership activities. The National Park Service administers the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and coordinates the development of the comprehensive management plan (CMP) for the trail. Scheduled for completion in 2010, the comprehensive management plan will be a framework for innovative and far-reaching partnership activities to provide for visitor use, public appreciation, and  conservation of trail resources.

Through the CMP planning process the National Park Service works closely with trail partners in the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network, Friends of Chesapeake Gateways, Friends of the John Smith Chesapeake Trail, and with federal, state, and local governments, Native American communities, non-governmental organizations, water trail and river steward organizations, and other interested groups and individuals.

The many participants will help create a vibrant plan and framework for long-term trail management that ensures both the preservation and enjoyment of the trail.

Management Alternatives

With input from the public and other stakeholders, the National Park Service is exploring four alternatives for the future management of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. Each alternative is based on a different concept that describes how the trail’s resources would be managed and the experiences that visitors would have on the trail.