The federal government has designated the Chilkoot trail as a National Historic Trail.
The designation was announced this week in a press release. Here is Angela Wetz, Superintendent at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
Wetz: “It’s a great honor to be recognized as the Chilkoot National Historic Trail, and to get people learning about the history of this area, of the park and the stories of the people that came here and the people that have been here for millenia.”
The Chilkoot trail becomes the twentieth trail in the nation to receive the designation. After the park service reviewed the proposal and gave testimony to congress, the designation was included in the main federal spending bill, called the omnibus bill.
According to the National Park System Website,
National Historic Trails paint a colorful picture of our nation’s diverse history, as they follow past routes of exploration, migration, struggle, trade, and military action. At 16 and a half miles, the Chilkoot trail is the shortest of these.
The designation could lead to some funding opportunities,
Wetz: “There is some trail system funding that’s out there, not necessarily something we would get right away, but we would be able to compete for those funds in the Park Service.”
Right now the trail is closed due to flood damage from an October storm. Wetz says the designation will not affect the pace of repair.
Wetz: “We are aiming towards an August first opening, but we still have a lot of logistical issues with supply chains and everything else to get us there.”
To celebrate the designation, the park intends to hold a ceremony later this summer when the trail reopens.
