For over two decades, canoeists, kayakers and mountaineers in the Washington Water Trails Association (WWTA) and other local conservation groups have promoted a vision to establish a network of water trails between points along Washington shorelines sprawling from the San Juan Islands to the southern reaches of the Sound, with many stops for campers and picnickers along the way.

In 1993, the Washington State Legislature opened the first 20 campsites along the newly designated Cascadia Marine Trail, which has since grown to include 55 campsites and has earned federal designation as a National Recreational Trail and a National Millennium Trail.

U.S. Representative Jay Inslee is continuing to push for smart policies to extend protections to the beauty we have in our own back yard.  As an avid kayaker and hiker in the sound, Rep. Inslee said he has taken great pleasure in introducing H.R. 1641, legislation that will further protect Puget Sound waterways by starting the process of designating the Cascadia Marine Trail as a National Scenic Trail.

Adding the Cascadia Marine Trail to the list of our National Scenic Trails such as the Pacific Crest Trail will benefit its recreational users and improve the health and safety of the Puget Sound waterways.  National Scenic Trail status will raise the profile of Cascadia Marine Trail and attract new recreational users and tourism to the region, Inslee said.

Additionally National Scenic Trails status would showcase the exquisite beauty and scenery of the region, and provide additional educational and interpretive opportunities for visitors to help them understand the history and ecology of the area. 

The H.R. 1641 bill would highlight the unique history of the communities around the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands while promoting environmental awareness and stewardship. Passage of this legislation would showcase renewed efforts to restore the ecology and environment of the Sound by complementing State efforts to provide facilities for recreational users of human- and wind-powered watercraft, which are less intrusive to the natural habitat. 

In mid-May, Rep. Inslee participated in a hearing in the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests & Public Lands during which several advocates of The Cascadia Marine Trail Study Act testified in favor of passing the bill.  The Committee heard from Mr. Don Crook, of the Washington Water Trails Association. Rep. Inslee said Crook’s contributions to the Subcommittee hearing powerfully impacted him and that he hoped they had a similar effect his legislative colleagues as the legislature moves forward with this important legislation. 

Representative Inslee said, “I am glad to have the opportunity to share these examples of progress on more responsible stewardship of our environment and I hope you will continue to contact me about these and any other issues that concern you as our legislative process moves forward.”