The City of New Braunfels has received word from the U.S. Department of the Interior that the Comal River has been named a National Water Trail. The Comal River Water Trail was one of only four new recreation trails that received the national designation by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. These additions, including the Comal River Water Trail, add 33.5 miles to the National Trails System, a network of more than 1,300 recreation trails spanning every U.S. state, the District of Colombia, and Puerto Rico.
“The City is honored and excited to have the Comal River included as a National Recreation Trail,” said New Braunfels City Manager Robert Camareno. “We’re proud of our natural resources and this designation recognizes the important role the Comal River plays as an aquatic habitat while also providing a variety of recreation opportunities for our residents and visitors.”
The other new trails receiving this designation are the Banks-Vernonia State Trail in Oregon, the Hell’s Revenge Trail in Utah, and the Sweet Spring Turnpike Trail in West Virginia. National recreation trails are jointly coordinated and administered by the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service, in conjunction with a number of federal and nonprofit partners. As part of this designation, the Comal River Water Trail will receive a certificate of designation, a set of trail markers, and a letter of recognition. A ceremony to recognize this designation will be held in the coming months.
To learn more about the National Recreation Trails, visit the National Park Service website. To learn more about the Comal River, visit www.newbraunfels.gov/comalriver.