?A lot of credit for this designation goes to the Friends of Rydell NWR who have worked hard over the years to obtain grants and labor to develop the trails and make them a part of the quality outdoor experience here on the refuge,? said Rydell Refuge Manager Dave Bennett. The Rydell Refuge Trail is now recognized as part of America's national system of trails and joins more than 900 other trails nationwide. New designations are announced annually by the Secretary of the Interior as part of the nationwide celebration of National Trails Day, the first Saturday in June, and recognized at the biannual National Trails Symposium.

National Recreation Trails provide for numerous outdoor recreation activities in a variety of urban, rural and remote areas, ranging from less than a mile to 485 miles in length on federal, state, municipal, and privately owned lands. National Recreation Trails are designated in response to an application from the trail's managing agency or organization by the Secretary of Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, and recognize exemplary trails of local and regional significance. More information about Rydell National Wildlife Refuge is available on the web at: http://refuges.fws.gov/profiles/index.cfm?id=32583

Information on the National Recreation Trails program is available at: http://www.americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails/ .