What help do you need to protect, develop, and promote the trails?
Through partnerships, NTIR works with private landowners, governmental agencies, tribes, nonprofits, educational institutions, and volunteers, to transforms trail sites and segments into cohesive, culturally-relevant, accessible public resources.
Partnerships
NTIR administers the trails as a program that provides technical assistance along the NHTs. It doesn't own or manage them. Part of what makes national historic trails unique is they ways historic routes connect places across a variety of land ownership or management types to tell trail stories, develop recreational experiences, or aid in protection of resources.
Technical assistance is hands‑on, expert support to help trail partners plan, build, and manage national historic trail resources. It is often the professional, non‑financial support provided by the National Trails Office to help states, local governments, tribes, nonprofits, and other partners plan, design, manage, and improve trails access and protection. With a trail(s)-wide perspective, we work toward consistency and continuity of story and stewardship, while remaining flexible to the unique needs of individual trails. Learn more about the products and services offered by NTIR.
NTIR is organized into teams that support the needs of national historic trails and partners. Learn more about the teams and the support they offer.
Most of the products or services offered in partnership with sites along the trail do not require a formal agreement.
Informal partnerships
Informal partnerships
- Products - Many projects lead to products intended to help the public access and understand national historic trails
- Services - staff help with the multi-faceted behind-the-scenes activities necessary to protect, develop, and promote trails
- Expertise - NTIR is a gateway to a variety of experts working in interdisciplinary ways, please contact us.
- Agreements - federal tools to formalize partnership relationships and aid in funding assistance
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) - expresses mutual understanding and an intended course of action
- Certification - formally recognizes and supports non‑federal landowners, managers, and organizations that work with the administering agency of a national historic trail to protect, preserve, interpret, and open historic trail sites to the public
- NTIR offers limited direct financial assistance with products and services.
- There are competitive funding sources NTIR can explore.
- NTIR can support your search and application for funding, providing documentation or letters of support.
The national historic trail logo for each trail represents each trail and its partnerships. Learn more about the logos and how they are used to mark the trail. They appear on a variety of NHT products, particularly signs, exhibits, and publications, and help the public recognize places connected to the trail.
Certification
View this webpage to find out how to certify your historic trail property and become part of the national historic trail.
How to Create Your Sign Plan
Help travelers find the national historic trails and explore our shared heritage by creating a sign plan for your site.
The National Historic Trail Logos
Discover how to obtain and use the official, copyrighted National Historic Trail Logos.
Services We Provide
Planning, research, outreach, resource protection, mapping, and additional resources.
Passport to Your National Parks
Learn about the National Park Service's Passport Program, passport stamps, and site eligibility on this webpage.
Last updated: September 18, 2026