WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) announced her bill to improve the North Country Scenic Trail route in Minnesota and boost state tourism passed the Energy and Natural Resources Committee today.

The trail—which currently extends from New York to North Dakota—was never completed in certain sections in Minnesota. The bill would revise the authorized trail route by including existing hiking trails in the Minnesota Arrowhead region of the Boundary Waters and North Shore of Lake Superior.

The bill would also extend the trail into Vermont in order to connect it to the Appalachian Trail, which would allow hikers to journey the entire 4,600 miles from North Dakota to Vermont.

The North Country Trail — which currently extends from New York to North Dakota — was never completed in certain sections in Minnesota

“From the Boundary Waters to Lake Superior, Minnesota’s Arrowhead region has some of the most beautiful trails in the country,” Klobuchar said. “With the Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s passage of the bill, we are one step closer to finally completing the North Country Scenic Trail route through Minnesota, which will boost tourism, benefit local businesses, and allow people to share in our state’s natural beauty.”

The North Country National Scenic Trail is the nation’s longest hiking trail, currently running 4,600 miles from New York to North Dakota and passing through 12 national forests. The trail was created by Congress in 1980 and has been largely built by volunteers.