Connecting or side trails may be established, designated and marked as components of the Appalachian Trail System by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources in consultation with the federal agencies charged with the responsibility for the administration and management of the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina. Criteria and standards of establishment will coincide with those set forth in the National Trails System Act (PL 90-543) .
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143B-135.74