Hoover’s Veterans Park Trail has been named a National Recreation Trail by Ken Salazar, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

Veterans Park Trail is one of nine such trails from Alabama for 2010.

“From coast to coast, the National Trails System helps connect American families with the wonders of the great outdoors,” Salazar said in a press release. “These new National Recreation Trails, built through partnerships with local communities and stakeholders, will create new opportunities for fitness and stewardship while creating a lasting legacy for our children and grandchildren.”

Salazar made the announcement, in part, to bring attention to National Trails Day on June 5.

Veterans Park Trail, which is 4.8 miles long, connects Spain Park High School, Berry Middle School and Jefferson State Community College along Valleydale Road in Hoover. The 82-acre Veterans Park also has two playgrounds and recreation areas, as well as a veteran’s memorial.