NTTP Homepage
NTTP Calendar
Featured training providers
Top 10 reasons for trail skills training
American Trails offers training workshops
Funding Trails Training
Developing a Statewide Trails Training Program
Checklist & Brainstorming Guide for Training

Training & Education

See the complete list of current Featured Training Providers.

See currently scheduled training opportunities on the National Trails Training Partnership Calendar

Send us your information and be listed a training provider

Trail Training Ideas for 2012: Working Smarter

Educational resources brought to you by American Trails and the National Trails Training Partnership. See TrailsTraining.net for the online calendar of current trails training opportunities.

photo of man with planks

Learn new trail skills in 2012!

A wide variety of training is available during 2012 for volunteers and professionals working to develop trails of all kinds. American Trails and the National Trails Training Partnership are working with agencies and organizations across America to promote trail-related training. See dozens of offerings for 2012 on the online calendar of training events.

Join the movement for better skills and better trails!

Training available this year covers the full range of trail activities, and all types of trails from primitive backcountry routes to urban greenways. Training formats include one-day workshops to week-long trail schools, and from basic introductions to trail work to specialized technical skills. A random sample of training topics would include Geographic Positioning Systems, Trail Adoption, Grant Writing, Advocacy, Volunteer Management, Noxious Weed Control, Land Acquisition, and Trail Design for general and specific uses including equestrians, snowmobiles, mountain bikes, and designated Wilderness.

See the Online Trails Training Calendar

Some courses are sponsored by ongoing training programs and are held several times during the year and in different parts of the country. The following examples are only a selection of what is available. See details and links to training providers on the Online Trails Training Calendar.

IMBA Trailbuilding Schools are sponsored by Subaru of America and directed by the International Mountain Bicycling Association to help bike clubs, land managers, and other trail groups to build and improve trails, solve trail management challenges, and teach the art of sustainable trailbuilding with interactive learning and hands-on trailwork.

Off- highway vehicle recreation is covered at several state workshops and national conferences by the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) and local groups. Marshall University offers online courses on several aspects of off-highway vehile recreation planning, facilities, and management.

Trail Skills for volunteers are taught by national, state, and regional groups such as the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society, American Hiking Society, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, and the Appalachian Mountain Club.

Tread Lightly! Train-the-Trainer Workshops and other courses in outdoor ethics, wilderness management, and "Leave no Trace" skills are available from a variety of organizations.

Save the dates: April 14-17, 2013 for the American Trails International Trails Symposium

Your best opportunity for training this year is the American Trails International Trails Symposium, April 14-17, 2013 in the Phoenix, Arizona area. This is the largest trails conference in America and it is supported by the Federal Highway Administration's Recreational Trails Program, along with other federal and state agencies, plus sponsors and exhibitors from around the country. Dozens of informative sessions will be taught by experts in trail construction, maintenance, planning, and design. The Trailbuilders Trade Show includes both indoor booths and an outdoor area where you can try out equipment in real soil.

Host your own training programs

You can also bring in a program or a trainer to your own location. Workshops offered by American Trails cover several topics:
- Understanding Accessibility and Building Better Trails
- Universal Trail Assessment Process with Beneficial Designs, Inc.
- Trail Crew Leadership Training with the Outdoor Stewardship Institute
- Creating a State Trails Training Program Workshop
- Greenways and Trails Forum for Development Professionals

See the full list of Featured Training Providers for more organizations that can provide training tailored to your needs for a fee. We also maintain a roster of experts who provide training in trail design and construction.

Funding for trail training

States may use Recreational Trails Program funds for a variety of trail-related training, education, and trail assessments for improving accessibility. See the article Funding Trails Training with State Resources for more details.

We'd like to publicize your training opportunities

To promote the training opportunities your organization or agency provides, send information to NTTP@AmericanTrails.org. Courses and events will be posted on the continuously updated Online Training Calendar.

The Trails Training Calendar is hosted by another great resource for trails advocates, AmericanTrails.org, which provides hundreds of articles, studies, and resources on the full spectrum of trails and greenways.

Your link to training: the National Trails Training Partnership

The National Trails Training Partnership is an effort by trails advocates to improve opportunities for training for the nationwide trails community. The vision of the Partnership is "to ensure that the full range of skills, training, and resource information is available to trail groups, communities, tribal governments, and State and Federal agencies."

American Trails is the lead organization for developing NTTP, with funding from the Federal Highway Administration's Recreational Trails Program, and support from many other groups. Visit the National Trails Training Partnership online at www.TrailsTraining.net. Be sure to tell others interested in trails training about these resources, and include this information in your newsletter and internet communications. Finally, please add a link to http://www.TrailsTraining.net to your website; see our website for the NTTP logo you can copy.

The National Trails Training Partnership

American Trails, P.O. Box 491797, Redding, CA 96049-1797 • (530) 547-2060 • Fax: (530) 547-2035 • nttp@americantrails.org • www.AmericanTrails.org

The National Trails Training Partnership is an alliance of Federal agencies, training providers, nationwide supporters, and providers of products and services. Visit the online calendar of training opportunities, access hundreds of trail-related resources, read the news, learn how you can help, and see training resources in your state.

This material is based upon work supported by the Federal Highway Administration under Cooperative Agreement DTFH61-06-H-00023. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the Author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Federal Highway Administration.

Related Pages:

Training & Education

Trail Training Ideas for 2012: Working Smarter

The National Trails Training Partnership