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TRAIL DESIGN skills and competencies

Specific skills used in trails and greenways work: layout of trails; design for different trail activities; types of trails. See below for training and resources links for trail design.

The following is a list of skills and competencies for this category of trails work.

Skills for Natural Surface Trail Design

• Basic trail design
• Sustainable trail design
• Layout of trails, design for different trail activites,
• Assessing soils, geology, slope, and vegetation of trail corridor
• Tying routes together into a trail system
• Design for shared-use trails
• Design for off-highway vehicle use
• Design of off-highway vehicle parks and use areas

Skills for Trail-related Facility Design

• Designing elements for drainage and water control

Skills for Accessible Trail Design

• Using universal design guidelines to design and lay out (or retrofit) accessible trails and trail facilities
• Identifying varieties of users including families and the elderly as well as the disabled

Skills for Urban Trail and Bike/Ped Facility Design

• Basic urban trail design
• Design of intermodal bicycle/pedestrian facilities

Skills for Trailhead Facility Design

• Laying out parking and unloading areas
• Designing signs and information structures
• Designing related facility placement

Skills for Design of Structures

• Trail bridge types, selection and design
• Boardwalk materials and design
• Restrooms for trail use

TRAINING and RESOURCES for trail design

Links will take you to specific training opportunities, training providers, and other educational resources for both urban and backcountry trails. See the Online Training Calendar for current opportunities, featured training providers, and resources in each state.

Courses on Trail Design

See providers of training on trail design below
Check the online Calendar for current scheduled training
Search the NTTP training database by keyword, state, or provide

• American Trails offer workshops on: Understanding Accessibility and Building Better Trails
• Outdoor Stewardship Institute (formerly COTI): programs for basic trail building and maintenance skills as well as "Sustainable Mountain Trails: Assessment, Planning & Design" course
• Federal Highway Administration has a University Course on Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation, and courses on Pedestrian Facility Design and Bicycle Facility Design
• Georgia Trails and Greenways and Gainesville State College provide classes in Trail Design and Layout, and Trail Construction
• IMBA Trailbuilding Schools: sponsored by Subaru of America and directed by the International Mountain Bicycling Association, to teach sustainable trailbuilding
• Marshall University Park and Recreation Resources program of Huntington, WV, has developed and is teaching an off-highway vehicle trail design course via the internet
• Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society provides a variety of courses on Trail Design, Construction, and Maintenance
• Professional Trailbuilders Association sponsors the annual Trailbuilders Conference with workshops on technical aspects of planning, development, and management
• Student Conservation Association teaches skills in trail design, construction, and maintenance
• Trail Management: Plans, Projects and People: week-long interagency training for trail planning, design, development, and management
• University of Minnesota Center for Continuing Education teaches "Recreational Trails: Design, Construction, and Maintenance"
• On-site trail design and training for both motorized and nonmotorized trails from Troy Scott Parker of Natureshape, Inc.
• See more training providers
• Check for training providers in your state

Resources for Trail Design

The Trail Building Index provides a wealth of articles, projects, and resources on design and construction issues.

Books on Backcountry and Natural Surface Trail Design

The following books are available from the American Trails Store. Also see the American Trails Bibliography.

• Natural Surface Trails by Design Physical and Human Design Essentials of Sustainable, Enjoyable Trails; by Troy Scott Parker
• Trail Solutions: IMBA's Guide to Building Sweet Singletrack; Cutting-edge trailbuilding techniques with proven fundamentals in a colorful, easy-to-read format
• Lightly On The Land : The SCA Trail Building and Maintenance Manual, 2nd Edition; the trail building and maintenance "Bible," updated and expanded to meet new techniques and new realities of the 21st century.

More books on trail design:

• Park guidelines for off-highway vehicles: A resource guide to assist in the planning, development, enhancement, and operation of OHV recreation facilities; by the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council
• Wetland Trail Design and Construction Robert Steinholtz and Brian Vachowski, US Department of Transportation and the US Department of Agriculture - Forest Service, Missoula Technology and development Center, 2001

The following books are available from the American Trails Store:

• Trails for the Twenty-First Century: Planning, Design, and Management Manual for Multi-Use Trails; by Charles Flink , Kristine Olka , Robert Searns; focus on urban and rail trails
• Greenways: A Guide to Planning, Design and Development; by Charles A. Flink, Robert M. Searns, Loring LaB Schwarz
• Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access: Part I Review of Existing Guidelines and Practices and Part II: A Best Practices Design Guide, from Federal Highway Administration

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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.

RESOURCES and TRAINING for trail design:

Courses
Books
Articles & projects
Bibliography
Glossary
Calendar
Products & services

CATEGORIES of SKILLS for trails and greenways work:

1. Trail Design
2. Construction
3. Maintenance
4. Management
5. Policies
6. Planning
7. Administration
8. Organizations
9. Partnerships
10. Resources
11. Information
12. Outreach

National
Trails Training Partnership:

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Training by state
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