Photo Contest

Submit your photos that highlight the diversity of the NRTs and to make more Americans familiar with these great trails.

The 2015 winning photo for the Water Trails category. photo by Gwyneth Moody.

DEADLINE for the current contest is DECEMBER 15, 2018

American Trails sponsors the annual contest for photographs of designated National Recreation Trails across the country. Our annual contest provides awards in several categories and shows off entries (and previous winners) on the NRT website.

The goal is to highlight the diversity of the NRTs and to make more Americans familiar with these great trails. We're looking for good photos of trail users as well as special facilities, art on the trails, management issues, construction, and volunteers. We also want to see entries that cover the many types and uses of National Recreation Trails throughout America.

Award Categories

We will give awards in the following categories. Photos will be considered for all relevant categories.

TRAIL USE

Accessibility
Hiking and Walking
Equestrian
Paddling and Water Trails
Bicycling
Off-Highway Vehicle riding
Snowmobiling
Skiing, Snowshoeing, and Dogsledding

The 2017 winning photo for the Equestrian Trails category. photo by Fischer Gangemi.

TRAIL MANAGEMENT

Trail Sharing
Training and Education
Trail Work
Youth and Volunteers
Health and Fitness

TRAIL FEATURES

Urban Trails and Greenways
Rail and Canal Trails
Historic Features
Scenery and Natural Features
Arts and Interpretation
Innovative Facilities
Environmental Features, Flora, and Fauna

ARTISTIC MERIT

The trail as photographic inspiration

View Winning Entries from 2017

American Trails sponsors the annual Photo Contest for designated National Recreation Trails. In celebration of these great trails we are presenting awards in several categories to highlight the diversity of NRTs, from backcountry trails to urban greenways. Here are our picks from the 275 entries for 2017.

How to Enter

Deadline for entries is December 15 each year.

Eligibility: Photos of any designated National Recreation Trail are eligible

Check the online searchable database for a list of NRTs in your state and provide more information on individual trails.

Step 1: Make sure your photos qualify

Photos must be in digital JPEG or TIFF format
Submit up to TEN photos per trail.
Make sure your photos are on designated National Recreation Trails

Step 2: Record the follow details for each of your entires

Name of the NRT where photo(s) taken
State and general location of trail
Caption or brief description of the subject
Your name
Photographer's name, if different
Organization, if any
Mailing address
Email
Website address

Step 3: Send your photos to us

1. You can email photos as attachments to NRT@AmericanTrails.org if under 15 mb per email

2. Upload via an online site such as the following resources:

www.HighTail.com (formerly www.YouSendIt.com)
www.MailBigFile.com
www.DropBox.com

These are free resources so long as you send one file at a time under 100 mb in size (HighTail has a limit up to 250mb).

Note:

By entering the contest you are giving us permission to use the photos for publicity and promotion of National Recreation Trails. This includes use on the websites of the NRT Program, American Trails, and cooperating agencies and organizations, as well as their non-commercial publications. You retain all other rights to your photos.

If you're not sure if a trail is an NRT, or if you have questions about the contest, please contact us. Presented by American Trails, P. O. Box 491797, Redding, CA 96049-1797 - phone (530) 605-4395 - NRT@AmericanTrails.org