Business Directory

Professional TrailBuilders Association

PTBA is the trade association for the trail industry including professional trail contractors, designers, and consultants. PTBA currently represents 130+ private sector companies who employ ~2000 trailbuilders worldwide. Since our beginning in 1976, PTBA member companies have designed, built, and maintained tens of thousands of miles of trail.

Founded in 1976 as the Western Trailbuilders Association and renamed in 2004, the Professional Trailbuilders Association (PTBA) is North America’s largest private sector group of trail specialists, professional trail contractors, designers, and consultants.

All of PTBA’s activities support quality trail design, construction, and maintenance for all types of trails in all types of locations. In its early years, PTBA served to define and nurture a new industry—private trail contracting for the federal government, primarily the USDA Forest Service. This was quite successful, and PTBA enjoys respect and a good reputation from federal agencies.

Now, with the ongoing loss of federal trail expertise through retirement and ever-increasing trail and greenway work in state, county, municipal, and special district governments, non-profits, and private landowners, PTBA’s services have grown to include the activities listed in the box at left.

Wide range of skills for all types of trails

PTBA members have well over 200 years of collective experience in the specialized skills of trail design, construction, and maintenance. From most of the Pacific Crest Trail to urban bike paths, from remote wilderness trails to busy front country OHV trails, from city parks to regional open space systems, and from golf courses to subdivisions, PTBA contractor members have built countless trails and trail facilities.

Trail design, design-build, consulting, and training in trail design, maintenance, and construction are also becoming more frequent activities for members.

PTBA’s Primary Activities

Promoting professional trail contracting and consulting as cost-effective ways to design, build, and maintain high-quality trails;
Establishing the importance of sustainable trails realized through skillful trail design, construction, and maintenance;
Helping trail contractors improve skills and abilities;
Marketing the services of members to federal, state, and local governments, special districts, non-profit organizations, and private landowners;
Providing networking opportunities between members and with the wider world;
Serving as the organized voice of private trail contractors with governments and other organizations; and
Hosting the annual, national-level Trailbuilders Conference to further the above goals.