Massachusetts Trails Guidelines and Best Practices Manual

Department of Conservation and Recreation

The health and happiness of people across Massachusetts depend on the accessibility and quality of our green infrastructure - our natural resources, recreational facilities, and great historic landscapes.

by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation

About the Author


The Department of Conservation and Recreation is steward of one of the largest state parks systems in the country. Its 450,000 acres is made up of forests, parks, greenways, historic sites and landscapes, seashores, lakes, ponds, reservoirs and watersheds.

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Ice Age National Scenic Trail: Trail Stewardship Notebook

posted Mar 27, 2024

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail (NST) is a thousand-mile footpath highlighting Wisconsin’s renowned Ice Age heritage and scenic beauty. The Ice Age Trail Alliance (IATA) and its partners can shape users’ experiences. As stewards of the land and the Trail, we can help users develop a connection with the land and create a sense of wonder — even pique their curiosity enough to further explore the Trail.

Winter Bike Lane Maintenance

posted Nov 25, 2023

This white paper provides collected best practices on winter bikeway maintenance as seen in US cities and around the world. The paper covers snow removal from bikeways, different types of de-icing surface applications and their advantages/disadvantages, and best practices for winter maintenance prioritization and scheduling. The paper also includes a brief discussion on innovative winter maintenance techniques either in use or in development.

Winter Maintenance Resource Guide

posted Nov 25, 2023

Who is responsible for winter maintenance—property owners or government agencies—and what are the challenges?

Trail Design & Maintenance

posted Jul 15, 2022

For trails to be considered “sustainable” they must meet these recreational needs while providing adequate protection to the environment while minimizing trail maintenance.

422 views • posted 01/19/2018