Prescribe-a-Trail Handbook

All over America, hospitals and regional healthcare systems are beginning to tap into the enormous potential of trails to address local health problems. Trails are now recognized as being vital pieces of public health infrastructure.

by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)

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Prescribe a Trail Handbook

“Prescribe-a-Trail” programs vary, but essentially, they are hour-or-so-long trail walks led by doctors or other clinicians. Before the walk, participants gather at a meeting spot on the trail and listen to a short talk by a clinician. During the walk, they have additional time to speak with the clinician. Even though some people walk quickly and others walk slowly, everyone seems to find a few walking partners, and the clinician makes himself available to everyone throughout the course of the walk.

Published August 2017

About the Author

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people. RTC’s mission, and its value, is magnified in urban areas, where one mile of trail can completely redefine the livability of a community. Where trails are more than just recreational amenities, creating opportunities for active transportation and physical activity—improving our health and wellbeing—as they safely connect us to jobs, schools, businesses, parks, and cultural institutions in our own neighborhoods and beyond.

Visit Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)

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