Recommended Resources

Trail-Specific Recommended Resources

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published Jan 2004

Environmentally Sustainable Trail Management

by Jeffrey Marion with U.S. Geological Survey

This guide considers the environmental impacts of particular activities, viz., hiking and camping, off road vehicles and recreational boats, as well as impacts specific to certain ecosystems.


published Dec 2003

What’s Under Foot? Multi-use Trail Surfacing Options

Key criteria in arriving at a recommended trail surface.


published Mar 2003

Volunteers for Outdoor Arizona Crew Leader Manual

by Volunteers for Outdoor Arizona

This manual has been written to aid crew leaders working with trail work volunteers. It assumes the following priorities, in order of importance, for every volunteer trail work event: 1) Safety, 2) Enjoyment, 3) Quality product, 4) Productivity.


published Jan 2003

USDA Forest Service Agreements Desk Guide

The Forest Service has a tradition of partnership as old as the Service itself. In the broad sense, partnership denotes sharing a common interest with the Forest Service in National Forest values and a relationship in pursuit of those common interests. Please keep in mind that this is just a guide. It is not meant to replace, supersede or compete with FSM 1580 or FSH 1509.11. The guide provides direction to reference sources. It also may alleviate research, but not eliminate it. Its biggest value may be in helping develop creative thinking about partnerships and what is possible within the authorities now in place. The information provided in this Desk Guide is current up to its 2003 date of publication, but keep in mind that like everything else things change, so always refer back to the appropriate FSM or FSH for any updates to agreement provisions and direction.


published Sep 2001

Wetland Trail Design and Construction

by Federal Highway Administration

This manual describes the common techniques for building a wetland trail.


published Jan 2001

Horse Keeping

by Council of Bay Area Resource Conservation Districts

This guide provides practical management information to San Francisco Bay Area horse owners on what they can do to help protect the environment. Whether a horse owner has one animal or operates a boarding facility, all equestrians play an important role in assuring that our watersheds are healthy and our creeks clean. Because of increasing pressures from human activity, all potential sources of environmental pollution are under critical scrutiny. Pollution can come from either point sources (e.g., a specific manufacturing plant) or nonpoint sources (e.g., livestock throughout a ranch).


published Nov 2000

Implementing Trail-Based Economic Development Programs

This handbook outlines a variety of ways in which governments, businesses, chambers of commerce, tourism promoters, and individual citizens can help their communities develop and implement trail-based economic development programs.


published Dec 1999

Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails Comprehensive Management and Use Plan / Final Environmental Impact Statement

by National Park Service

This Comprehensive Management and Use Plan / Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails is shaped, in part, by the planning requirements found in section 5(f) of the National Trails System Act. It focuses on the trails’ purpose and significance, issues and concerns related to current conditions along the trails, resource protection, visitor experience and use, and long-term administrative and management objectives. Elements of the proposed plan have been developed in cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as nonprofit trails organizations — the entities that form the core of any partnership for national historic trails.


published Dec 1999

Tennessee Greenways and Trails Program Accessibility Guidelines

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation guidelines on accessible trails


published May 1999

Burke-Gilman Trail Vegetation Management Guidelines

Approaches to vegetation management and restoration, including native character, views, tree planting, invasive species, soil erosion control, and hazard tree management.


published Jan 1999

Trail Maintenance Guidelines

by Santa Clara County Parks

This Trail Maintenance Manual was developed as a field guideline and procedure manual for Park staff responsible for the maintenance, construction, and operation of the Santa Clara County Parks trails’ system.


published Jan 1999

Shared-Use Path Design

A shared-use path serves as part of a transportation circulation system and supports multiple recreation opportunities, such as walking, bicycling, and inline skating. A shared-use path typically has a surface that is asphalt, concrete, or firmly packed crushed aggregate.