Sort: Date Posted Title

posted Aug 14, 2018

Fort River Birding and Nature Trail, Massachusetts

The one-mile trail provides a chance to enjoy the natural world at Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.

posted May 9, 2022

Hub for Information on Trail Users

Everything you need to know about trail counters, trail user surveys, and other information to better understand and engage your trail users.*

posted Apr 11, 2022

Impact of Trails Hub

Everything you need to know about the positive impact of trails on health, environment, economics, and more.

posted Aug 5, 2019

Planning Trails With Wildlife in Mind - Wildlife and Trails Primer

by American Trails Staff

The Primer provides discussion of broad wildlife topics, plus key concepts and rules of thumb to help with trail planning and management.

posted Aug 14, 2018

Pomeroy and Newark Rail Trail, Delaware

This designated National Recreation Trail runs 4.18 miles through northern Delaware and includes Recreational Trails Program funding.

posted Jan 18, 2022

Shared-Use Trail Hub

Everything you need to know about planning, building, and managing shared-use trails.

posted Nov 9, 2021

Trail Accessibility Hub

Everything you need to know about planning, building, and maintaining accessible trails.

posted Jul 24, 2023

Trail Competency Framework

by The Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands at Indiana University

A group of nationwide trail professionals representing federal agencies, trail nonprofits, and the private sector initiated this project to develop a common trail competency framework, focusing on enhancing professionalism as well as a higher level of skill.

posted Feb 14, 2022

Trail Planning and Design Hub

Everything you need to know about trail planning and design for long lasting trails.

posted Aug 18, 2020

Benefits of Hiking: A Means-End Approach on the Appalachian Trail

The purpose of this research was to examine the outcomes prompting hiking along the Appalachian Trail (AT).


posted Mar 27, 2018

Berg/Animas Trail, Farmington, New Mexico

Animas and Berg Parks are home to a network of trails along the Animas River in Farmington. These trails run along the river’s edges, wind through groves of native cottonwoods, and cross the Animas River by bridge at two points.


posted Aug 14, 2020

Best Management Practices for Adaptive Trail Grooming

by American Council of Snowmobile Assns. (ACSA)

Trail grooming has changed significantly since initial trails and grooming programs were established decades ago. Snowmobile tourism has grown, bringing higher user expectations and requirements. At the same time trail grooming equipment and operating costs have also increased dramatically compared to costs in previous decades. Consequently grooming management in today’s operating atmosphere requires more adaptive approaches to be most responsive to increased needs, expectations, and costs.


posted May 23, 2018

Best Management Practices for Erosion Control During Trail Maintenance and Construction

Trail construction and maintenance may involve impacts to wetlands and other natural resources: an understanding of these impacts and methods to minimize them.


posted Oct 14, 2020

Best Pants for Trail Work

by American Trails Staff

We asked you to give us your recommendations for durable pants that can withstand trail work. These are the results.


posted Jul 29, 2020

Best Practices for Bicycle Trail Pavement Construction and Maintenance in Illinois

by Illinois Center for Transportation

The main objectives of this report were to provide the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) with guidelines for the structural design of bicycle trail pavement and recommendations for bicycle trail pavement maintenance.


posted Nov 5, 2018

Best Practices for Trail Management

by Maricopa County Parks and Recreation

Maricopa County (AZ) has put together a comprehensive guide to best practices in trail planning, construction, and maintenance. The 99-page guide includes Planning Objectives for a variety of trail types, motorized as well as nonmotorized. Barrier-free trails are also discussed, along with vegetation management, signs and wayfinding, and many more details of trail development and sustainable maintenance.


posted Jul 28, 2020

Best Practices in Trail Maintenance

by Purdue University, College of Engineering

This manual is intended for practical use by trail maintenance managers. It will also be useful for policy makers who are tasked with anticipating and planning for maintenance budget and personnel needs. The recommendations included in this manual were chosen, in part, to facilitate widespread adoption by other trail operators. They are cost-effective solutions that require minimal technological or financial commitments.


posted Feb 5, 2020

Best Practices of Accessibility in Parks and Recreation: A Delphi Survey of National Experts in Accessibility

As a result of frequent inquiries regarding best practices from practitioners, NCA initiated this research study in order to ascertain which practices in the field of parks and recreation accessibility management exceed the minimum standards set forth by the ADA and other disability-related legislation.


posted Jul 28, 2020

Better Bikeways — Innovative Facilities For Safer Bicycling in California

by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)

Bicycling has exploded around California as people rediscover this enjoyable, healthy, convenient, environmentally friendly and inexpensive way to get around. Many communities are working to create bicycle networks to encourage further increases in bicycling and attract new riders, especially in urban areas. Toward that end, some cities — drawing from successful international models — have experimented with a variety of innovative bicycle facilities not even imagined a decade ago.


posted Mar 27, 2018

Betty's Kitchen Interpretive Trail, Yuma, Arizona

This National Recreation Trail in Betty's Kitchen Wildlife and Interpretive Area invites vistors along the Colorado River at the California border.


posted Sep 14, 2023

Beyond Greenways: The Next Step for City Trails and Walking Routes

by Jim Schmid

Jim Schmid reviews Robert Searns' new book "Beyond Greenways: The Next Step for City Trails and Walking Routes"