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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 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 Feb 14, 2022

Trail Planning and Design Hub

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

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 Sep 13, 2020

12 Resources for Building Trail Stewards

by Taylor Goodrich with American Trails

Use this library of resources, articles, and trainings to create an army of effective trail stewards.

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 Jun 24, 2019

Volunteer Stewardship Tools

by Taylor Goodrich with American Trails

Managing volunteers to achieve high quality trail stewardship work for land managers is not easy. Explore the tools and resources available to you that will help you start, expand or enhance your outdoor stewardship volunteer program, achieving your goals, and providing exceptional service to land managers.

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 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 Mar 13, 2018

Active Transportation and Parks and Recreation

by National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)

A national study on Active Transportation and Parks and Recreation.

posted Aug 19, 2020

How Communities are Paying to Maintain Trails, Bike Lanes, and Sidewalks

by Advocacy Advance

This report addresses both the technical and political challenges of how communities are paying to maintain trails, bike lanes, and sidewalks. It examines agency maintenance policies and provides examples of communities who’ve successfully made these facilities a priority.


posted Aug 19, 2020

Trail Tales Educational Outreach & Interpretive Plan

Trail Tales is a community-focused educational outreach and shoreline interpretive program centered in the City of Anacortes in Skagit County Washington.


posted Aug 19, 2020

Community Trail Development Guide

by Virginia Department of Transportation

VDOT developed this guide to aid the process of grassroots trail planning, based on the knowledge of experienced planners, research of best practices around the nation as well as the State, and the understanding gained from trail development process in the Town of Middleburg.


posted Aug 19, 2020

Making the Trail Visible and Visitor Ready: A Plan for the James River Segment

by National Park Service

The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail joined the National Trails System following designation by Congress in 2006. The trail helps visitors experience, envision, understand, and protect what the explorers and inhabitants of the region encountered 400 years ago.


posted Aug 19, 2020

Interpretive Planning Tools for Historic Areas, Historic Trails and Gateways

by National Park Service

This toolkit was designed to assist managers in developing and implementing regional or site-specific interpretive plans. It describes each step in the process from the early planning stages through implementation to evaluation.


posted Aug 19, 2020

The 2009 Continental Divide National Scenic Trail Comprehensive Plan

by USDA Forest Service

In order to achieve the objective of establishing a continuous trail of the magnitude and quality of the CDNST, it is necessary to establish a formal process for integrating the CDNST requirements into the long-range land and resource management programs of the various Federal and State agencies. Such a process should be both faithful to the intentions and requirements of the National Trails System Act and compatible with the regulations and procedures under which the agencies must work.


posted Aug 19, 2020

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail Interpretive Plan

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDNST) Interpretive Plan guides the development and implementation of information, orientation and interpretation for the CDNST. Specifically, this plan includes interpretive goals, objectives, themes, exhibit recommendations, and design guidelines for interpretive efforts associated with the trail.


posted Aug 18, 2020

Investigating the Thru-hiker Experience: A Study on the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail

The phenomena of thru-hiking has been on a dramatic rise, spurring hikers to venture onto increasingly remote and challenging trails over extended periods of time. Despite the recent popularity of thru-hiking, the field remains relatively unstudied. In recreation, the expectations held beforehand have been linked to perceptions after an activity, but this has not been explored in thru-hiking.


posted Aug 18, 2020

Santa Rosa Public Art Master Plan

The Plan describes what the Public Art Program’s priorities should be. The Public Art Program will catalyze new projects, provide guidance to projects undertaken by developers and others, and continue community outreach and education around public art.


posted Aug 18, 2020

Hiking Trails in America Pathways to Prosperity

by American Hiking Society

Fifty years ago President Johnson set in motion the establishment of a national system of trails for America. Since LBJ’s famous speech outlining his vision, America has accomplished much . . .


posted Aug 18, 2020

Effects of Pack Weight on Endurance of Long-distance Hikers

This study evaluated pack weight to understand the limits of long-term load carriage. Participants were Appalachian Trail hikers who attempted to complete the entire trail in the 2012 season.


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).