posted May 9, 2022
Everything you need to know about trail counters, trail user surveys, and other information to better understand and engage your trail users.*
posted Jan 18, 2022
Everything you need to know about planning, building, and managing shared-use trails.
posted Sep 13, 2020
by Lora Goerlich with Equestrian Trails and Facilities Consultant LLC
Responsible equestrians should actively protect trees and other park structures when out on the trail. Equine expert Lora Goerlich gives her take on this topic.
posted Aug 19, 2020
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 17, 2020
In the USA, sales and use of “fat bikes” (bicycles with 75–120 mm-wide tires) have increased dramatically in the past five years. These bikes are designed to open new terrain to cyclists, including snow-covered trails and softer ground surfaces impossible to ride with a standard mountain bike. In this paper, we discuss the extent and possible trends of fat bike use, potential impacts, conflicts and land management approaches.
posted Aug 14, 2020
by American Council of Snowmobile Assns. (ACSA)
Many snowmobile trail managers are facing new management challenges related to OHV use that have been evolving over the past ten to fifteen years. This evolution has included significant growth in overall OHV numbers, the addition of wider side-by-side utility vehicles (UTVs), and some OHVs now being equipped with tracks. Consequently a growing number of local administrators must evaluate what’s best for their local area: continuing to provide only ‘single use’ motorized trails for snowmobiles – or integrating concurrent snowmobile/OHV use onto some groomed trails.
posted Aug 14, 2020
by International Association of Snowmobile Administrators (IASA)
The growth in ATV numbers has driven a desire for more places to operate them recreationally on trails. In some areas of the Snowbelt this has led to a growing interest for ATV operation on groomed snowmobile trails during the winter season. This can be a challenge for land and trail managers.
posted Aug 14, 2020
by American Council of Snowmobile Assns. (ACSA)
All recreational trail use, whether motorized or nonmotorized, requires active management. Trail management should ensure adherence to private or public land use prescriptions, adequate resource protection, and that appropriate visitor experiences are provided. Trail management policies should be set at the local level to ensure they best fit local circumstances.
posted Aug 13, 2020
In order to better guide research into the range of potential social and environmental impacts and benefits related to the use of eMTBs on natural surface trails, IMBA and the BPSA are interested in what questions land managers have regarding this new use. The survey explicitly targeted land managers’ experiences and concerns regarding eMTB use on natural surface and/or singletrack trails – not paths or bikeways – although some land managers are responsible for both types of trail infrastructure.
posted Aug 7, 2020
The study asked e-bike users in the greater Sacramento area about the reasons why they chose to invest in an e-bike, the ways in which they use their e-bikes, positive and negative aspects of using e-bikes, and reactions from friends and family members.
posted Jul 30, 2020
The WMBC conducted a survey to target trail users recreating on Galbraith Mountain and elsewhere in Whatcom County. This survey was done entirely online utilizing surveymonkey web-based software.
posted Jul 30, 2020
The purpose of the Jackson Hole Pathways and Trails Survey is to gather public feedback on Jackson Hole’s pathways and trails systems. The results of this first-of-its‐kind survey effort are intended to provide a documentation of pathways and trails usage, satisfaction, strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions for improvement. The information in this report provides solid information to help community decision-makers, stakeholder groups, and interested citizens plan for the future of Jackson Hole’s pathways and trails systems.
posted Jul 28, 2020
by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC)
The 24-mile Three Rivers Heritage Trail extends along the banks of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers in one of America's most storied cities, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
posted Jul 28, 2020
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.
