
posted Jul 24, 2023
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
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
Everything you need to know about the positive impact of trails on health, environment, economics, and more.
posted Feb 14, 2022
Everything you need to know about trail planning and design for long lasting trails.
posted Jan 18, 2022
Everything you need to know about planning, building, and managing shared-use trails.
posted Nov 9, 2021
Everything you need to know about planning, building, and maintaining accessible trails.
posted Sep 13, 2020
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
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
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
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
This designated National Recreation Trail runs 4.18 miles through northern Delaware and includes Recreational Trails Program funding.
posted Mar 13, 2018
by National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)
A national study on Active Transportation and Parks and Recreation.
posted Mar 6, 2019
During the 2014–2015 season, motorized recreational enthusiasts spent an estimated $1.6 billion while taking trips using motorized vehicles for recreational purposes. More than 92 percent of these expenditures occurred during the summer recreational season. In addition to spending money on trips, households that participate in motorized recreation also spend money on maintenance, repairs, accessories, vehicle storage, and miscellaneous items associated with their vehicles. Motorized recreational enthusiasts spent more than an estimated $724 million annually on various items to support and enhance their experiences in Colorado, including $163 million in new vehicle purchases. In total, motorized recreational enthusiasts were responsible for $2.3 billion in direct expenditures related to motorized recreation in Colorado during the 2014–2015 season.
posted Mar 6, 2019
OHV recreation is a proven financial stimulus to the tourism market with the average rider spending a minimum of $100 on a single day trip. We should encourage struggling areas to embrace OHV tourism as we have the opportunity to directly impact and benefit financial success of local businesses. We can connect rural Missouri to OHV trails, which would provide new employment and income while bringing new money to these distressed regions. OHV tourism can diversify the economy of South East Missouri and create a culture of entrepreneurship based around trail oriented business (outfitters, rentals, guides, cabins, hotels, restaurants, etc) the same way the state park industry has to several Missouri communities.
posted Mar 6, 2019
Updated statistics from the Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account (ORSA) released by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) show that the outdoor recreation economy accounted for 2.2 percent ($412 billion) of current-dollar GDP in 2016 (table 2). In data produced for the first time, using inflation-adjusted (real) GDP, the outdoor recreation economy grew 1.7 percent in 2016, faster than the 1.6 percent growth for the overall U.S. economy (table 6). In addition, real gross output, compensation, and employment all grew faster in outdoor recreation than in the overall economy in 2016.
posted Mar 6, 2019
Iowa off-highway vehicle owners spent approximately $72.4 million in 2018 on in-state operating expenses and related personal expenses. Total Iowa asset purchase and operating/personal expenditures generated approximately 1,018 jobs in the Iowa economy paying an average of $42,850 annually. Off-highway vehicle owners spent about $28.9 million outside the state of Iowa in 2018. If that had been spent in-state, it would have generated $34.9 million in Iowa industrial output and 374 jobs paying annual incomes of $31,180 per job.
posted Feb 19, 2019
The results are in! Here are our picks from the 136 photos submitted for the 2018 photo contest.
posted Feb 19, 2019
by Taylor Goodrich with American Trails
February is Black History Month, and a perfect time to shine a light on some well known, and some lesser known, ways in which African Americans have helped shape our nation's trail and park history.
posted Feb 15, 2019
This manual explains the duties of the Landowner Relations Director for the Bruce Trail and suggests some of the best and most effective ways to carry them out. A Landowner Relations Director is fundamental to the success of securing a permanent corridor for the Trail.
posted Feb 15, 2019
The most important part of the planning process is building relationships with the people affected by the proposed trail and its potential users.
posted Feb 15, 2019
by North Country National Scenic Trail
As we forge ahead building new trail each year, particularly on private land, how will we make sure the trail and the surrounding area are enjoyed into future generations?
posted Feb 6, 2019
by Taylor Goodrich with American Trails
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, now is the perfect time to plan an outing to one of America’s National Recreation Trails. Nothing is more romantic than time spent together outdoors, and since National Recreation Trails are some of the finest trails our country has to offer, planning a date on one of these trails is a sure fire way to create an unforgettable holiday.
posted Jan 23, 2019
Low water crossings are designed to allow normal flow under the trail, and to be over-topped during seasonal floods.
posted Jan 12, 2019
The Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) serves as a guide for all public outdoor recreation in urban and rural neighborhoods, cities, and regions for a given state. Each state must prepare a SCORP every five years to be eligible for funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
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