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posted Aug 21, 2018

A Resident’s Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities

by Federal Highway Administration

This guide provides examples from other communities working to improve pedestrian safety. It includes information, ideas, and resources to help residents learn about issues that affect walking conditions; find ways to address or prevent these problems; and promote pedestrian safety.


posted Jul 15, 2022

A Review and Synthesis of Recreation Ecology Research Findings on Visitor Impacts to Wilderness and Protected Natural Areas

This article examines the recreation ecology literature most relevant to wilderness and backcountry, with a focus on visitor impacts to vegetation, soil, wildlife, and water resources.


posted Jul 15, 2022

A Review and Synthesis of Recreation Ecology Research Supporting Carrying Capacity and Visitor Use Management Decisionmaking

This article reviews the most recent and relevant recreation ecology studies that have been applied in wildland settings to avoid or minimize resource impacts.


posted Mar 7, 2019

A Snapshot of the Economic Impact of Outdoor Recreation

Outdoor recreation spending in Western states equaled $255.6 billion – nearly 40% of the national total. This includes purchases of outdoor gear and vehicles as well as travel expenditures when enjoying the great Western outdoors.


posted Feb 19, 2018

A Successful Solution to Get Kids in Parks

There is clear evidence that children benefit from spending time in nature.


posted Aug 1, 2018

A Tale of a Trail: Boardwalks for Woodinville

Developing a trails plan for Rotary Community Park/Little Bear Creek that includes boardwalks through environmentally sensitive area.


posted Feb 19, 2018

A Tale of Two Cities: The System of Trails in Fayetteville and North Little Rock, Arkansas

This session will highlight how Garver Engineering transformed its wellness program to improve overall health while reducing company healthcare costs.


posted Feb 19, 2018

A Trail to Every Classroom

by Rita Hennessy with National Park Service, Janis Brannon with Summit Charter School

This session will look at professional development as a means of reaching out to communities and engaging youth in trail activities.


posted Feb 1, 2017

A Tribute to David Burwell

by Chuck Flink with Greenways Inc.

David Burwell was a cofounder of the Rails to Trails Conservancy and one of the most influential champions for trails and greenways. He later established the National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse and founded the Surface Transportation Policy Project.


posted May 3, 2018

A Vision of Greenways: Detroit's Greater Riverfront East District

The vision for a new network of greenways in the Greater Riverfront East District of Detroit emerged from the desire to use greenways to connect the diverse neighborhoods of the area to each other and to the city’s magnificent natural asset, the Detroit River.


posted Feb 24, 2020

About Us

American Trails celebrates decades of working on behalf of all trail interests. Our website is one of the world's most comprehensive online sources for planning, building, designing, funding, managing, enhancing, and supporting trails, greenways, and blueways.


posted Mar 30, 2018

Access Board issues ABA Final Guidelines for Outdoor Developed Areas, including accessible trails, on federal lands

by American Trails Staff

On September 26, 2013 the U.S. Access Board issued new accessibility guidelines for outdoor areas on federal lands. The guidelines provide detailed specifications for accessible trails, picnic, and camping areas, viewing areas, beach access routes, and other components of outdoor developed areas when newly built or altered.