Recommended Resources

Trail-Specific Recommended Resources

Recommended Webinars

More Resources


Sort: Most Viewed Date Published Title

published Jan 2014

Montana Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles – Fuel-Use and Spending Patterns

Residents spend about $208 million per year on OHV activities, and nearly all their entire out-of-pocket trip costs are for gasoline. We estimate that OHV users buy about 6.6 million gallons of gasoline per year. With a base tax of $0.27 per gallon, resident OHV users in Montana generate over $1.8 million in revenue for the state highway trust fund.


published Jun 2013

A Landscape-Scale Approach to Refuge System Planning

by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Team (PIT) was chartered to address this recommendation from Conserving the Future: Wildlife Refuges and the Next Generation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 21st century strategic vision for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Our charge was to investigate how Refuge System planning will address large-scale conservation challenges such as climate change, while maintaining the integrity of management and conservation delivery within our boundaries.


published Jun 2013

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.


published Feb 2013

FAQ: Are business plans for trails of any value?

by American Trails Staff

Choosing between a business plan, an economic study, or a feasibility study


published Aug 2012

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.


published Aug 2012

The Economic Contributions of Outdoor Recreation: Technical Report on Methods and Findings

This study is an update and expansion of an earlier study of active outdoor recreation produced in 2006 by the Outdoor Industry Association. The 2006 study focused solely on human-powered (i.e. non-motorized) activities. While this study includes the same human-powered activities as the earlier work, an additional survey was conducted to gauge the economic contributions of outdoor recreation.


published Jan 2012

The Economic Impact of the South Dakota Snowmobiling Industry

by University of South Dakota

South Dakota’s snowmobile trail system is maintained without any contribution from general fund dollars, but brings substantial economic activity into the state. This study estimates the magnitude of that economic activity and its effect on the overall state economy.


published Jan 2012

The Association of Natural Elements With Physical Activity Intensity During Trail Use by Older Adults

When promoting trail-use among older adults, natural elements should be considered.


published Sep 2011

Economic & Health Benefits of Bicycling in Iowa

by Iowa Bicycle Coalition

This study identifies the economic and health impacts of bicycling in Iowa.


published Jun 2011

Bicycle-Rail Trip Analysis and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Focused Study

by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) recently began studying the ways in which bicycling, for transportation and in combination with transit, can reduce automobile use and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The first of these focused studies concentrated on the Metro Orange Line and parallel bicycle path. This Bicycle Rail Trip Analysis and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Study looks more broadly at bicycle trips to and from Metro Rail. The purpose of this study is to establish the benefits of providing an integrated transportation system where bicyclists are accommodated at train stations and on trains.


published Jun 2011

Pedestrian and Bicycling Infrastructure: A National Study of Employment Impacts

This study estimates the employment impacts of building and refurbishing transportation infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.


published Jun 2011

Bicycle Tourism as a Rural Economic Development Vehicle

This document addresses the applicability of bicycle tourism in rural areas.