posted Sep 22, 2023
This five-part course discusses what it means for a trail to be sustainable. It describes the lifecycle of sustainable trails and includes lessons on hydrology, structures, tools, tread and alignment.
posted Sep 19, 2023
The Career Pathways Portal is a centralized hub of career information. Emerging and established trails professionals can explore career development options, find learning opportunities and jobs. Click the infographics below or keep scrolling to learn more.
posted Sep 13, 2023
The Trail Fund has now morphed into two programs. The Trails Capacity Program fills the role of what the "Trail Fund" was in 2021, and the Legacy Trail Program now offers Legacy Roads and Trails funding to projects on U.S. Forest Service lands.
posted Sep 11, 2023
The tools shown here are those used most often by Forest Service trail crews. They are categorized into tools for sawing, chopping, grubbing, digging and tamping, pounding, and hammering, lifting and hauling, peeling and shaping, and sharpening and rehandling. Each tool is described along with helpful techniques for use and maintenance.
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 Dec 7, 2023
Three national scenic trails have become the country’s newest National Parks, raising the total number of existing parks from 425 to 428.
posted Dec 3, 2023
The Trails Capacity Program is administered by American Trails, and funds trail maintenance, research, and stewardship training across the country, serving all types of trail users.
posted Dec 1, 2023
Our new Pathways eNewsletter is a summary of the professional development opportunities American Trails and others offer.
posted Nov 28, 2023
This new five-part series of online micro-learning courses is intended to provide those new to the trails workforce with a baseline understanding of terminology and concepts that give them a solid foundation to support future trails education and ongoing professional development.
posted Nov 27, 2023
by Bob Walker with Montana Trails Coalition, American Trails Staff
Have you ever wondered how to create a trails coalition in your state or region? This article shares some pointers and discusses the results of a nationwide survey of trails coalitions conducted by American Trails in February 2023.
posted Nov 27, 2023
From our webinar archive we bring you Engaging Kids on Trails: A National Trails Day Fireside Chat.
posted Nov 25, 2023
This white paper provides collected best practices on winter bikeway maintenance as seen in US cities and around the world. The paper covers snow removal from bikeways, different types of de-icing surface applications and their advantages/disadvantages, and best practices for winter maintenance prioritization and scheduling. The paper also includes a brief discussion on innovative winter maintenance techniques either in use or in development.
posted Nov 25, 2023
by Toole Design
Who is responsible for winter maintenance—property owners or government agencies—and what are the challenges?
posted Nov 25, 2023
Humans and wildlife interact in multifaceted ways on public lands with both positive and negative outcomes for each group. When managed well, wildlife-based tourism and other forms of recreation can benefit conservation goals.
posted Nov 25, 2023
Regardless of our intentions, many species perceive humans as a threat and respond accordingly. In general, animals respond to threats by first increasing vigilance (time spent looking around versus foraging), and running away if the threat is perceived to be imminent.
posted Nov 24, 2023
The Vermont Town Forest Trail Design Guide was developed as part of the Vermont Town Forest Recreation Planning Toolkit, an initiative of the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Program, to provide general guidance for designing and developing trails in town forests and beyond.
posted Nov 24, 2023
Winter recreation is a rapidly growing activity, and advances in technology make it possible for increasing numbers of people to access remote backcountry terrain. Increased winter recreation may lead to more frequent conflict between recreationists, as well as greater potential disturbance to wildlife.
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