Trail Design Skills and Competencies
Specific skills used in trails and greenways work: layout of trails; design for different trail activities; types of trails.
by
American Trails Staff
The goal of trail design is to create a good user experience within limitations of the resource, sustainability, and appropriate development
Skills for Natural Surface Trail Design
- Basic trail design
- Sustainable trail design
- Layout of trails, design for different trail activites,
- Assessing soils, geology, slope, and vegetation of trail corridor
- Tying routes together into a trail system
- Design for shared-use trails
- Design for off-highway vehicle use
- Design of off-highway vehicle parks and use areas
Skills for Trail-related Facility Design
- Designing elements for drainage and water control
Skills for Accessible Trail Design
- Using universal design guidelines to design and lay out (or retrofit) accessible trails and trail facilities
- Identifying varieties of users including families and the elderly as well as the disabled
Skills for Urban Trail and Bike/Ped Facility Design
- Basic urban trail design
- Design of intermodal bicycle/pedestrian facilities
Skills for Trailhead Facility Design
- Laying out parking and unloading areas
- Designing signs and information structures
- Designing related facility placement
Skills for Design of Structures
- Trail bridge types, selection and design
- Boardwalk materials and design
- Restrooms for trail use
