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

More articles by this author

More Articles in this Category

National Conservation Training Center

The National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) offers a unique and diverse range of conservation training courses, designed by and for the conservation professional.

Public Outreach, Marketing, and Interpretation Skills and Competencies

Database management; website development; trail and facility inventories; trail assessment and maintenance records; identifying and gathering needed information.

Information Management Skills and Competencies

Database management; website development; trail and facility inventories; trail assessment and maintenance records; identifying and gathering needed information.

Resource Protection and Monitoring Skills and Competencies

Specific skills used in management of natural resources that host trails and greenways: monitoring impacts of visitors and natural processes; acquisition and protection of trail corridors; conservation and restoration of habitat and natural areas.

Diversity American Trails advances the development of diverse, high quality trails and greenways for the benefit of people and communities.
Search This Site