American Trails and the Professional TrailBuilders Association (PTBA) are leading an effort to bring together the thought leadership of the trails and outdoor recreation communities. Since 2013, American Trails and PTBA have worked together on conference efforts but fully partnered for the first time for the 2023 International Trails Summit.
Every two years American Trails sponsors the International Trails Summit (formerly Symposium) to bring together trail and greenway advocates, managers, planners, and users, as well as tourism and business interests.
The Summit is the largest gathering of all trail interests— professionals, managers, and users who believe their combined voices are the best way to strengthen trails for everyone.
American Trails is a certified provider and can offer the following learning credit opportunities: AICP CM, LA CES, NRPA CEU Equivalency Petition, and Other CEU/PDH Equivalency Petition.
175 Sessions, including:
American Trails and PTBA are excited to announce Ku Stevens as one of our keynote speakers for the International Trails Summit. Ku is a Reno local Citizen of the Year and organizer of the Frank Quinn Remembrance Run every summer. Frank Quinn was Ku’s grandfather who was taken from his Paiute family near Yerington, Nevada and boarded at the Stewart Indian School in Carson City. He escaped several times and ran 50 miles, crossing the Carson River and the Pine Nut Mountains, to get back to his home. The Remembrance Run follows Frank's route, creating a direct connection to his experience.
Luther Propst with Teton County, Wyoming
As a county commissioner in the outdoor recreation destination of Jackson, WY, and the founder of the Sonoran Institute in Arizona, Luther Propst has seen first-hand the good, the bad, and the ugly of how trails and outdoor recreation can transform small and rural communities. Elected as a county commissioner in 2018 and again in 2022 in Teton County, Wyoming, Luther has worked to advance conservation, develop and protect trails and other opportunities for outdoor recreation, and help rural and mountain communities address growth-related challenges throughout the North American West for more than 35 years. In 1991, Luther established the Sonoran Institute and served as executive director until 2012. While leading the Sonoran Institute, he advanced effective community-based, collaborative, and innovative solutions for land, water, and energy use, focusing on conservation with a deep understanding of economic values and implications. During this time, Luther co-authored three books, including Balancing Nature and Commerce in Gateway Communities. Luther serves on the board of the Outdoor Alliance, a national coalition of ten conservation groups working to protect America’s public lands and waters and the human-powered outdoor experience. He has also served on the board of the International Mountain Bicycling Association.
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