Resource Library:

Planning And Design

Subcategories • Accessible Trail DesignCase StudiesCost EstimatingFeasibility StudiesLivable/Active CommunitiesLand Acquisition and ConservationMaster PlansSignage and InterpretationTrailheadsTrail Networks DesignTrails as TransportationClosing Trail System GapsWildlife and Habitat



published Dec 2013

Mountain Bike Trails Concept Plan for Moose River Plains Wild Forest

by IMBA Trail Solutions

IMBA Trail Solutions visited the Moose River Plains Wild Forest for one week in October of 2013 to conduct field research, meet with stakeholders, and to begin the process of developing a conceptual design for mountain bike use in the area. All of the designs presented in this report are conceptual in nature and have not been completely field verified. Additional work will need to be done in the field to finalize the designs of reroutes and proposed trails described in this report.


published Jun 2006

Planning and Managing Environmentally Friendly Mountain Bike Trails

This guidebook can be used to assist in successfully planning, designing, and constructing mountain bike trail systems, while keeping in mind that user issues must be addressed at every stage of development.


published Jun 2019

Standing Boy Creek State Park Mountain Bike Trails Master Plan

by IMBA Trail Solutions

This master plan is a result of the entirety of IMBA TS site visits, with greater importance placed on those 2018 and 2019 planning and design site visits. The master plan represents industry best practices, professional expertise and experience, modern trail theory, and insights gained from numerous conversations with GA DNR, CVA-SORBA, and many others.


posted Dec 21, 2020

Brownfields to Trails: Steps to Success

This presentation will discuss the major steps and considerations for planners and designers when designing in brownfields.


published Sep 2006

Trail Design for Small Properties

Trail Design for Small Properties provides simple, inexpensive solutions for designing, building, and maintaining sustainable trials—trails for hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-highway motorcycles (OHMs), and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).


published Feb 2020

Gwinnett Countywide Trails Wayfinding and Signage Guide

by Gwinnett County Department of Community Services

Gwinnett County is currently the second most populous county in Georgia with more than 936,000 residents and also has a minority-majority population. By 2050, estimates project Gwinnett could grow to as many as 1.5 million residents, making it the most populated county in the state.


published Nov 2020

PedNet is Making a Difference on the Ground in Missouri

by Josh Adams

American Trails contributor Josh Adams recently interviewed Lawrence Simonson, who serves as the Chief Strategy Officer of the PedNet Coalition, to talk pedestrian safety, projects and obstacles, and making a difference in Missouri.


posted Oct 27, 2020

Making Meaningful Spaces: A Brief Survey of Integrative Active Transportation

Learn about best practices in active transportation placemaking projects and programs.


published Sep 2010

The Greenway Guidebook

With this document, the Dakota County Greenway Collaborative takes the approach used in roadbuilding and applies it to creating a countywide network of greenways.


posted Oct 12, 2020

Innovative Approaches for Sustainable Trails: Crawford Path Case Study

This webinar will discuss new, innovative approaches for a more sustainable future on trails.