Trails, by their very nature, promote social, racial, gender, and economic equity. They are almost always free to use, are available 24/7/365, and provide transportation alternatives no matter what mode of travel you use.
Trails, by their very nature, promote social, racial, gender, and economic equity. They are almost always free to use, are available 24/7/365, and provide transportation alternatives no matter what mode of travel you use.
Recent studies have shown that people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities want to live in active, authentic communities that provide a true vibrancy of life, based on unique cultural assets and environment. If you look closely at communities that are winning in today’s economy, they provide residents and visitors with fantastic access to the outdoors, connected walkable urban design, healthy active living, and a growing economy that thrives in exciting environments. Trails are core to these winning strategies.
We dream of a day when a hiking group will lobby their local city council to fund a hiking-only nature trail through a rare and endangered habitat, and they are joined at the council meeting by the leaders of the mountain bike community, equestrian community, motorized trail community, and a few skateboarders to boot! All in full-throated support of this trail, even though they likely will never use it.
We believe that access to trails, more than any other single factor helps establish quality of life in communities and creates a growing psychographic of healthy, active people. The growth of trails has been a significant contribution to the growth of the active lifestyle movement and outdoor industry across the country.
Trails are one of the most potent tools in maintaining urban viability and appealing to a broad range of demographic groups to which quality of life is paramount when choosing where they live, work and play. Key to creating and sustaining an active, healthy culture and rich set of community amenities are trails and the connectivity and vibrancy they provide.
