TrailBlog Page 2

Colorado's Farmers High Line Canal Trail | Photo by Scott Stark

Trail Moments | Advice From a Mom: How to Get Kids to Love Biking

Posted 05/06/22 by Laura Stark in Trail Use | Tagged with Biking, Encouraging Trail Use, How-to, Trail Moments, Trail Use Tips, Why Use Trails?

Biking has always been a part of Layla’s life, and as a middle schooler now she typically rides about 20 miles a week commuting to and from school. I’ll share some of the tips we used to help her become a successful and happy rider, and we welcome advice from other parents in the article comments.

Celebrate Trails Day event in Columbus, Ohio | Photo by Jeffrey A. Tilford

Celebrate Trails Day Inspires Trail Users to Be Active

Posted 05/04/22 by Brad Byrne in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, CelebrateTrailsDay, Community Events, Encouraging Trail Use, Facts and FIgures, Trail Use Tips, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

From riding down Historic Route 66 to encountering black bears to overcoming a mountainous climb, so many great stories came to us from Celebrate Trails Day participants about the special moments they had on the trail—and what trails mean to them.

New Mexico's Bitter Lakes National Wildlife Refuge | Courtesy Moonrock Outfitters

Trail Moments | A Path Forward for Better Biking in Roswell, New Mexico

Posted 04/27/22 by Daniel Cederberg in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Local Organizing, New Mexico, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail Moments

We love the adventures that trails bring—seeing what lies beyond the next bend, drop, curve or climb. Roswell has two main trails in the downtown area, which provide safe ways to transport yourself across the city while avoiding traffic. They’ve also provided great spaces for us to offer clean-up rides, garden rides and after-dark glow rides for residents to get out and experience more of the community.

Photos by Stephen Matera, courtesy IZIP

Slow Down and Enjoy the Trail With These E-bike Tales and Tips from IZIP

Posted 04/14/22 by Corey August at IZIP in Trail Use | Tagged with Bike Commuting, Biking, ebike, Encouraging Trail Use, Why Use Trails?

We believe that pedal-assist e-bikes provide an intuitive experience that gives you all the benefits of cycling plus the power to ride longer and stronger. IZIP eBikes integrate some of the most efficient, state-of-the art, mid-drive and hub-drive electric motor systems which include a drive unit, battery pack, display and user interface.

Whitney Washington | Courtesy Whitney Washington

Trail Moments | Recapturing Life on a Great American Journey

Posted 04/14/22 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, Great American Rail-Trail, How-to, Trail Etiquette, Trail Moments, Why Use Trails?

If a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, Whitney Washington’s 3,700-mile route across the country began with a few hard-earned turns of the bike wheel. She estimates that she traveled about 5 miles her first day, but as she gained strength and experience over the course of weeks and then months, that number grew to 20 and then 40 and then as many as 87 miles in a single day near the end of her journey.

Anacostia River Trail | Photo by Sam Kittner, courtesy Capitol Riverfront BID

We Asked—You Answered: Rails-to-Trails Supporters’ Top Priority Picks for 2022 and Beyond

Posted 04/13/22 by Ryan Cree in America's Trails | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Great American Rail-Trail, History Happened Here, State and Federal Programs, TrailsTransform

Over the past few weeks, we asked our members and supporters for feedback on the direction of our work this year via online survey. We were thrilled to receive more than 10,000 responses from passionate trail users, and we’ll be using what we learned to prioritize our efforts into the future. Here’s a quick rundown of the results. Thanks to everyone who responded!

Rails-to-Trails staffers Kevin Belanger and Marianne Wesley Fowler at the opening of the Beverly Bridge along the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail in Washington | Courtesy Kevin Belanger

Beverly Bridge Opening Marks Major Jump Toward Statewide Trail Connectivity in Washington

Posted 04/12/22 by Kevin Belanger in America's Trails | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, Great American Rail-Trail, Washington

On April 8, 2022, a ribbon cutting marked a new beginning for the Beverly Bridge—gathering more than 200 people to celebrate its long-anticipated revitalization after years of advocacy from organizations around the state. For the first time since the bridge was closed in 1980 as part of the disused Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, people can cross the Columbia River on this iconic piece of infrastructure.

California's Napa Valley Vine Trail in Yountville | Courtesy Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition

California’s Napa Valley Vine Trail

Posted 04/12/22 by Amy Grisak in America's Trails | Tagged with Art, BATC, Bike Commuting, California, Connected Systems, Cross-Sector Collaboration, Demand for Trails, Health and Active Living, Local Organizing, Mode Shift, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, TrailNation, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

It’s remarkable how a single trail brings together an entire region. As California’s Napa Valley Vine Trail grows to reach its ultimate 47-mile potential, community members and visitors realize the beauty of connectivity and accessibility.

Herring Run Trail | Side A Photography

New Guidance for Transportation Alternatives: Transformative Funding for Trails, Walking and Biking

Posted 04/07/22 by Mary Ellen Koontz in Policy, Building Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Federal, Funding, Recreational Trails Program, State and Federal Programs, Transportation Alternatives

Last week, the federal officials released new guidance on the Transportation Alternatives (TA) Set-Aside. This guidance instructs state departments of transportation (DOTs) on how to implement the TA funding in alignment with policy changes included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge connecting Iowa and Nebraska | Photo by TrailLink user thejake91739

Spring News from the State Legislatures

Posted 04/06/22 by Andrew Dupuy, Brian K. Housh in Policy | Tagged with California, Colorado, Funding, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio, RAISE, South Carolina, State and Federal Programs, Virginia

Depending on where you live, this time of year may mean the prolonged dregs of winter, early signs of Spring, or some variation on “mud season.” But for most of the country—regardless of climate or geography—it’s also the height of the state legislative season. Most states’ general assemblies are part-time, and generally convene in the early part of each calendar year. All but a handful of states are currently in session. So what does this mean for trails and active transportation funding in states?

Photo courtesy Groundspeak Inc. (dba Geocaching)

Geocaching: Find the Fun!

Posted 03/30/22 by Chris Ronan in Trail Use | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, How-to, Trail Use Tips, Why Use Trails?

With millions of geocaches hidden throughout the world, there’s a very good chance one is located on your favorite trail! Geocaching is a high-tech game of hide and seek. Put simply, someone hides a container for others to find. The game started in early 2000. When Geocaching.com launched later that year, only 75 geocaches existed. Today, there are more than 3.3 million geocaches in 190 countries.