Sojourn Series
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) sojourns are unforgettable adventures on some of America’s most spectacular rail-trails. Sojourns explore the majestic landscapes, charming communities and iconic sites of their host states in a truly immersive and exhilarating way: by bicycle. For riders of all ages and skill levels—from the young to the young at heart, aficionados to first-timers, families to freewheelers—these tours are where memories and bonds are made. Learn more about the 2018 Sojourn.
Plus, sojourns are so much more than great rides! They’re powerful “trail-building tools” that highlight the tremendous impact of long-distance trail routes and connected networks. Each ride—and every rider—make a difference.
Our 19 sojourns in six states and Washington, D.C., infused the regions they toured with a total of approximately $2 million—helping to fuel trailside businesses and powering the local economies.
D&L Trail | June 10–14, 2018
2018 Pennsylvania Sojourn
D&L Trail
June 10–14, 2018
In June 2018, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy was honored to bring together 300 riders from 33 states on our 2018 Pennsylvania Sojourn to explore the exceptional D&L Trail. Over five days, we biked more than 160 miles, visited trailside communities, experienced the unique cultural and natural heritage of the region, and made new friends and everlasting memories.
Experience the Sojourn
Since 2001, RTC’s annual sojourns have guided thousands of riders from all over America along the most scenic trail networks in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and New York … and the list continues to grow. Through these premier rides, participants experience amazing trailside sights, communities and attractions—all while helping to make the case for building and connecting trails nationwide!
Sojourns are designed to celebrate open trails and draw attention to gaps in would-be trail systems. Riders see, firsthand, the incredible impact of trails on the communities they touch. They also gain an understanding of the transformative power that, if completed, trail systems can have on the local region’s economy, health, environment and much more. By truly experiencing the transformative power of trails, sojourners become some of their mightiest champions and best stewards.
Memories from the 2017 Sojourn
The 2017 Sojourn explored western Pennsylvania by trail. The iconic Great Allegheny Passage and Montour Trail allowed our group to explore Meyersdale, Confluence, West Newton, Cecil, and the other historic steel and coal communities they connected.
2016 RTC Sojourners Wrap Ride in West Virginia
The 2016 West Virginia Sojourn followed the North Bend Rail Trail through North Bend State Park to Salem in Harrison County to Parkersburg. The goal was to highlight the existing trails and the need to upgrade or connect them to draw even more cycling enthusiasts in the future.
2016 Florida Sojourn: Miami-to-Everglades … and Back Again
The 2016 Florida Sojourn rode through Southern Florida on the Rickenbacker Trail, M-Path (also known locally as The Underline), South Dade Trail Southern Glades Trail, Black Creek Trail, Southern Glades Trail, and Biscayne-Everglades Greenway.
2016 Pennsylvania Sojourn
RTC’s 2016 Pennsylvania Rail-Trail Sojourn was a breathtaking 110-mile bike trip westward along the historic Great Allegheny Passage. The three-day bike ride went through the hills of western Pennsylvania full of scenic woods and rushing waterfalls, lofty trestles and surreal tunnels, wide rivers and old coal towns.
2015 West Virginia Sojourn
Centered in Morgantown (home to West Virginia University), the sojourn demonstrated how completing key gaps between the burgeoning Mon River Trails system and other rail-trails in West Virginia and Pennsylvania could result in 180 miles of trail that unite with another famous trail system, the Great Allegheny Passage, creating an unparalleled three-state network (Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia)!
2015 Pennsylvania Sojourn
The 2015 Pennsylvania Sojourn explored one of the most inspiring trail systems in the country, the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP). Riders also learned about an incredible trail in development, the Sheepskin Trail, which will connect the GAP to communities around the region and become an integral component to this world-class trail network.
2014 Sojourn
The 2014 Sojourn brought together 300 riders on a 191-mile, six day trip on three renowned rail-trails: the Panhandle Trail, the Montour Trail and the Great Allegheny Passage. Riders were able to be a direct part of two projects: a groundbreaking for a section of the Montour Trail (with gold shovels and all!) and the Pinkerton Tunnel project, presented to the group during an evening session by Linda McKenna Boxx, president emeritus of the Alleghany Trail Alliance.
“Impressions" of a Sojourner
My absolute favorite part of RTC’s 2014 Greenway Sojourn (June 22-27) was talking to many of my fellow 300 riders about their experiences as we made our way from just outside Wierton, W.V., to Cumberland, Md.
Have questions about the Sojourn?
Sojourn FAQ Contact UsGet Social With Us @railstotrails
