It has been described as a “tipping point,” “critical mass” and “milestone” achievement. Regardless of what it’s called, there’s no doubt that the proliferation of trail networks around the United States is significant.

The Sacramento River Rail Trail and its sister trail to the south, the Sacramento River Trail, together form a 21-mile major artery to a 200-miles-plus trail system of mostly dirt (but some paved) routes that can take users from Redding, a major urban area, into open areas of wilderness.

Stretching 29.2 miles through small towns and the countryside of West Virginia and western Pennsylvania, the Panhandle Trail is a key piece in connecting several longer routes, including the Great American Rail-Trail®

The 14.5-mile Pennsy Greenway now connects two counties in two states (Cook County, Illinois, and Lake County, Indiana), as well as the communities of Lansing, Illinois, and Indiana’s Munster and Schererville along the way.

After more than two decades of effort and an infusion of cash from the state legislature in 2020, Vermont’s Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT) is finally complete.

Whether he’s going to work or out to eat with his family, Fayetteville resident Matt Mihalevich often hops on his bicycle and rides the Razorback Regional Greenway in Northwest Arkansas to get there.

The River Mountains Loop Trail (RMLT) is a 35-mile paved path that zips through a wild fusion of landscapes—mountains, desert and lake views.

Below are some of our favorite destinations along the Rock Island Trail, which is undergoing trail development and is not yet open for use.

“This towpath has made it so much easier for people to feel comfortable riding their bikes to a lot of places,” DevahD said. “You can shop off the towpath. You can eat off the towpath. You can play off the towpath. It can’t get any better than this.”

Users of the 51-mile Bitterroot Trail can sometimes forget to look past the road traffic and noise to fully appreciate the surrounding area bursting with history and natural beauty.