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Focus Term: Tourism and Economic Development


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10 More Game-Changing Rail-Trails
June 09, 2016

Here are 10 more game-changing rail-trails (in no particular order) that have had an impact, as destinations, recreation magnets, economic drivers or transportation connectors, in the U.S.

Martin Olav Sabo Bridge over Hiawatha Avenue along the Midtown Greenway in Minnesota | Photo courtesy Tony Webster | CC by 2.0
Blog
Ohio’s Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath Trail
June 08, 2016

Like a virtual rolling history book, remnants of an early-19th century canal unfold along the Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath Trail as it journeys 85 miles through an eclectic panoply of landscapes in northeastern Ohio.

Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath Trail in downtown Akron | Photo by Bruce Ford, courtesy Summit Metro Parks
Blog
Destination: Washington—Following the Foothills Trail
April 30, 2016

There’s a spot on the Foothills Trail in western Washington where I always slow down. It’s not a sudden steep climb or dicey patch of gravel that causes me to feather my bike brakes on the outskirts of Orting.

Carbon River trestle along the Foothills Trail in western Washington | Photo by Gene Bisbee
Blog
Six Great Things You’ll See on the North Bend Rail Trail
April 03, 2016

Winding under lush tree canopies and through rocky cuts in the hillsides of the Appalachian region, the North Bend Rail Trail exemplifies “Wild and Wonderful” West Virginia.

Former B&O Railroad bridge along the North Bend Rail Trail leading to the quaint town of Cairo, West Virginia | Photo by Mike Tewkesbury
Blog
Oregon’s Banks-Vernonia State Trail
January 18, 2016

A thread of black in an emerald blanket, the Banks-Vernonia State Trail weaves its way between two peaceful towns in the foothills of Northwest Oregon’s Coast Range.

The rural southern end of the rail-trail. | Photo by Kelly R Williams
Blog
Discover the Trans Canada Trail
October 28, 2015

As one of the world’s longest networks of multiuse trails, the Trans Canada Trail connects nearly 500 individual trails across the country, building a magnificent piece of Canadian heritage.

Trans Canada Trail | Photo by Sean Marshall | CC by 2.0
Blog
Virginia’s New River Trail State Park
July 12, 2015

Nestled in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Highlands, the New River Trail State Park offers 57 miles of green.

Trail users crossing the trestle at the Fries Junction | Photo by Tom Bilcze, courtesy TrailLink
Blog
Appalachian Engine: The Virginia Creeper Trail Keeps Bringing Visitors Back
May 14, 2015

Southwest Virginia’s 34-mile Virginia Creeper Trail (VCT) is timeless. The trail is a beloved regional asset and economic boon.

Photo by Jason Barnette - Southeastern Traveler:Courtesy Abingdon Convention and Visitors Bureau
Blog
Nevada’s Lower Las Vegas Wash Trail
April 09, 2015

Already in place is the 13.4-mile Lower Las Vegas Wash Trail, which comprises the trail network’s eastern arc and is always a sure bet with beautiful parks, desert landscapes and vistas of the rugged mountains that ring the valley.

Photo by Scott Hagan | Courtesy Clark County, Nevada
Blog
Wisconsin’s Kinnickinnic River Trail
January 12, 2015

The story of Milwaukee’s Kinnickinnic River Trail is the story of its eponymous river; paralleling each other through the city’s south side, the fate of the two is intimately intertwined.

View of the Kinnickinnic River from the trail | Photo by John December