As a longtime resident of Hyattsville, Maryland, I watched as the Anacostia River Trail (ART) was expanded and finally completed. It meanders along the Anacostia River from Bladensburg, Maryland, to D.C.’s Wharf area, about 12 miles one way. This is my favorite local trail—and it’s only 2 miles from my house!

In June 2021, my husband, Pat, and I began our trek on the Great American Rail-Trail® in Seattle, Washington, at the western end of the 3,700-mile developing route.

The popular Maine trail to join elite group as 36th inductee in Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s national Rail-Trail Hall of Fame

Aptly named for the moss-draped oaks along the route, the woodsy sections of the Spanish Moss Trail provide a cool respite in the South Carolina summers.

Kaw Point Park is one of the many highlights on Kansas City’s 15-mile Riverfront Heritage Trail. Along the way, the bike/pedestrian pathway takes in not just the two rivers, but two states, three counties, three cities, countless neighborhoods, bustling retail centers and vast industrial areas.

I decided to purchase my own e-bike and conquer my own fears of biking in the city. That was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Visit All of America’s Hall of Fame Rail-Trails: Our journey started with an F150 pickup carrying canoes on the roof and bicycles.

When someone says “Idaho,” most people think of potatoes, but the Weiser River National Recreation Trail demonstrates there is so much more to the landscape and the people. Traveling 84 miles—from forested terrain through canyons and onto the high prairie in the west-central part of the state—there is an ever-changing beauty that evokes an appreciation of the region and the forward-thinking individuals who sought to preserve the corridor.

Examining the Connectors, Builders and Signature Gateways Across America’s Trail Networks

Across the country, bridges are literally serving as gateways for communities to achieve critical strides in active transportation, conservation and economic development. Here, we take a look at 20 iconic bridges and trestles in the United States (in no particular order) that have played—or are playing—transformative connectivity roles in their regions.