“I only go on rail-trails now,” Carol said. “They make me feel safer because I don’t have to be watching for cars and traffic. And I can’t go very fast—I have to go slow so that I can see.”

Beautiful scenery and connections with nature are almost guaranteed when you spend time on a trail, and the experience can be even richer when you spot local wildlife along the way.  

A long-distance hike can truly be the adventure of a lifetime. With rail-trail thru hiking becoming more and more popular every day, I wanted to share some knowledge I’ve learn over the many years and thousands of miles I’ve spent on hiking and rail-trails about the world.

Cycling on America’s rail-trails has been an integral part of my journey—helping me to survive PH physically as well as emotionally. I’m so glad these trails exist, and I look forward to another 20 years of riding them.

This December, we’re taking time to reflect on the challenges and changes, hard work and persistence, that’s made up the fabric of this impactful year.

I used to ride a regular two-wheeled bike; however, one morning in the summer of 2020, as I was riding, I got caught up in a tight turn and fell, breaking my elbow and pelvis. After recovering from the accident, I decided to switch to a three-wheeler, so I tried a few options and bought a recumbent electric Catrike.

RTC is bringing together its expertise and network of thousands of partners nationwide to launch the TrailNation Collaborative—a learning community where advocates, public leaders and professionals can come together to share their experiences, their challenges and their strategies for accelerating the pace of connecting trails and active transportation infrastructure.

“We should be exposing our students to lifelong physical activity and should be helping them develop the skills and confidence to enjoy those activities,” said Jack Hatert, principal of McKinney Middle School. “Our schools are the heartbeat of a cycling community, and we have to pass the passion on to our students.”

The Great American Rail-Trail® and its hosts trails connect to many places of learning, history and culture where students can take a break from the grind of classwork and explore. Here are some of our favorites.

Family, work and life combined with the Great American Rail-Trail announcement to push me toward a commitment to a long-distance bike trip.