Celebrating Milestones of the Movement:
Our Past, Present and Future
In this issue—on the 40th anniversary of Rails to Trails Conservancy and the year of America’s 250th birthday—Rails to Trails magazine takes a look back at the legacy of the American trails movement. Through stories of the trails we love, the communities they inspire and the connections they create, we examine the joy and impact that this invaluable infrastructure continues to deliver every day in America.
We’re taking stock of the transformative moments … by the people whose voices and energy made the movement possible, and the profound and powerful ways these vital assets have brought positive change to every state and countless communities.
Connecting the Country
FEATURE
The Trail Between Us:
Coming Together, One Mile at a Time
At a time when it can feel hard to get outside, to find connection and to discover joy in the details of everyday life, trails deliver something special to towns and cities across America. These are the spaces where we find common ground and where communities thrive. On the trail, we are invited to explore, to play and to get to know our neighbors. In this special feature, Rails to Trails visits Norfolk, Nebraska, the midpoint of the Great American Rail-Trail®, and talks with residents, elected leaders, and a team of veterans bicycling across the country about how these spaces are transforming the American experience.
Produced by Rails to Trails Conservancy and DS Simon Media
Special thanks to Visit Norfolk Area, the City of Norfolk, the Town of Battle Creek, Congressman Mike Flood and Warrior Expeditions.
FEATURE
Defining Moments in American Connectivity
RTC has been at the forefront of connecting America by trail since 1986. From the kernel of an idea to today—when the country enjoys more than 42,500 miles of multiuse trails and 150+ trail networks in development—RTC has shepherded progress, leading formative legal battles in defense of trails and delivering the expertise needed to advance vision to reality.
Here, we take a look at how RTC has helped see some game-changing trails to fruition in collaboration with communities and local and state leaders across the United States.
By Amy Kapp/Produced by Rails to Trails magazine.
Featuring: Missouri’s Rock Island Trail State Park, Washington, D.C.’s Capital Crescent and Met Branch Trails, Alabama’s Chief Ladiga Trail, Nebraska’s Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail, Illinois’ Bloomingdale Trail and Louisiana’s Lafitte Greenway.
The Circuit Trails:
A Network Built Together
More than a trail network, the Circuit Trails in Greater Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey, is a regional movement that serves as a model for what is possible in communities of all sizes across the country. This video explores how citizens, nonprofits, funders and public leaders have come together over the past 15 years to make the trail network into one of the most effective, collaborative and nationally significant examples in the nation.
Produced by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and Rails to Trails Conservancy.
Special thanks to all the voices who made this video possible.
PBS – From Rails to Trails
Created and produced by filmmaker Dan Protess and RTC co-founder Peter Harnik, and narrated by actor Edward Norton, this documentary by PBS explores the origins of America’s trails movement—a political movement that emerged from the enthusiasm of passionate citizens who sought to protect unused rail corridors and create safe spaces for people to walk, bike and be active outside.
Produced by PBS. Click the image above to stream the documentary on the PBS website.
Trail Adventures
FEATURE
Exploring America’s Geoheritage Sites by Trail
Since 2021, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Geoheritage Sites of the Nation project has identified geologic sites that have “played a significant role in impacting society throughout history”—helping to shape our relationship to the landscape. Here, we examine eight of these incredible and awe-inspiring sites that can be found, viewed and enjoyed along our nation’s multiuse trails.
By Amy Kapp/Produced by Rails to Trails magazine
Featuring: Christina DeVera, Dr. Jingle Ruppert and Dr. Tom Casadevall of the USGS; Tim Henderson of the National Air and Space Museum.
Highlights: Cadillac Mountain/Carriage Roads (Maine); Race Point Beach (Cape Cod)/Province Lands Bike Trail (Massachusetts); Wissahickon Formation of the Delaware Piedmont/Brandywine Trail (Delaware); Mather Gorge/C&O Canal Towpath/Billy Goat Trail (Maryland); Pulpit Rock/Rock Creek Park (District of Columbia); Weston Lake/Congaree Boardwalk Loop (South Carolina); Scotts Bluff/Monument Valley Pathway (Nebraska); Great Unconformity at the Grand Canyon/Grand Canyon Greenway (Arizona)
FEATURE
Favorite Trailside Attractions in the United States
Trails connect us to such amazing places and spaces with so much to inspire us—from incredible community art to breathtaking landscapes and the best in cultural and natural exploration. In this video, #TeamRTC shows off their passion for America’s trails, highlighting some of their favorite and most inspiring trailside attractions.
Produced by Rails to Trails magazine
Featuring: RTC staffers Marianne Wesley Fowler, Eric Oberg, Quinton Batts, Jacque Lavelle and Kevin Belle
Highlights: Mister Rogers “Tribute to Children” statue/“The Workers” statue/Color Park/Three Rivers Heritage Trail (Pennsylvania); Great Council State Park/Little Miami Scenic Trail (Ohio); Bryce Canyon National Park/Shared Use Path (Utah); Bluffs/Bighorn River/Greybull Riverwalk–Great American Rail-Trail (Wyoming); Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail–Great American Rail-Trail (Nebraska)
Celebrating the Impact Trails Deliver
BLAZE – The Trails of Alabama
This documentary journeys across Alabama’s diverse trail systems during the official “Year of Alabama Trails,” showcasing how the state’s trails shape lives and communities by promoting health and wellness, tourism and conversation, and creating spaces for adventure.
Produced by Longleaf Studios at Jacksonville State University. Used with permission.
Ecusta Trail – Opening Day 2025
The 19-mile Ecusta Trail will eventually connect Hendersonville and Brevard, North Carolina, delivering a range of benefits and connecting people to the cultural and natural heritage of the region. Hear from local business owners and advocates on the trail’s opening day for its first 6 miles on July 18, 2025. Learn more about the trail in our May 2026 Trail of the Month feature.
Produced by Friends of the Ecusta Trail and Real Digital Productions. Used with permission.
Florida Trail Towns: Gulf Coast
Launched in 2018, Florida Trail Towns is a state program that helps communities boost tourism and promote recreation by highlighting regional trail systems. In this video, you can “take a ride” along the Gulf Coast and see what makes each trail town in this region unique!
Produced by the Florida Channel. Used with permission.
Rails to Trails magazine is dedicated to exploring America’s remarkable rail-trails and multiuse trail networks, with a focus on the impact they have in communities nationwide. Published quarterly—three times per year in print plus one all-multimedia edition—the magazine is a benefit of membership to Rails to Trails Conservancy. Subscribe now to get great trail content while supporting RTC and the trails movement
PROFILE
May Theilgaard Watts and the Rails-to-Trails Movement
May Theilgaard Watts, a naturalist and educator in the Chicago area, helped spark a rail reuse movement across the country as she sought to transform the old Chicago, Aurora and Elgin right-of-way into a walking trail. Check out the WTTW website to view this video on her accomplishments.
Produced by WTTW.
Department Features
Impact Report 2025: Rails to Trails Conservancy
Since 1986, Rails to Trails Conservancy has stood at the forefront of America’s efforts to make it safer and easier to walk, bike and be active outside.
RTC’s FY 2025 Impact Report chronicles RTC’s efforts to build, strengthen and expand the foundation for America’s essential infrastructure in 2024–25, against the backdrop of the organization’s 40-year track record as the nation’s leading voice for trails, walking and biking.
Impact Report 2025
Community Connections
Around the country, trails are shaping communities in powerful ways and making impactful differences in people’s lives. Here, we highlight a handful of these special places—submitted by our nationwide trails community—that have become valued catalysts for economic progress, safe mobility, healthier lifestyles and connection.
VETS Program on the Arizona National Scenic Trail
Learn about a recent project of the Arizona Trail Association’s VETS Program, which aims to provide meaningful opportunities for military veterans to build connections, community and camaraderie through trail stewardship and restoration across Arizona.
Produced by Paul Rivera with Save It or Lose It Productions. Used with permission.
El Dorado Trail Overview
Northern California’s 39-mile El Dorado Trail provides a tangible connection to history through its gold-rush towns in the Sierra Nevada foothills, refurbished depots, century-old trestle and a developing linkage to the Pony Express Trail.
Produced by Ted Larson in association with Friends of El Dorado Trail. Used with permission.
Pumpkinvine Trails Coalition: Building Trails and Changing Lives
The Pumpkinvine Trails Coalition supports a 75-mile network of trails across Elkhart County in northern Indiana. Hear firsthand how these trails—which record 500,000+ uses annually—are improving quality of life in the region.
Produced by Chuck Fry and the Community Foundation of Elkhart County. Used with permission.
The Delaware River Trail: Connecting Philadelphia’s Riverfront
Spanning 3.3 miles, the Delaware River Trail serves as a cultural and social touchstone for Philadelphia, connecting to key destinations in the city and beyond as part of the regional Circuit Trails network and the East Coast Greenway.
Produced by Rocco Avallone in association with NV5 and DRWC. Used with permission.
Exploring the Greater Indy Greenways
Greater Indy Trailways consists of 800 miles of multiuse trails and greenways linking Indianapolis and dozens of communities across nine counties in Central Indiana.
Produced by Visit Indy. Used with permission.
We want to hear from you!
We’d love to hear your feedback on the Green Issue of Rails to Trails. Post to our Facebook page, give us a tweet @railstotrails, or send us an email.
Rails to Trails magazine is dedicated to exploring America’s remarkable rail-trails and multiuse trail networks, with a focus on the impact they have in communities nationwide. Published quarterly—three times per year in print plus one all-multimedia edition—the magazine is a benefit of membership to Rails to Trails Conservancy. Subscribe now to get great trail content while supporting RTC and the trails movement.
Green Issue Staff
Vice President of Communications: Brandi Horton
Editor-in-Chief: Amy Kapp
Senior Editor: Laura Stark
Video/StoryMap Production: Anthony Le, Derek Strout
Graphics/Web Design: Anthony Le/Joe LaCroix
Distribution: Ryan Cree, Suzanne Matyas, Cas Marburger, Lauren Swan
