Community Connections| Green Issue 2022 | Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Community Connections

^{Pennsylvania's Schuylkill River Trail | Photo by Thom Carroll Photography}

In Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida, Minnesota and Washington State, trails and trail networks are connecting communities like never before. Learn how trail advocates, residents and local leaders in these states are creating new safe off-road access to green space, cultural hotspots and commerce centers in their regions.

Schuylkill Banks

Learn how Philadelphia’s Schuylkill Banks is reimagining the city’s riverfront, providing equitable access to greenspace, the water and recreational amenities while improving residents’ quality of life and spurring economic development. The project is also part of the Circuit Trails, a developing 800-mile trail network in the Greater Philadelphia region that is part of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s TrailNation™ portfolio.

Produced by the Schuylkill River Development Corporation. Used by permission.

Breathtakingly Beautiful
Betsie Valley Trail

Enjoy a tour of the 22-mile Betsie Valley Trail, which connects a handful of charming towns and natural areas in Michigan’s northwestern Lower Peninsula. This visual guide shows off this recreation destination, taking viewers through forests and wetlands, past a replica railroad depot and along the Betsie River to end at the sparkling expanse of Lake Michigan.

Produced by the Friends of the Betsie Valley Trail. Used by permission.

Withlacoochee-Dunnellon Trail Connector Grand Opening Ceremony

Florida’s new Withlacoochee-Dunnellon Trail Connector improves community access to a regional network of multiuse trails. Opened in March 2022, the milelong pathway provides a key link between the 46-mile Withlacoochee State Trail and the 2.5-mile Dunnellon Trail, which is nestled within the expansive Cross Florida Greenway stretching from the Gulf Coast to the St. Johns River.

Produced by the Florida Department of Transportation’s District Seven. Used by permission.

City of Jackson Community and Trails

Come on a virtual journey through the City of Jackson, and see what makes this rural community in southwestern Minnesota so special. Over 10 miles of multiuse trails—including scenic routes along the Des Moines River—make it easy to reach destinations for work and play in this bike-friendly city.

Produced by the Friends of Jackson County Trails Committee. Used by permission.

R2R 2021: An Adventure in
Your Own Backyard

Dive into the two-decade history of the Rainier to Ruston (R2R) Relay, a beloved annual event covering 50 miles from Mount Rainier to Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Over the years, the relay has introduced thousands of people to the Foothills Trail, which showcases the Pacific Northwest’s dramatic scenery and welcoming communities.

Produced by the Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition. Used by permission.

Experience the Spanish Moss Trail

See why South Carolina’s Spanish Moss Trail was ranked among the top 10 urban walking trails in the United States by "Outside" magazine. Enjoy this showcase of some of the Lowcountry’s best scenery and historical points of interest—including picturesque salt water and marsh vistas and coastal wildlife viewing along this 10-mile paved greenway connecting the communities of Beaufort and Port Royal.

Produced by the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail. Used by permission.