For me, the positive impact that going car-free has on air quality, reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions and decreasing traffic congestion far outweighs the benefits of owning a car.

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.

RTC embarked on a 12-month assessment of route options using its GIS database of more than 34,000 miles of existing trails nationwide.

Just in time for Presidents’ Day, here are 10 multiuse trails that share ties with some notable U.S. heads of state.

D.C. has a lot treasures to discover—not least of which are its rail-trails and multiuse pathways, which provide linkages, large and small, to many of the communities.

RTC presents this list of some of our favorite creepy trailside attractions for some much-needed levity (no pun intended?) and fun!

The research looked at changes in gentrification indicators in the communities surrounding the three trails—the Metropolitan Branch Trail in Washington, D.C., the Shelby Farms Greenline in Memphis, Tennessee, and the Lafitte Greenway in New Orleans, Louisiana.

This report, Great American Rail-Trail Route Assessment, was originally published by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) in May 2019. This updated version was published in May 2021.