16 Historic Highlights Along the Route of the Great American Rail-Trail. Rail-trails are the perfect way for us to connect to each other, our communities and our cultural heritage. Unique in makeup and geography, each trail that’s hosting the 3,700-miles-plus preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail has many stories to tell—some as old as, or far older than, our country itself. Both well known and lesser known, the histories found along the route demonstrate why the “Great American” is a true national treasure.

Now, with its 112-year history, the Hennepin Canal Parkway seems a natural for its latest chapter—as a “gateway trail” in the nearly 4,000-mile Great American Rail-Trail, a cross-country route planned by Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC) to stretch across the United States, from Washington, D.C., to Washington State.

Imagine what’s possible with a trail that connects the country. That vision will become a reality thanks to the Great American Rail-Trail, a signature project of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the organization’s most ambitious TrailNation™ project yet.

Say hello to the newest batch of rail-trails in 2017

In recognition of Veterans Day, we’ve highlighted three rail-trails that offer quiet, reflective places to honor and remember our country’s servicemen and women.

Want to enjoy a great rail-trail, but don’t want to leave your furry friend behind? Here you’ll find a list of tail-friendly trails across the country.

In the late 1890s, an African-American dynamo exploded onto the bicycle racing scene at record-breaking speeds: Marshall “Major” Taylor.

May Theilgaard Watts was a writer, illustrator, naturalist, scientist and teacher. Her determination that Americans stay connected to their natural landscape in a time of increasing urbanization was the catalyst that led to the formation of the Illinois Prairie Path,

This lease of property defines the premise of use between the railroad and the Rock River Recreation Path in Rockford, Illinois.