TrailBlog

White House Budget Sets Troublesome Tone for Trails

Posted 05/24/17 by Kevin Mills, Leeann Sinpatanasakul in Policy, Taking Action | Tagged with Federal, Funding, Partnership for Active Transportation, State and Federal Programs

Photo courtesy Gareth Milner | CC BY 2.0

Yesterday, the president released his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018. While White House budget proposals are little more than agenda-setting exercises—and many in Congress have said that this one is dead on arrival—the agenda it aims to set would not be good for trails, walking and biking.

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Trails are a great place to spy a variety of beautiful birds, including the bald eagle! | Photo courtesy Boyd Dwyer | CC BY-SA 2.0

Nine Great Birding Rail-Trails to Crow About

Posted 05/15/17 by Suzanne Matyas in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, Trail Destinations, Wild and Wonderful, Wisconsin

Whether you’re an avian aficionado, ornithologist, fan of fowl or simply a person who enjoys the subtle sight of a feather stretching across the wind, you’ll want to check out these nine great birding trails!

Biking with Margot on the Schuylkill River Trail in Pennsylvania | Photo courtesy Dr. Peter Doehring

Accessible Trail Adventures for People of All Abilities

Posted 05/15/17 by Peter Doehring in Trail Use, America's Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with People with Disabilities, Schools and Young People, Trail Use Tips, Why Use Trails?

Sometimes it can be hard to imagine how to plan a successful adventure for your family with special needs. But when the trips are successful, the exercise and shared enjoyment that trails offer can be incredibly powerful and restorative! Here are a few tips on how to ensure people of all abilities are having a great time out on the trail.

Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail | Photo by Elizabeth Bean Photography

California’s Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail

Posted 05/12/17 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, California, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Summer excursions don’t come much better than this: 18 miles of smooth, paved trail ringside to California’s stunning Monterey Bay, in some places so close to water’s edge that waves occasionally wash over it. The Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail is truly immersed in its seaside environment, providing access to sandy beaches, fishing piers and marinas bustling with small boats bright white against the deep blue water.

Rutgers-Camden IGNITE student participants on their 2017 inaugural "new bike" ride on the Camden GreenWay | Photo by Anya Saretzky/ RTC

New Fleet of Bikes IGNITES Trail-Inspired Youth in Camden, New Jersey

Posted 05/04/17 by Anya Saretzky in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Circuit Trails, Encouraging Trail Use, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Schools and Young People

On April 27 at Holy Name School in Camden, New Jersey, eight fifth- through eighth-graders enthusiastically greeted their new Fuji hybrid bikes as part of the Rutger-Camden IGNITE afterschool cycling program.

Jan Gierlach riding in Austin, Texas, near the midpoint of his 2017 Ride For 3 Reasons route between San Diego, California, and St. Augustine, Florida | Photo courtesy Jan Gierlach + Ride for 3 Reasons

Three Reasons 18-Year-Old Jan Gierlach Just Biked 3,300-Miles Across America

Posted 04/28/17 by Amy Kapp in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, California, Champions, Florida, Health Organizations, Young Champions

Eighteen-year-old Jan Gierlach just spent three months bicycling 3,300 miles solo and raised more than $600,000 for three causes near and dear to his heart.

Brownsville, Texas' Historic Battlefield Trail, part of the planned route for the 428-mile Lower Rio Grande Valley Active Plan multiuse trail network | Photo by Mark Lehmann

A New Star for Texas: the Lower Rio Grande Valley Active Plan

Posted 04/14/17 by Alexandra Becker in Building Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Connected Systems, Disparities and Underserved Communities, Featured Magazine Articles, Health and Active Living, Texas, Tourism and Economic Development

There’s a saying that “Everything’s bigger in Texas.” In the Lower Rio Grande Valley, 10 municipalities in Cameron County are proving the expression right as they embark on the creation of a 428-mile network of multiuse trails, bicycle routes and paddling trails aimed at connecting the region’s rich natural and cultural resources. Learn about the ambitious project in this article by Rails to Trails magazine.

How to Be Equipment-Ready for Your First Long-Distance Trail Ride

Posted 04/11/17 by Tom Sexton in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with Repairs and Trail Safety, Biking, Encouraging Trail Use, Gear, How-to, Most Essential, Sojourn Series, Trail Use Tips

If you’re planning a long-distance ride spanning several days or even a week—you’re probably hitting the trails to get in tip-top physical shape. But fitness is only one part of the equation—as the shape of one’s bike and gear can also help to determine one’s overall experience.

The trail offers unbeatable views of the Pittsburgh skyline | Photo by Kelly Carter, courtesy Friends of the Riverfront

Pennsylvania’s Three Rivers Heritage Trail

Posted 04/07/17 by Laura Stark in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Local Organizing, Pennsylvania, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Spiraling outward from downtown Pittsburgh, the 24-mile Three Rivers Heritage Trail traces the banks of three waterways—the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio—that lifted the city to prominence as America’s industrial powerhouse. The development of this paved pathway, which began more than 25 years ago, sparked a biking revolution that is continuing to turn the famed “Steel City” into “Wheel City.”

High Trestle Trail | Photo by Milo Bateman

Kick Off Spring With These 10 Bucket-List Biking Trails

Posted 03/28/17 by Suzanne Matyas in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with California, Encouraging Trail Use, Idaho, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Trail Destinations, Virginia, Washington

And while every trail offers its own unique experience, there are some that are so extraordinary that they truly rise to the top. So, saddle up your two-wheeled steed and celebrate Opening Day on April 8 on one of these bucket-listers!