Posts by Laura Stark Page 6

Midway across the span of the Chartiers Creek Bridge | Photo courtesy Kordite | CC by 2.0

Pennsylvania's Montour Trail

Posted 03/16/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Building Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Local Organizing, Maintenance and Volunteers, Pennsylvania, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

In terms of rail-trail mileage, Pennsylvania dominates, but in a crowded field, the Montour Trail—which forms a 55-mile arc around western Pittsburgh—is a standout with plenty of “wow” moments.

Locks and dams—like this one along the Monongahela River—make for some awesome sightseeing along the Mon River Trails | Photo by Jeff Wimer

Top 10 Attractions on the Mon River Trails (Sojourner's Guide)

Posted 03/09/15 by Laura Stark in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with IHTC, Trail Destinations, West Virginia

RTC is pleased to present you with this top 10 list of great attractions (in no particular order) that you will find along the spectacular Mon River Trails system. But don’t take our word for it; this April 24-26, check out the trails firsthand on our first-ever West Virginia Rail-Trail Sojourn; registration is now open!

Photo by Steve Shaluta, courtesy Mon River Trails Conservancy

West Virginia's Mon River Trails

Posted 02/11/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, IHTC, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, West Virginia, Wild and Wonderful

“Wild and Wonderful” is West Virginia’s slogan, but the same could be said of the Mon River Trail system in the north-central part of the state. The beauty of the trail network spiraling out of Morgantown is that you have access to four trails—and four unique experiences—all in one interconnected system spanning nearly 50 miles.

Jeannette and Jack Ralston after achieving their 50-state biking dream | Photo courtesy Jack Ralston

From 5th Grade to 50 States: Couple Achieves 70-Year Biking Dream

Posted 02/09/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Biking, Healthy Aging, Success Stories, Tourism

With Valentine’s Day on the near horizon, we thought it was a great time to re-run this super cool story of Jack and Jeannette Ralston, originally printed in the Spring/Summer 2013 issue of Rails to Trails. As you’ll soon find out, the Ralstons have truly shared a bike-trail romance of a lifetime. Enjoy, and Happy Heart Day! Bicycling in every state is an admirable accomplishment for anyone. Meeting that goal at 82 is something really special. In a letter that appeared in the Fall 2012 Rails to Trails, octogenarians Jack and Jeannette Ralston shared the news that they achieved their dream of pedaling in all 50 states, and that they’d used Rails to Trails to help find trails for their “cycling the nation” endeavor.

View of the Kinnickinnic River from the trail | Photo by John December

Wisconsin's Kinnickinnic River Trail

Posted 01/13/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Success Stories, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Wisconsin

The story of Milwaukee’s Kinnickinnic River Trail is the story of its eponymous river; paralleling each other through the city’s south side, the fate of the two is intimately intertwined. The KK River Trail, as it’s known locally, is also referred to as the “lost river.”

View of frozen Cherry Pond and the Presidential Range | Photo by John Compton

New Hampshire’s Presidential Range Rail Trail

Posted 12/09/14 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with New Hampshire, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Winter Uses

We’ve found New Hampshire’s best-kept secret—the Presidential Range Rail Trail—and winter is the perfect time to visit it. With a long snowy season, generally running between mid-December and early April, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy its spectacular views on a pair of Nordic skis or snowshoes.

A section of the Allegheny River Trail near Emlenton, Pa. | Photo by Tom Bilcze

Teacher Provides a Lesson in Trail Building

Posted 09/25/14 by Laura Stark in Building Trails | Tagged with Champions, Connected Systems, Pennsylvania, Success Stories

Personable, kind, decisive: These traits made Jim Holden both a good teacher and a trail visionary. While a professor of computer science at Clarion University of Pennsylvania more than two decades ago, he recognized the importance of preserving disused rail corridors for public use.

Photo credit Tom Bilcze

Pennsylvania's Allegheny River Trail

Posted 09/16/14 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Champions, Pennsylvania, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Wild and Wonderful

Unparalleled natural beauty? Check. Welcoming towns with friendly people? Check. Unique historical sites and a smooth, easy riding surface? Check, check. The 32-mile Allegheny River Trailin northwestern Pennsylvania seemingly has it all for a perfect getaway. And it's on the cusp of being even better; peak fall colors are expected to arrive in early to mid-October; the trail, lined with oaks, maples, elms and other tree varieties will be spectacular.

Photo by Eddie Watson, courtesyColumbia Parks and Recreation Department

Missouri's MKT Nature and Fitness Trail

Posted 08/01/14 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Missouri, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

True to its name, within minutes, travelers on the MKT Nature and Fitness Trail are spirited away from lively downtown Columbia, Mo., and taken into the forest. Although the city is so close at hand, it's forgotten in the company of wild turkeys, deer and a flash of orange as a fox darts across the path. The trail—just a tad shy of nine miles—is serene with the soft crunch of feet on crushed stone, the rustle of leaves overhead and the gentle gurgle of its many creek crossings.