Posts by Laura Stark

Tennessee’s Tweetsie Trail

Posted 10/13/20 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Health and Active Living, Tennessee, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Walkability and Bikeability

Tweetsie Trail entrance in Johnson City | Courtesy Carter County Tourism

Nestled into the recreational playground of northeastern Tennessee, the Tweetsie Trail connects two charming towns in the Appalachian foothills, following a railroad corridor that once snaked through the mountains and crossed into North Carolina.

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Northern Rail Trail | Photo by TrailLink user sc302

Five Top Trails That Make the Case for America’s Recreational Trails Program

Posted 09/21/20 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Policy | Tagged with Federal, Funding, Idaho, Maintenance and Volunteers, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Vermont

Nearly three decades after its inception, the need for the RTP has only intensified as trail development accelerates nationally. Looking at the rail-trail niche alone, the country has increased its number of rail-trails from around 500 to more than 2,200. And, in many places, individual trails are now coalescing into expansive networks of interconnected trails spanning hundreds of miles. Awareness and use of trails has grown in tandem—but with more footfalls, hoofbeats and wheel revolutions than ever, funding for trail maintenance is not keeping pace with demand.

Caperton Trail bridge at the mouth of Deckers Creek in Morgantown | Courtesy RTC

Mon River Rail-Trail System (West Virginia)

Posted 09/09/20 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, TrailNation, West Virginia

Branching out from its nexus in Morgantown, home to West Virginia University, the Mon River Rail-Trail System comprises 48 miles of seamlessly connected pathway featuring an ensemble cast of environments.

Birdwatching in Tacony Creek Park | Courtesy Tookany-Tacony Frankford Watershed Partnership

Philly Birder Takes Fledgling Bird Enthusiasts Under His Wing

Posted 09/01/20 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Circuit Trails, Ecology and Environment, Encouraging Trail Use, Equity, Featured Magazine Articles, Trail Moments, Trail Use Tips, TrailNation, Wild and Wonderful

“For me, the special part of those experiences has been having so many different types of people participating,” enthused Keith Russell. “You have families come out with kids and people who are in their 70s and 80s. I’m always so thrilled that you have such diversity; birding doesn’t just attract one section of the community or one type of person.”

Anacostia River views from the trail | Photo by Joe Flood

Washington, D.C., and Maryland’s Anacostia River Trail

Posted 08/13/20 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Capital Trails Coalition, District Of Columbia, Equity, Heritage and Restoration, History Happened Here, Maryland, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, TrailNation

Just beyond the iconic monuments and museums that make up the central core of Washington, D.C., lies one of the area’s best kept secrets: the Anacostia River Trail, a 20-mile route along the city’s eastern waterway that offers an extraordinary tapestry of experiences on its journey to Bladensburg, Maryland.

Pennsylvania's Three Rivers Heritage Trail | Photo courtesy Healthy Ride, Pittsburgh Bike Share

Eight Urban Experiences Along the Great American Rail-Trail

Posted 08/10/20 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, District Of Columbia, Great American Rail-Trail, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Trail Destinations, TrailNation, Washington, Wyoming

The Great American Rail-Trail, covering some 3,700 miles across the country, will be accessible by nearly 50 million people within 50 miles of the route. Here is a sampling of some of the unique close-to-home experiences that city dwellers along the way can already enjoy.

Tacony Creek Trail | Photo by Thom Carroll

Pennsylvania’s Tacony Creek Trail

Posted 06/09/20 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Circuit Trails, Connected Systems, Delaware, Ecology and Environment, Equity, Maintenance and Volunteers, Pennsylvania, Trail of the Month, TrailNation

Philadelphia is tucked between two major rivers, the Delaware to the east and the Schuylkill to the west; between them, Tacony Creek—a tributary of the Delaware—runs its course through the city’s northeast neighborhoods. In this densely populated pocket, the 3.2-mile Tacony Creek Trail, paved and smooth as a river stone, flows along the waterway under the hush of tall old-growth trees.

Flint Hills Trail State Park | Courtesy Kansas Tourism

Tapping into Federal Funding: Five Trail Tales of Success

Posted 05/28/20 by Laura Stark in Policy, Success Stories | Tagged with Federal, Funding, Kansas, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas

We explore a handful of rail-trails that have been supported by essential Transportation Alternatives funds, and the impact they’ve had on local communities and the nation. Many of these trails are part of larger, connected networks of trails and active transportation infrastructure that provide both critical recreational opportunities and much-needed transportation options to daily destinations or transit. Others connect communities and help promote tourism or travel between towns.

Milwaukee Road Rail Trail in Thompson Park | Photo by Preston Keres, courtesy USDA Forest Service

Montana’s Milwaukee Road Rail-Trail (Thompson Park)

Posted 05/11/20 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Biking, Great American Rail-Trail, Maintenance and Volunteers, Montana, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Wild and Wonderful

Framed by the majestic Rocky Mountains, Montana’s Milwaukee Road Rail-Trail (Thompson Park) sits roughly equidistant between two national parks—just a half-day’s drive from both Yellowstone and Glacier.

Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail | Photo by TrailLink user orangedoug

The Great American Rail-Trail: Projects to Watch in 2020

Posted 05/08/20 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Encouraging Trail Use, Great American Rail-Trail, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, TrailNation, Washington

At the end of last year, RTC reported that nearly $13 million in funding has been secured for Great American segments, which will help close trail gaps and improve existing sections of trail along the 3,700-mile route between Washington, D.C., and Washington State. This year, nearly 100 miles of new trail along the route are expected to be completed. As a pre-kick-off to May, here’s a sneak peek at a handful of these exciting projects.