Posts by Laura Stark Page 11

Former B&O Railroad bridge along the North Bend Rail Trail leading to the quaint town of Cairo, West Virginia | Photo by Mike Tewkesbury

Six Great Things You'll See on the North Bend Rail Trail

Posted 04/04/16 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Sojourn Series, Tourism , Trail Destinations, West Virginia

The North Bend Rail Trail exemplifies “Wild and Wonderful” West Virginia. For those who seek adventure on this remote and pristine pathway, RTC’s West Virginia Sojourn (June 19-22) provides a stress-free way to explore the 72-mile rail-trail with a friendly group of fellow travelers and experienced guides. Here are some of our favorite highlights from the route.

The well-loved Walkway Over the Hudson serves a multitude of users. | Photo by Fred Schaeffer

New York's Hudson Valley Trail Network

Posted 03/17/16 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Celebrating 30 Years, Hall of Fame, New York, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

The Walkway—the longest pedestrian bridge in the world—emerges out of the trees and over the rooftops of the old riverfront town of Poughkeepsie, crosses the vast Hudson River and touches down in the hamlet of Highland on the other side, traveling just shy of a mile and a half all told.

The rural southern end of the rail-trail. | Photo by Kelly R Williams

Oregon’s Banks-Vernonia State Trail

Posted 01/19/16 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Celebrating 30 Years, Oregon, Tourism , Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

A thread of black in an emerald blanket, the Banks-Vernonia State Trail weaves its way between two peaceful towns in the foothills of Northwest Oregon’s Coast Range, less than an hour’s drive from Portland. Most of the 22-mile paved pathway is enveloped by the tall trees that attracted the lumber industry in the early 1900s—a verdant mix of Douglas fir, maple, cedar and alder.

Rio Grande Trail | Photo courtesy RFTA

RTC Invites America to Choose 2016 Hall of Fame Rail-Trail

Posted 01/19/16 by Laura Stark in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Celebrating 30 Years, Hall of Fame, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

In recognition of the 30th anniversary of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), we’ll be conducting a public vote for the 30th entry into the prestigious Rail-Trail Hall of Fame. Here's a quick look at our five candidates, which will be highlighted in our Trail of the Month TrailBlog feature stories between January and May. Take a look!

Florida’s Snake Creek Trail | Photo courtesy Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department

Florida’s Snake Creek Trail

Posted 11/17/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Florida, Health and Active Living, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Urban Pathways

Neighborhood trails don’t come much nicer than the Snake Creek Trail in southeast Florida. While not a rail-trail, the paved 6.5-mile route offers a similar easy and level riding experience along a pleasant, palm-tree-dotted canal connecting North Miami Beach and Miami Gardens (home of the Miami Dolphins).

Photo courtesy The Greenway Guy

Minnesota’s Midtown Greenway

Posted 10/16/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Best Of, Hall of Fame, Minnesota, Rail-with-Trail, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Nestled 20 feet below street level in an early 20th-century railroad cut, Minnesota’s Midtown Greenway bypasses the street traffic crossing overhead on more than two dozen historical bridges. Combined with a smart design, which incorporates westbound and eastbound biking lanes, as well as a separate walking path, and you have a commuter’s paradise of both beauty and speed.

Chessie Nature Trail | Photo by Frank N. Carlson

10 Great Hiking and Walking Trails

Posted 09/30/15 by Amy Kapp, Laura Stark in America's Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Best Of, Trail Destinations, Walkability and Bikeability

The U.S. Surgeon General recently called on all Americans to make walking a regular part of daily life—and to create more safe, walkable communities—to improve our nation’s health. RTC and the Every Body Walk! Collaborative have designated October as Trails, Parks and Outdoor Spots month to promote great walkable places and get people involved. In honor of the month, here's a list of 10 great walking and hiking trails across America.

Heritage Rail Trail County Park | Photo by John Gensor, courtesy Steam Into History

Pennsylvania’s Heritage Rail Trail County Park and Maryland’s Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail

Posted 09/18/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Hall of Fame, Heritage and Restoration, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

One of the largest completed sections of that developing network is a pair of connected rail-trails—the Heritage Rail Trail County Park and the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail—a 44-mile expanse of crushed stone across two states (Pennsylvania and Maryland) that, together, are the latest inductees into the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

A peaceful, rural scene along the Tanglefoot Trail | Photo by Melissa Campbell

Mississippi’s Tanglefoot Trail

Posted 08/12/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Mississippi, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

At 44 miles, the Tanglefoot Trail has edged out the Longleaf Trace for the longest rail-trail in the state and can easily rub shoulders with the Rail-Trail Hall of Famer in terms of scenery, friendly towns, historical significance and trailside amenities. Its feeling is undeniably rural; cattle and sheep roam the pastures alongside the trail, and fields of soybeans, cotton and corn unfold under a wide sky.

Trail users crossing the trestle at the Fries Junction | Photo by Tom Bilcze, courtesy Traillink.com

Virginia's New River Trail State Park

Posted 07/13/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Virginia

Nestled in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Highlands, the New River Trail State Park offers 57 miles of green. With most of the trail running under a lush canopy of trees, and the presence of two invitingly dark tunnels, the low-grade, crushed-stone trail provides a pleasant summer ride. Its proximity to the New River, which is actually one of the world’s oldest rivers (geologically, speaking), also offers prime opportunities to cool off with canoe, kayak and tubing trips, or a simple dip in the water.