Posts by Laura Stark Page 5

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

Photo courtesy The Greenway Guy

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.

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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

The visionary Grand History Trail began rather humbly. Nearly a decade ago, Don Gogniat was sitting at a meeting of the York County Rail Trail Authority, and as he listened to those around him talking about the region’s trails, he began quietly sketching them out on a napkin. As he added the trails line by line, he saw something exciting begin to take shape: a map of a potential 250-mile Grand History Trail connecting dozens of historical sites and historically significant cities, including the nation’s capital, Annapolis, Baltimore, York, Hanover and Gettysburg.

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.

Sanibel Island beach | Photo by Robert Styppa

Florida’s Sanibel Island Shared-Use Paths

Posted 06/15/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Florida, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Sun, sea, and sandy beaches: Florida’s Sanibel Island is a summer sanctuary. Better yet, the island’s extensive shared-use path system—totaling 24 paved miles—provides access to it all: beaches, a wildlife refuge and rehabilitation center, a historical lighthouse and village, a renowned seashell museum, restaurants, shops and just about everything else in this laid-back community on the Gulf Coast.

Mopac Trail West | Photo courtesy Market to Market Relay

Nebraska's MoPac Trail East and West

Posted 05/12/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Nebraska, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Exciting change is literally afoot in the Cornhusker State. Omaha currently ranks among the top 50 of America’s Best Bike Cities, and less than a dozen miles separate its trail system from Lincoln’s. The MoPac Trail, which will join them, is also a key piece of a bigger puzzle, the developing Quad State Trail, a regional network which will span more than 700 miles in four Midwestern states: Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri.

The beautiful Lehigh Gorge on the D&L Trail in Pennsylvania | Photo by Mike Seigafuse

Trail Traveler for the Everyday Adventurer

Posted 05/11/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, Trail Destinations

In the inaugural issue of Trail Traveler, RTC shares our favorite spots for an outdoor weekend getaway, including recommendations for all the things a traveler needs at every part of their journey: lodging, restaurants, bike rentals and fun attractions along the way.

Photo by Scott Hagan | Courtesy Clark County, Nevada

Nevada’s Lower Las Vegas Wash Trail

Posted 04/10/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Cross-Sector Collaboration, Nevada, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Las Vegas: The name conjures up bright lights, flamboyant shows, glitzy hotels and casinos that never close, but a growing outdoor movement is changing that perception. Get the scoop on the 13.4-mile Lower Las Vegas Wash Trail, which comprises the trail network’s eastern arc and is always a sure bet with beautiful parks, desert landscapes and vistas of the rugged mountains that ring the valley.

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.