Posts by Laura Stark Page 9

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.”

Sacagawea statue | Photo courtesy Charles Dawley | CC by 2.0

10 Trails Named After Influential Women

Posted 03/08/17 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Best Of, History Happened Here, Most Essential

For Women’s History Month, we honor the visionary women who have made extraordinary impacts in their own communities and for the nation. In some cases, their legacy lives on in the names of trails that are used and loved by communities. Here are just 10 to inspire you.

Bill and Pam Metzger (second from left and right) on their wedding day in June 1997 along the Montour Trail in Pennsylvania | Photo courtesy Bill Metzger

A Trail Life Well Lived—And Loved

Posted 02/13/17 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Featured Magazine Articles, Pennsylvania, Success Stories

In this blog posted in honor of Valentine's Day, the co-creator of the legendary Great Allegheny Passage and Montour Trail talks about some of his fondest memories of the two pathways—including the day he got married!

View of the Brays Bayou Greenway Trail in Hermann Park. | Courtesy Bob Bohmer Photography

Texas’ Brays Bayou Greenway Trail

Posted 02/03/17 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Texas, Tourism , Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

While not generally known for its greenspace, Houston—the country’s fourth most populated city—is onto something big. Something Texas-sized big: the Bayou Greenways 2020 project, which aims to complete a 150-mile network of trails along the city’s major waterways in just a few year’s time. Houston is home to seven lengthy bayous and two creeks (engendering the fitting nickname of the Bayou City) stretching from the city’s western boundary to Galveston Bay. The longest of these, the Brays Bayou, is the close companion of the Brays Bayou Greenway Trail, which spans more than 30 miles, connecting several parks and running just a couple blocks north of NRG Stadium, where this year’s Super Bowl is taking place.

In Windham, the Hop River Trail meets the Air Line Trail on this bridge over the Willimantic River. | Courtesy Connecticut DOT-DEEP

Connecticut’s Hop River State Park Trail

Posted 01/19/17 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Connecticut, Tourism , Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

It’s hard to pick a favorite season to experience the Hop River State Park Trail, set amidst the dense forests of Eastern Connecticut. Sections of the 20-mile rail-trail dive through steep rock cuts that seep moisture, giving the feeling of air conditioning in summer and freezing into glistening ice falls in winter. Maples and oaks bring fiery autumn hues and, in the spring, trilliums and other wildflowers speckle the brush with color. Add three tunnels and a covered bridge and the trail’s picturesque backdrop is complete.

Virginia's New River Trail State Park | Photo courtesy Virginia State Parks | CC by 2.0

10 Awesome Rail-Trails with First Day Hikes (on Jan. 1)

Posted 12/27/16 by Laura Stark, Amy Kapp in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Community Events, Ecology and Environment, Trail Destinations

On New Year’s Day, state parks around the U.S. offer free, guided First Day Hikes to help children and families kick off the New Year—and connect to nature. Last year, nearly 55,000 people participated! So many great rail-trails across the country claim state park status—and we figured there’s no better time than Jan. 1 for all of us to get started on our 2017 rail-trail journey. Here are just 10 great ways you can bring in the New Year on America’s awesome rail-trails.

Snow biking and skiing on the Rio Grande Trail near Basalt, Colorado | Photo courtesy Pitkin County Open Space and Trails

10 Rail-Trail Winter Wonderlands

Posted 12/20/16 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Featured Magazine Articles, Health and Active Living, Trail Destinations, Winter Uses

When the snow hits, many trail enthusiasts stow their running shoes or tuck their bikes into the back of the garage, missing an opportunity to enjoy rail-trails in a completely different way. Here are 10 winter wonderland trail views to get you motivated!

A view from the Katy Trail bridge in Windsor looking down on Rock Island Trail State Park. | Courtesy Missouri Rock Island Trail, Inc.

Missouri's Rock Island Trail State Park

Posted 12/05/16 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Missouri, Rock Island, Tourism , Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Just in time for the holidays, a stunning new rail-trail has arrived in Missouri. Opening Dec. 10, the 47.5-mile Rock Island Trail State Park is notable for its length—and its connection to an even longer trail: the renowned Katy Trail State Park, which, at 237.7 miles, nearly crosses the entire state. While the Katy Trail stops short of Kansas City, a forthcoming extension of the Rock Island Trail will march right to the city’s doorstep, making it possible to utilize both trails to travel between the state’s two largest cities, Kansas City and St. Louis, without a car.

The trail's rocky tunnel is located on the northern end of the route | Photo by J. Foster Fanning courtesy Ferry County Rail Trail Partners

Washington's Ferry County Rail Trail

Posted 10/10/16 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Tourism , Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Washington

It sounds too good to be true. Northeast Washington’s Ferry County Rail Trail winds through a forested valley carved by the pristine Kettle River, passes through an otherworldly rock tunnel and crosses a 770-foot trestle that skims over a vast lake. Framed by mountains, the 25-mile trail is especially breathtaking this time of year, brightened with the golden hues of aspen, western larch and cottonwood. Every few miles, a quaint town welcomes visitors in a place so remote there’s not even a single stoplight in the whole county.

An equestrian trail parallels the Pine Creek Rail Trail between Ansonia and Tiadaghton | Photo by Linda Stager, author of the Pine Creek Rail Trail Guidebook

Pennsylvania’s Pine Creek Rail Trail

Posted 09/15/16 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Pennsylvania, Tourism , Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

We’re going to let you in on a little secret: If you’re looking for a trail trip to take this fall, stop your Google searching; northern Pennsylvania’s Pine Creek Rail Trail offers the perfect outdoor destination for autumn (or any season, really). Stretching 62 miles through a pristine valley dubbed the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, the variety of trees here—sugar maple, red maple, ash, oak, white pine and hemlock—form an ever-changing kaleidoscope of landscapes. In this lush wilderness, travelers will often cross paths with deer or, much less frequently, black bears.

Ohio and Erie Canalway Towpath Trail under the I-80 overpass in Summit County, Ohio | Photo by Bob Callebert

A View From ... The Industrial Heartland Trails Network

Posted 09/13/16 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Featured Magazine Articles, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Trail Destinations, West Virginia

The Industrial Heartland Trails system is a collection of nearly three dozen pathways featuring scenic wilderness, dramatic railroad tunnels and trestles, welcoming trail towns and historical sites from the birthplace of America’s Industrial Revolution. The system is ambitious and breathtaking in scope: 1,450 miles of trail spiraling out across four states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and New York. Here is a sampling of the beauty to be found within the network.

Ke Ala Hele Makalae offers expansive views of the Kauai coast | Photo by Kevin Clark

Hawaii's Ke Ala Hele Makalae

Posted 08/03/16 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Hawaii, Tourism , Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Kauai is picture perfect—literally. Hawaii’s “Garden Isle,” blanketed in emerald green rainforests and encircled with soft, sandy beaches has been featured in dozens of movies and TV shows. The dinosaurs of Jurassic Park, the monstrous beast of King Kong and the adventurous Indiana Jones have all roamed its mountainous terrain and mysterious jungles. Hugging the island’s Coconut Coast, the musical sounding Ke Ala Hele Makalae provides an easy way to experience a piece of this paradise in 7.3 miles of paved pathway along the eastern shoreline.