Posts by Suzanne Matyas

Golden Rules: Six Things You Need to Know for Trail Season

Posted 06/13/17 by Suzanne Matyas in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, How-to, Trail Etiquette, Trail Use Tips

You, me, and other trail users agree: It’s officially primetime for trail season. And whether you’re a commuter, a caregiver or a long-distance rider, it’s important to know and practice good safety and trail use etiquette. Here’s our list of must-knows to make the trail safe, fun and a good time for everyone!

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A view of the Statue of Liberty as seen from the High Line | Department of Agriculture | public domain

Five Rail-Trails for Marveling at National Monuments

Posted 06/01/17 by Suzanne Matyas in Trail Use | Tagged with California, Georgia, Idaho, Minnesota, New York, Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Destinations

There are countless special places in America, but only about 100 have been distinguished enough to be called national monuments. Scattered throughout the U.S., many of them have or are near trails—lucky for trail lovers! Here’s a short list of five rail-trails that’ll help you reach, explore and admire some of these incredible places.

Trails are a great place to spy a variety of beautiful birds, including the bald eagle! | Photo courtesy Boyd Dwyer | CC BY-SA 2.0

Nine Great Birding Rail-Trails to Crow About

Posted 05/15/17 by Suzanne Matyas in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, Trail Destinations, Wild and Wonderful, Wisconsin

Whether you’re an avian aficionado, ornithologist, fan of fowl or simply a person who enjoys the subtle sight of a feather stretching across the wind, you’ll want to check out these nine great birding trails!

High Trestle Trail | Photo by Milo Bateman

Kick Off Spring With These 10 Bucket-List Biking Trails

Posted 03/28/17 by Suzanne Matyas in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with California, Encouraging Trail Use, Idaho, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Trail Destinations, Virginia, Washington

And while every trail offers its own unique experience, there are some that are so extraordinary that they truly rise to the top. So, saddle up your two-wheeled steed and celebrate Opening Day on April 8 on one of these bucket-listers!

A collage featuring photos submitted to RTC's "I Support Trails!" Photo Contest

Picture Perfect: Check Out These Gorgeous Trail Photos from Our 2016 #OptOutside

Posted 12/02/16 by Suzanne Matyas in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Encouraging Trail Use, Missouri, Wild and Wonderful

In celebration of REI’s campaign to #OptOutside on Black Friday, Nov. 25, we asked you to share how you spend time outdoors and on the trail through our “I Support Trails!” Photo Contest— and we were completely blown away by the positive response.

Hit the trails and #OptOutside for some feel-good fun and fresh air. | Photo courtesy Cleo Fogal | CC by 2.0

Five Feel-Good Ways to #OptOutside on Black Friday

Posted 11/15/16 by Suzanne Matyas in Taking Action, America's Trails | Tagged with Ecology and Environment, Encouraging Trail Use, Health and Active Living, How-to, Trail Use Tips

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is inviting you and your family to #OptOutside with us, REI and millions of others on Black Friday, Nov. 25, 2016! Grab your grandpa, Grover and the rest of the gang—and give the gift of time, sun and the great outdoors. Here’s a list of five ways you can go the extra mile and make a difference while you #OptOutside this year.

Team RTC cleaned up the Capital Crescent Trail in Washington, D.C. for Make a Difference Day. | Photo by Suzanne Matyas

Rails-to-Trails' Mission Make a Difference Day 2016

Posted 10/25/16 by Suzanne Matyas in America's Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Community Events, Maintenance and Volunteers

In honor of the 25th Make a Difference Day, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy team took to the Capital Crescent Trail for a celebratory cleanup! Recognized on the fourth Saturday of every October, this annual day of service unites volunteers all across the country to help improve the lives of others.

San Francisco Bay Trail | Photo by Cindy Barks

Missing: Trails in the 2016 Debates

Posted 10/11/16 by Suzanne Matyas in Taking Action, Policy | Tagged with Health and Active Living, Products of Good Policy, RTC in Action, Transportation and Health

On the night of Sunday, Oct. 9, the third debate of the 2016 general election concluded. Since the first debate, the presidential and vice-presidential candidates have touched on important topics critical to trails, including the economy, the environment and national health. However, transportation infrastructure—which includes trails, biking and walking—was never mentioned.

Iowa's Riverfront Trail as seen during an RTC Rail-Trail Mapping Trip| Photo by RTC/Suzanne Matyas

10 Stunning Photos from RTC’s Midwest Rail-Trail Mapping Trips

Posted 10/07/16 by Suzanne Matyas in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Mapping and Technology, Trail Destinations

Every year, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy team is sent out of the office on a mission: to collect data for the next rail-trail guidebook. This year was great, and we wanted to share our top 10 photos and incredible experiences in the Midwest—our “#MappingMoments”—from this year with you!

Eastside Trail, part of the Atlanta BeltLine | Photo by Jim Brown

The Results Are In from Our 2016 Share the Trail Poll!

Posted 09/01/16 by Suzanne Matyas in Trail Use | Tagged with How-to, Safety and Law Enforcement, Trail Etiquette, Trail Use Tips

As RTC wraps up a second summer of our Share the Trail campaign, we wanted to thank everybody who pledged to be unofficial trail ambassadors. Special thanks to those of you who participated in our Share the Trail polls on social media. We were excited to see the poll results, and we have shared them here with you!

Grand Teton Multi-use Pathway/Greater Yellowstone Trail, Wyoming | Photo by Camrin Dengel

Five Rail-Trails in America’s National Parks

Posted 08/11/16 by Suzanne Matyas in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Ecology and Environment, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Ohio, Tourism , Trail Destinations, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

Rail-trails travel through some of America’s most iconic places—including our national parks, which officially turn 100 years old this year (Aug. 25)! On the eve of the U.S. National Park Service centennial, we thought it was a great time to bring you this list of five national park rail-trails, which dot the country’s landscapes from the Great Lakes to Western Washington. So lace up your shoes—and go explore!