America's Trails

Top 10 Trails in New Jersey

Posted 04/16/21 by Robert Annis in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, New Jersey, Top10, Trail Destinations

New Jersey's Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail | Photo by Chuck Whitmore

Escaping the interstate and exploring the backroads of New Jersey, it’s easy to see why it’s called the Garden State. And that’s just one reason why locals and visitors alike flock to the state’s 54 rail-trails—to get their fill of fresh air and gorgeous nature. Here are some of the best rail-trails in the state.

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New Jersey's Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail | Photo by Chuck Whitmore

Top 10 Trails in New Jersey

Posted 04/16/21 by Robert Annis in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, New Jersey, Top10, Trail Destinations

Escaping the interstate and exploring the backroads of New Jersey, it’s easy to see why it’s called the Garden State. And that’s just one reason why locals and visitors alike flock to the state’s 54 rail-trails—to get their fill of fresh air and gorgeous nature. Here are some of the best rail-trails in the state.

Dan, Michaela and Saul Brownstein, with their dog Rufus, on the Elephant Swamp Trail in New Jersey | Photo courtesy Dan Brownsteins

Adapting Trail Trips for a Hiker With a Disability: A Family’s Advice

Posted 04/15/21 by Dan Brownstein in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, How-to, Mapping and Technology, People with Disabilities, Trail Moments, Trail Use Tips, Why Use Trails?

Saul is 22 and has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. He has needed to use a power wheelchair full time since about age 14, but that has not stopped him from exploring the outdoors. Saul has traveled to 42 states and several foreign countries. He has skied, surfed and skated using adapted equipment for his disability. To that end, we’ve put together a few tips for those who may have a disability or a mobility challenge, and want to get out on the trail.

Ian Mackay on Olympic Discovery Trail | Photo by Jesse Major

Five Trail Moments with Ian Mackay, Founder of Ian's Ride

Posted 04/13/21 by Ian Mackay in Trail Use, Health and Wellness, America's Trails | Tagged with COVID-19, Encouraging Trail Use, Equity, People with Disabilities, Trail Destinations, Trail Moments, Walkability and Bikeability, Washington, Why Use Trails?

I was able to retain my happiness and sanity during this difficult year by getting outside. My preferred venue: The Olympic Discovery Trail. Here are 5 #TrailMoments that were particularly special for me during the 2020 year.

The Loop | Photo by Gerry Loew, Pima County Communications

Arizona’s Santa Cruz River Park Trail

Posted 04/12/21 by Cindy Barks in America's Trails | Tagged with Arizona, Best Of, Bike Commuting, Demand for Trails, Ecology and Environment, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Transportation and Health, Urban Pathways, Why Use Trails?

Starting in the centuries-old birthplace of Tucson in the south, the Santa Cruz River Park Trail follows the sandy and mostly dry riverbed, passing nearby murals and taquerias in neighborhoods like Midvale Park and Santa Cruz Southwest, lively shops and hotels of the downtown area, and busy parks and ballfields of the El Camino Del Cerro area in the northwest.

Minnesota's Mesabi Trail | Photo courtesy of Iron Range Tourism

Top 10 Trails in Minnesota

Posted 04/09/21 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Minnesota, Top10, Trail Destinations

When it comes to rail-trails, Minnesota is a power player with more than 2,100 open miles of such pathways to explore in every corner of the state, including a half dozen rail-trails spanning more than 100 miles each. Today’s visitors can enjoy many of these long-used corridors now reshaped as trails for walking, biking, horseback riding and other outdoor pursuits.

Fun Run 5k on the W&OD Trail in Northern Virginia | Courtesy RTC

How to Train for a 5K or 10K Using Rail-Trails

Posted 04/05/21 by Emilia Benton in Health and Wellness, Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, Health and Active Living, How-to, Trail Use Tips, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Rail-trails are an especially great option for training for that first race for a variety of reasons. For one thing, many of these trails are paved, flat or with a very light grade. They’re free to use, often close to home and easily accessible, making them an excellent option for anyone who loves to be outdoors.

New York's Keuka Outlet Trail | Photo by TrailLink user leppfan_99

Top 10 Trails in New York

Posted 03/25/21 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, New York, Top10, Trail Destinations

New York is famed for the vibrancy and culture of New York City, the Statue of Liberty, breathtaking Niagara Falls and the natural beauty of the Catskills, Adirondacks, two Great Lakes and the Finger Lakes. Another wonderful thing the state has going for it is its expansive trail system, including more than 100 rail-trails and the 750-mile Empire State Trail.

Indiana's Erie Lackawanna Trail | Photo by Tom Roach

Top 10 Trails in Indiana

Posted 03/24/21 by Ally Neutze in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Great American Rail-Trail, Hall of Fame, Indiana, Top10, Trail Destinations

Originally serving as a primary pathway to deliver goods and people to and from Chicago, Indiana’s extensive railway system makes the state ideal for rail-trail exploration. Its ever-expanding network of trails provides residents and visitors with an abundance of options for recreation, commuting and physical activity, with 73 completed rail-trails and 34 rail-trail projects in progress as of 2021.

Spring to Spring Trail | Courtesy Pat Northey

Florida’s Spring to Spring Trail

Posted 03/16/21 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, Florida, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

The Sunshine State’s Spring to Spring Trail doesn’t hide any tricks up its sleeve; as its name implies, travelers will see several natural springs along this scenic, nearly complete 26-mile route winding through the old-growth forests and tree-draped lakesides of Central Florida.

Little Miami Scenic Trail | Photo by TrailLink user orangedoug

Top 10 Trails in Ohio

Posted 03/15/21 by Ally Neutze in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Great American Rail-Trail, IHTC, Ohio, Top10, Trail Destinations

Ohio is a true treasure trove of trails, which wind through national parks, along the lakeshores and waterways, and through the biggest cities in the Buckeye State. Though the state has the fifth-most rail-trails, and more than 1,000 miles of completed rail-trail, Ohio has no plans of slowing down, as with multiple trail networks in development and 45 known rail-trail projects underway.

Maryland's Jones Falls Trail | Photo by Side A Photography

Top 10 Trails in Maryland

Posted 03/08/21 by Robert Annis in America's Trails | Tagged with Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition, Best Of, Hall of Fame, Maryland, Top10, Trail Destinations, TrailNation

If you’ve been on Maryland’s Trails, then you know there’s much more to the state than just crabs, Old Bay and Baltimore Orioles baseball. The Free State offers a host of trail offerings for nearly every user, and its mild winters allow those riders and hikers to make the most of them year-round. Here are just 10 of our favorite pathways.