America's Trails Page 5

Six Ways RTC Made a Difference for Trails This Year

Posted 11/30/17 by Brandi Horton in America's Trails, Building Trails, Policy, Taking Action | Tagged with Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition, BATC, Best Of, California, Circuit Trails, Disparities and Underserved Communities, Encouraging Trail Use, Facts and FIgures, Florida, Funding, Local Organizing, Mapping and Technology, Maryland, Miami LOOP, Missouri, Route of the Badger, RTC in Action, State and Federal Programs, Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Communities, Walkability and Bikeability

Brent Hugh, executive director of the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation, speaks at the rally. | Photo by Brandi Horton

As 2017 draws to a close, here’s a look back at six ways RTC made a difference for trails. Through our work, we witness trails strengthening economies, putting people first when it comes to mobility, promoting health and protecting our environment.

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Photo courtesy NVJ | CC BY-NC 2.0

Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in Stearns County, Minnesota

Posted 11/29/17 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with Abandonment Notices, Corridors and Railbanking, Minnesota

On or about Nov. 20, 2017, BNSF Railroad Company filed for the abandonment of 1.75 miles of track in St. Cloud, Stearns County, Minnesota. We are providing this information because it presents an opportunity to develop a real regional asset: a multiuse trail that can accommodate hikers, bikers, equestrians and other appropriate uses.

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

Eight Feel-Great Ways to #OptOutside on the Trail

Posted 11/22/17 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. 24, 2017! 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 eight ways you can go the extra mile and make a difference while you #OptOutside this year.

Eldorado Bicycle and Walking Path in Illinois | Photo by Gary Wilhelm

Rail-Trails Honoring America’s Veterans

Posted 11/09/17 by Cindy Barks in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Featured Magazine Articles, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire

In addition to their value for recreation and transportation, rail-trails provide public spaces to share our collective culture and history. In recognition of Veterans Day, we’ve highlighted three rail-trails that offer quiet, reflective places to honor and remember our country’s servicemen and women.

Animas River Trail | Photo by Cindy Barks

Colorado’s Animas River Trail

Posted 11/08/17 by Cindy Barks in America's Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Best Of, Colorado, Demand for Trails, Facts and FIgures, Funding, Health and Active Living, Rail-with-Trail, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail of the Month, Walkability and Bikeability

Trains and trails: In Durango, Colorado, the two are inseparable. For walkers and bicyclists along the town’s scenic Animas River Trail, the white-and-gray plumes of steam rising from the old locomotives and the echo of train whistles are common sights and sounds.

Cleveland's Hope Memorial Bridge on the Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath Trail | Photo by Paul F. Neumann

It’s Ohio’s “Year of the Trails”—and Big Things Are Happening. (Here Are Six.)

Posted 11/06/17 by Brian K. Housh in America's Trails, Building Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Disparities and Underserved Communities, Federal, Funding, Health and Active Living, IHTC, Ohio, State and Federal Programs, TrailNation, TrailsTransform, Walkability and Bikeability

Here’s a brief overview of just six trail projects that are moving the dial in the Buckeye State. This fall kicked off Ohio’s Year of the Trails, and with so many trail networks under development, there is definitely cause for both celebration and promotion of these vital assets.

Photo by Amy Kapp, courtesy RTC

Ohio Legislative Trails Caucus Helps Kick Off Ohio’s “Year of the Trails”

Posted 11/06/17 by Brian K. Housh in America's Trails, Building Trails, Policy | Tagged with Community Events, Demand for Trails, Funding, IHTC, Local Organizing, Ohio, State and Federal Programs, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, TrailNation, TrailsTransform, Why Use Trails?

This fall 2017 kicks off Ohio’s Year of the Trails, so named by the state legislature, and with multiple trail networks under development—at the local, cross-state and even interstate levels—there is definite cause for celebration.

Blue Springs trailhead, Chief Standing Bear Trail, Nebraska | Photo by Don Rice

Landmark and Legacy: Nebraska’s Chief Standing Bear Trail

Posted 11/01/17 by Cory Matteson in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Ecology and Environment, Featured Magazine Articles, Heritage and Restoration, History Happened Here, Local Organizing, Maintenance and Volunteers, Nebraska, Rock Island

The 22.9-mile Chief Standing Bear Trail helps memorialize the 1877 walk of the Ponca Tribe back to their homeland, led by Chief Standing Bear and known as the Ponca Trail of Tears.

Team RTC cleaning up a section of the Rock Creek Park Trails system with Rock Creek Conservancy in Washington, D.C., for the 2017 Make A Difference Day. | Photo courtesy RTC

It Feels Good to Do Good: Team RTC’s Make A Difference Day Trail Cleanup

Posted 10/27/17 by Suzanne Matyas in America's Trails | Tagged with Community Events, District Of Columbia, Ecology and Environment, Maintenance and Volunteers

Building on the momentum of one of our newest staff traditions, on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, the Rails-to-Trails team unplugged, donned protective attire and left the office to clean up a local trail in honor of Make A Difference Day.

Photo courtesy OneFuller | CC BY-NC 2.0

Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in Larimer County, Colorado

Posted 10/17/17 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Abandonment Notices, Colorado, Corridors and Railbanking

On or about October 10, 2017, BNSF Railroad Company filed for the abandonment of 0.5 miles of track between Milepost 74.5 and Milepost 75.0 in Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado. We are providing this information because it presents an opportunity to develop a real regional asset: a multiuse trail that can accommodate hikers, bikers, equestrians and other appropriate uses.

Illustration by Anthony Le

Seven Haunted Tales from America’s Trails

Posted 10/17/17 by Amy Kapp in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Community Events, Encouraging Trail Use, History Happened Here, Maine, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Trail Destinations, Washington, West Virginia

In the “spirit” of fun this Halloween, RTC searched for the spookiest tales we could find on America’s diverse collection of rail-trails and multiuse pathways. Check out these seven great (and sometimes strange) tales below, which show that our connections to our trails and our communities can sometimes truly be … otherworldly.

Missisquoi Valley Rail-Trail in Vermont | Photo by Dennis Coello

A View From … New England in Autumn

Posted 10/13/17 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Trail Destinations, Vermont

In the northernmost reaches of New England, nature’s autumn spectacle begins to whisper through the trees of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire in late September before peaking mid-October. Fall comes later to the states farther south—Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island—generally arriving in mid-October and lasting to early November. The region has an abundance of extraordinary rail-trails on which to experience this temporal artwork at a stroll or gentle roll. We’ve listed some of our favorites here.