Community Events

10 Ways to Celebrate Opening Day for Trails on April 8

Posted 03/13/17 by Amy Kapp in America's Trails, Trail Use, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Community Events, Encouraging Trail Use, Health and Active Living, Healthy Aging, Trail Destinations, Walkability and Bikeability

This year’s Opening Day for Trails is going to be the best yet, as people across the country officially kick off spring by hitting their favorite pathways (or new ones!). Below are just 10 ways you can celebrate Opening Day in your own neighborhood and beyond.

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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.

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.

RTC Youth Sojourn participants cross the Ben Franklin Bridge between Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey, on the Circuit Trails network. | Photo by Blake Rubin

23 Youth Tackle 170-Mile Watershed Sojourn in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

Posted 09/01/16 by Anya Saretzky in Health and Wellness, Success Stories | Tagged with Circuit Trails, Community Events, Connected Systems, Ecology and Environment, Encouraging Trail Use, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Schools and Young People, Young Champions

As a culmination of our summer youth programming in the Greater Philadelphia Area, RTC brought 23 young people together this August for our second annual Youth Sojourn—a five-day bike ride over 170 miles of Circuit Trails in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Led by RTC Youth Engagement Coordinator Jolie Chylack and several Youth Leaders, the sojourn capped off a great summer of watershed health education programming.

Live music was a highlight of Washington, D.C.'s 2016 Opening Day for Trails celebration on Kingman Island | Photo by Milo Bateman

Opening Day 2016 Recap: DC Celebrates Future Northeast Trail Connection

Posted 04/20/16 by Katie Harris in Building Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Biking, Community Events, District Of Columbia, Maintenance and Volunteers, Walkability and Bikeability

This year, RTC’s National Office teamed up with Living Classrooms, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and REI to celebrate Opening Day for Trails 2016 on Kingman Island. As a special highlight—WABA led a bike ride on the Anacostia River Trail, which is welcoming in a new 4-mile Kenilworth segment that will have a huge impact on connectivity in the area.

Kicking off the weekend on April 15, a group of bicyclists in the Greater Philadelphia area took a ride on the Ben Franklin Bridge to help launch the 750-mile Circuit Trails network! | Photo courtesy RTC

Check Out These Great 2016 Opening Day for Trails Pics

Posted 04/19/16 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Success Stories, Taking Action | Tagged with Community Events, Encouraging Trail Use

This year's Opening Day for Trails was the best yet—and we've got the photos to prove it. There were more than 150 official events across the country to celebrate Spring and officially kick off the trail season. Here are a few examples.

Opening Day 2015 in Concord, California | Photo by Barry Bergman

Celebrate Opening Day for Trails With RTC on April 16!

Posted 04/13/16 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Taking Action, Trail Use | Tagged with California, Community Events, District Of Columbia, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin

Thousands of people across the country have pledged to get out and celebrate trails on Saturday, April 16—the nation’s fourth annual Opening Day for Trails. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is hosting some awesome rides and events in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and California. Here's more info!

Chris London is the community relations manager for Performance Bikes, which is celebrating Opening Day for Trails 2016 through the brand's Great Ride Series. | Photo courtesy Chris London

Kick Off the Trail Season With Performance Bicycle on April 16!

Posted 04/11/16 by Danielle Taylor in Trail Use, Taking Action | Tagged with Biking, Community Events, Encouraging Trail Use

On April 16, all 104 Performance Bicycle stores in the U.S. will host Opening Day trail rides as part of the brand’s ongoing Great Ride Series, a national initiative that aims to reach non-riders and educate them on riding skills, bicycle maintenance and local trails. We talked with Chris London, community relations manager for Performance Bicycle, about their commitment to engaging new riders, his company’s Opening Day for Trails plans and one particularly life-changing find he discovered while riding.

Hike 18 Bridges 2015 Opening Day for Trails event in Spokane, Wash. | Photo by Rich Landers

Save the Date. Opening Day for Trails is April 16, 2016!

Posted 12/17/15 by Katie Harris in Trail Use | Tagged with Community Events

The date is set—the fourth annual Opening Day for Trails will take place on April 16, 2016. And with the momentum of the trails, walking and biking movement barreling full steam ahead into the new year, we expect this year’s events to be bigger and better than ever.

RTC Policy Manager Brian Housh stands at a mile marker on the Little Miami Scenic Trail in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Housh joined community members on Oct 17 for the ribbon cutting of RTC's new Midwest Regional Office. Copyright 2015 by the Yellow Springs News; used with permission. Find the entire article online at YSNEWS.com.

RTC Midwest Office Celebrates New Location in Yellow Springs

Posted 10/26/15 by Katie Harris in Building Trails | Tagged with Community Events, Ohio

Rails–to-Trails Conservancy’s Midwest Regional Office just moved shop! Our relocation to Yellow Springs, Ohio, was celebrated in style in mid-October.

Great Shasta Rail Trail | Photo Courtesy Great Shasta Rail Trail Association

California Welcomes 80-Mile Great Shasta Rail Trail

Posted 09/21/15 by Amy Kapp in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with California, Community Events, Trail Communities

In late September, California formally welcomed the in-progress, 80-miles-when-complete Great Shasta Rail Trail (GSRT) in a special two-day celebration. Three trail sections, totally nearly 37 miles, opened during a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception on Sept. 26–27, 2015.

Elroy-Sparta 50th Anniversary Celebration - left to right: Stephanie Klett, Wisconsin secretary of tourism; Kurt Thiede, deputy secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Keith Laughlin, RTC president; Brigit Brown, Wisconsin trails coordinator; and former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson | Photo courtesy RTC

The Trail That Started It All: Elroy-Sparta Celebrates 50 Years

Posted 06/15/15 by Elizabeth Striano in Success Stories, America's Trails | Tagged with Community Events, Success Stories, Wisconsin

Earlier this month, one of the oldest rail-trails in the nation turned 50! RTC President Keith Laughlin joined local leaders and residents from several towns along the trail’s path at a 50th anniversary ceremony sponsored by Friends of the Elroy-Sparta State Trail.