Connected Systems

Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath | Photo by Jason Cohn

Of History and Industry: The Legacy of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail

Posted 03/14/23 by Cory Matteson in America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Featured Magazine Articles, Heritage and Restoration, IHTC, Local Organizing, Ohio, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development

“This towpath has made it so much easier for people to feel comfortable riding their bikes to a lot of places,” DevahD said. “You can shop off the towpath. You can eat off the towpath. You can play off the towpath. It can’t get any better than this.”

Overlook at 61st Street along Pennsylvania's Schuylkill River Trail | Photo courtesy SRDC

Pennsylvania’s Schuylkill River Trail

Posted 03/03/23 by Danielle Phillippi in America's Trails | Tagged with Circuit Trails, Connected Systems, History Happened Here, Local Organizing, Pennsylvania, Trail of the Month, TrailNation

The Schuylkill River Trail (SRT) is a multiuse path that will ultimately extend 120 miles between the small town of Frackville in east-central Pennsylvania and the confluence of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers in Philadelphia.

Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail | Photo courtesy City of Monterey

Massive Investments in Trails to Connect Millions in California With Safe Community Paths

Posted 12/19/22 by Laura Cohen, Heather Irish in Building Trails, Policy | Tagged with BATC, California, Connected Systems, Funding, State and Federal Programs, TrailNation

California approved a record-breaking $1.02 billion for walking, biking and trail projects that will benefit millions of people across the state through the state’s Active Transportation Program (ATP). Here’s what this means for the future of California trails—and the communities and destinations that they connect.

Michigan's Kal Haven Trail State Park in South Haven | Photo by C.M. McGuire

Michigan’s Kal-Haven Trail State Park

Posted 12/09/22 by Amy S. Eckert in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, Michigan, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Leading from South Haven to Kalamazoo, Michigan’s Kal-Haven Trail State Park ranks as one of the state’s most popular rail-trails. Comprised of a nearly unbroken 34-mile tunnel of hardwood trees, the trail is cool and shady in summer and spectacularly colorful in fall, blazing with shades of red and yellow.

Florida's Pinellas Trail in Dunedin | Photo courtesy Pinellas County Marketing and Communications

New TrailNation Collaborative Community to Escalate Trail Network Development Nationwide

Posted 11/16/22 by Mary Ellen Koontz, Heather Irish in Building Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Funding, TrailNation, Why Use Trails?

RTC is bringing together its expertise and network of thousands of partners nationwide to launch the TrailNation Collaborative—a learning community where advocates, public leaders and professionals can come together to share their experiences, their challenges and their strategies for accelerating the pace of connecting trails and active transportation infrastructure.

Rail Arts District along the Napa Valley Vine Trail in California | Photo courtesy Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition

Record-Breaking Investments in California’s Trails Amid Major Demand

Posted 11/14/22 by Laura Cohen, Heather Irish in America's Trails | Tagged with BATC, California, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Funding, TrailNation, Walkability and Bikeability

The start of 2022 brought a significant opportunity for California trails and ended in a historic victory—as the state announced a $1 billion+ investment for trails and active transportation for fiscal year (FY) 2023.

Arriving home at the end of the Great American Rail-Trail journey | Photo courtesy David Berrigan

Trail Moments | Fulfilling a Lifelong Dream on the Great American Rail-Trail

Posted 11/03/22 by David Berrigan in Trail Use | Tagged with Connected Systems, Encouraging Trail Use, Gear, Great American Rail-Trail, How-to, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail Use Tips, Why Use Trails?

The stars aligned a few years ago when family, work and life combined with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s announcement of their Great American Rail-Trail® project to push me toward a serious commitment to a long-distance bike trip.

Michigan's Kal Haven Trail on the Great Lake-to-Lake Trails Route 1 in South Haven | Photo by C.M. McGuire

Michigan Trail System Makes Connections From Lake to Shining Lake

Posted 07/04/22 by Amy S. Eckert in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, Michigan, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations

By summer 2022, the Michigan Air Line Trail will complete the final 2.5 miles of its 8-mile total, and enthusiasm among Wixom’s residents and business owners is high. But even more exciting than the trail’s completion is the news that the route will join the larger Great Lake-to-Lake Trails network. Because now, rather than merely attracting Detroiters, Wixom will be able to advertise itself to cross-state roadtrippers.

Wendy Park Bridge along the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Lake Link Trail | Photo by Jason Cohn

Bridge to Everywhere: Examining Signature Gateways Across America

Posted 06/09/22 by Cory Matteson in America's Trails | Tagged with BATC, Best Of, Connected Systems, Featured Magazine Articles, Great American Rail-Trail, IHTC, Trail Destinations, TrailNation

Across the United States, bridges are serving as the hallmarks, gateways and centerpieces of communities, providing connectivity that has a major impact on active transportation, tourism and economic development. Plus—there’s the view. Here, Rails to Trails spans the country to examine how bridges are transforming trails and regions.

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge connecting Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska | Photo by Matthew Nissen

20 Iconic Bike and Pedestrian Bridges in America

Posted 06/08/22 by Amy Kapp in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Circuit Trails, Connected Systems, Florida, Great American Rail-Trail, IHTC, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Top10, Trail Destinations, TrailNation, Washington

Across the country, bridges are literally serving as gateways for communities to achieve critical strides in active transportation, conservation and economic development. Here, we take a look at 20 iconic bridges and trestles in the United States (in no particular order) that have played—or are playing—transformative connectivity roles in their regions.

California's Napa Valley Vine Trail in Yountville | Courtesy Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition

California’s Napa Valley Vine Trail

Posted 04/12/22 by Amy Grisak in America's Trails | Tagged with Art, BATC, Bike Commuting, California, Connected Systems, Cross-Sector Collaboration, Demand for Trails, Health and Active Living, Local Organizing, Mode Shift, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, TrailNation, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

It’s remarkable how a single trail brings together an entire region. As California’s Napa Valley Vine Trail grows to reach its ultimate 47-mile potential, community members and visitors realize the beauty of connectivity and accessibility.