Great American Rail-Trail

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

Indiana's Erie Lackawanna Trail | Photo by Tom Roach

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.

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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.

Heartland Trail in Ohio | Courtesy Rails-to-Trails of Wayne County

2021 Trail Grants Awardees Support Community Connections On and Off Trails

Posted 03/15/21 by Mary Ellen Koontz in Building Trails | Tagged with Funding, Great American Rail-Trail, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Washington

RTC has announced the recipients of its 2021 Trail Grants Program, awarding a total of $145,000 to support 11 trail projects across the country that have been strategically designed to support local and regional economic, health, social, environmental and active transportation goals.

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.

Photo by India Kea

Looking Back, With Gratitude, on a Year of Challenges and Triumphs for Trails

Posted 12/23/20 by Amy Kapp, Paola Tejada Lalinde in America's Trails, Success Stories, Policy, Building Trails | Tagged with Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition, BATC, Best Of, Capital Trails Coalition, Caracara, COVID-19, Federal, Funding, Great American Rail-Trail, IHTC, Route of the Badger, RTC in Action, Trail Moments, TrailNation, Why Use Trails?

As 2020 draws to a close—a year of extreme changes and challenges—it is with incredible appreciation that we reflect on the collective impact of our movement across the country.

Metropolitan Branch Trail in Washington, D.C., and Maryland | Photo by India Kea

New Year Presents New Opportunities for Trails, Walking and Biking in Washington

Posted 12/16/20 by Mary Ellen Koontz in Policy, Building Trails | Tagged with Federal, Great American Rail-Trail, RTC in Action, Tourism and Economic Development, TrailsTransform

We have an unprecedented opportunity to work with federal policymakers to put Americans to work building the strategic connections that enable healthy and resource-saving habits, unlocking billions of dollars for the U.S. economy.

Tacony Creek | Photo by Thom Carroll

When Trails Connect Everyone, Everywhere

Posted 12/01/20 by Ryan Chao in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, Equity, Great American Rail-Trail, RTC in Action, Trail Moments, TrailNation, TrailsTransform

Throughout this year, as we’ve continued to galvanize the trails movement in a virtual world, the movement itself has inspired us—in particular, the stories so many have shared of the moments of joy, respite, healing and strength they have found on the trail. The impact of our work in this time has brought urgency and focus to our path forward.

Pennsylvania's Three Rivers Heritage Trail | Photo courtesy Healthy Ride, Pittsburgh Bike Share

Eight Urban Experiences Along the Great American Rail-Trail

Posted 08/10/20 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, District Of Columbia, Great American Rail-Trail, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Trail Destinations, TrailNation, Washington, Wyoming

The Great American Rail-Trail, covering some 3,700 miles across the country, will be accessible by nearly 50 million people within 50 miles of the route. Here is a sampling of some of the unique close-to-home experiences that city dwellers along the way can already enjoy.

Photo by Side A Photography

Building a Brighter Future

Posted 07/02/20 by Ryan Chao in America's Trails | Tagged with COVID-19, Great American Rail-Trail, RTC in Action, TrailNation

The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear that trails are essential assets for the well-being of people and places, and our country needs a trail in every community. While FY 2019 in many ways seems like a distant time, our work last fiscal year, and the decades leading up, positioned us to meet the current moment and be part of helping to shape a brighter future.

Great Allegheny Passage just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Photo by Milo Bateman

How the Great Allegheny Passage Transformed a Region

Posted 05/12/20 by Amy Kapp in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, Featured Magazine Articles, Great American Rail-Trail, Pennsylvania, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail Use Tips

The story of the GAP is one of vision, tenacity and transformation. But at the heart of it all, it is the story of what’s possible when people come together with a great idea.

Milwaukee Road Rail Trail in Thompson Park | Photo by Preston Keres, courtesy USDA Forest Service

Montana’s Milwaukee Road Rail-Trail (Thompson Park)

Posted 05/11/20 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Biking, Great American Rail-Trail, Maintenance and Volunteers, Montana, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Wild and Wonderful

Framed by the majestic Rocky Mountains, Montana’s Milwaukee Road Rail-Trail (Thompson Park) sits roughly equidistant between two national parks—just a half-day’s drive from both Yellowstone and Glacier.