Local Organizing

View of Lake Mead along the River Mountains Loop Trail | Photo by John Holman

Nevada’s River Mountains Loop Trail

Posted 05/05/23 by Stephanie Forté in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, Local Organizing, Maintenance and Volunteers, Nevada, Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

A few miles into the 12-foot-wide trail, towering snowcapped Spring Mountains to the northwest dwarf the Vegas Strip’s cityscape. Since 2012, it’s been a destination for locals and visitors—cyclists, runners, inline skaters and walkers. There’s even a 15-mile parallel equestrian trail.

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.

The B2B's Old Eastern Marsh Trail at Lion’s Park in Salisbury, Massachusetts | Photo by Chris Roop

Trail Moments | BRB—I'm Enjoying the B2B (Border to Boston Trail)!

Posted 12/21/22 by Chris Roop in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Hall of Fame, Local Organizing, Maintenance and Volunteers, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Trail Moments

When complete, the Border to Boston (B2B) Trail will span 70 miles from the New Hampshire state line to Massachusetts’ capital and largest city. It’s the north-south backbone of a growing trail network in the northeastern region of the Bay State offering both local and long-distance connections.

Oregon's Crown Zellerbach Trail | Photo by Dale Latham

Oregon’s Crown Zellerbach Trail

Posted 11/15/22 by Amy Grisak in America's Trails | Tagged with Heritage and Restoration, History Happened Here, Local Organizing, Oregon, Trail of the Month

Winding 25 miles through the northwest corner of Oregon, the Crown Zellerbach Trail (affectionately nicknamed the Crown Z Trail) serves as a rolling journey into history, introducing visitors to the home of the region’s First Peoples, the legacy of the area’s railroad and timber industries and intriguing geological events.

Rep. Carey Hamilton on the Nickel Plate Trail in Indiana in 2022 | Photo courtesy Rep. Carey Hamilton

Indiana State Rep. Carey Hamilton Named 2022 Rail-Trail Champion

Posted 09/12/22 by Cory Matteson in America's Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Champions, Great American Rail-Trail, Indiana, Local Organizing, Rail-Trail Champion

RTC is pleased to announce Indiana State Rep. Carey Hamilton as the 2022 Doppelt Family Rail-Trail Champion for her leadership in founding the Indiana Legislative Trails Caucus, a bipartisan group of state legislators committed to building out the state’s trail network.

Idaho's Weiser River Trail | Photo by Mike Beavers

Idaho’s Weiser River National Recreation Trail

Posted 06/13/22 by Amy Grisak in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Idaho, Local Organizing, Maintenance and Volunteers, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

When someone says “Idaho,” most people think of potatoes, but the Weiser River National Recreation Trail demonstrates there is so much more to the landscape and the people. Traveling 84 miles—from forested terrain through canyons and onto the high prairie in the west-central part of the state—there is an ever-changing beauty that evokes an appreciation of the region and the forward-thinking individuals who sought to preserve the corridor.

Northern Cheyenne Monument | Courtesy Northern Cheyenne Journey Home Committee

A Path Toward Healing

Posted 06/03/22 by Scott Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Featured Magazine Articles, Great American Rail-Trail, History Happened Here, Local Organizing

Until recently, the term generally preferred was the Northern Cheyenne Breakout, but just as the monument represents a better understanding of the events, so too does what it’s called. The Northern Cheyenne’s Tribal Council voted recently to change the name of their group focused on these events to the Northern Cheyenne Journey Home Committee. “It is a more accurate reflection of our ancestors' decision that day,” said Major Robinson, “which wasn't just to break out—it was to journey home, or die fighting to get there.”

New Jersey's Henry Hudson Trail | Photo by Avery Harmon

Trail Moments | Safe Trails Save Lives

Posted 05/17/22 by Stephen Dunn in America's Trails, Taking Action | Tagged with Repairs and Trail Safety, Demand for Trails, Local Organizing, New Jersey, Trail Moments, Transportation Alternatives, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

In New Jersey, where I live, 82% of fatalities are on state, county and municipal roads. A disproportionate number of these deaths are pedestrians or cyclists, and members of vulnerable populations.

New Mexico's Bitter Lakes National Wildlife Refuge | Courtesy Moonrock Outfitters

Trail Moments | A Path Forward for Better Biking in Roswell, New Mexico

Posted 04/27/22 by Daniel Cederberg in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Local Organizing, New Mexico, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail Moments

We love the adventures that trails bring—seeing what lies beyond the next bend, drop, curve or climb. Roswell has two main trails in the downtown area, which provide safe ways to transport yourself across the city while avoiding traffic. They’ve also provided great spaces for us to offer clean-up rides, garden rides and after-dark glow rides for residents to get out and experience more of the community.

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.