Texas

Rail-Trail State Policy 2019: Here’s What’s Happening Right now

Posted 08/29/19 by Andrew Dupuy, Brian K. Housh in Policy | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Funding, Local Organizing, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Route of the Badger, RTC in Action, State and Federal Programs, Texas, TrailNation

The Empire State Trail in New York City | Photo by Scott Stark

This year, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s state policy arm focused on strategies aimed at building financial support for trails, walking and bicycling over the long term, including the creation of advocacy infrastructure that should pay dividends for active transportation for years to come. Here’s a brief snapshot of where we are right now.

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Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in McCulloch, San Saba, Mills and Lampasas Counties, Texas

Posted 08/19/19 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Building Trails | Tagged with Abandonment Notices, Corridors and Railbanking, Texas

On or about Aug. 9, 2019, Central Texas & Colorado River Railway filed for the abandonment of 67.5 miles of track between Brady (McCulloch County) and Lometa (Lampasas County) in Texas. 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.

Bikers on tour of Caracara Trails | Photo by John Faulk, Frontera Media

A Closer Look: Connecting the Lower Rio Grande Valley by Trail

Posted 08/12/19 by Ryan Chao in America's Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Caracara, Connected Systems, Health and Active Living, Healthy Aging, RTC in Action, Texas, TrailNation

Caracara is the name of the trail system developing throughout Cameron County, Texas, and the Lower Rio Grande Valley—a project that Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is honored to count among its TrailNation™ portfolio. The Caracara Trails will be a system unlike any other in a truly unique and special part of America—more than 428 miles of connected multiuse trails, U.S. Bicycle Routes and paddling trails all designed to inspire physical activity for residents and a regionwide “active tourism” economy.

Historic Battlefield Trail | Photo by Mark Lehmann

Find Out Why These Eight Urban Trails Are Perfect for On-Foot Exploration

Posted 04/22/19 by Suzanne Matyas, Amy Kapp in America's Trails, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition, BATC, Best Of, California, Capital Trails Coalition, Caracara, Circuit Trails, Connected Systems, District Of Columbia, Florida, IHTC, Maryland, Miami LOOP, Pennsylvania, Route of the Badger, Texas, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, TrailNation, Urban Pathways, Walkability and Bikeability, Wisconsin

Whether you’re venturing to a new city or finally getting around to playing the tourist in your own backyard, walking can connect you in a unique and unequalled way. As a pedestrian, you’re able to access areas motorized vehicles cannot, meet the people that make up a community, experience nature and really immerse yourself in your surroundings.

Lower Rio Grande Valley Active Plan biking tour in Brownsville, TX | Photo by Frontera Media

Major Trail Developments, New Potential Funding Streams in the Lone Star State

Posted 03/25/19 by Andrew Dupuy in Policy | Tagged with Caracara, Disparities and Underserved Communities, Funding, Local Organizing, RTC in Action, State and Federal Programs, Texas, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, TrailNation, TrailsTransform

With the Texas Legislature currently in its every-other-year session, RTC and the Texas Coalition for State Parks are actively supporting legislation to ensure that an existing sporting goods tax originally intended for parks and recreational space—including trails—actually goes to parks (and trails). 

With a population of 1.5 million in Manhattan alone, New York has plenty of people willing to brave a cold and gusty winter day on the Hudson River Valley Greenway. | Photo by Scott Stark

State of the States: Here’s What’s on the Policy Horizon in 2019

Posted 02/07/19 by Andrew Dupuy, Brian K. Housh in Policy | Tagged with California, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Funding, IHTC, Indiana, Local Organizing, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Route of the Badger, State and Federal Programs, Texas, TrailNation, TrailsTransform, Wisconsin

Now, as 2019 gets underway, RTC’s state policy team has its antenna up for new opportunities to fund trails at the state level—and continue to build momentum for trail building nationwide. Below is a summary on the state of the states for trails, walking and biking.

San Antonio Riverwalk | Photo courtesy Getty Images

Where Will You #OptOutside on Nov. 23? (Here Are 8 Trails for the Bucket List!)

Posted 11/09/18 by Amy Kapp in America's Trails, Trail Use, Health and Wellness | Tagged with Alaska, Best Of, California, Encouraging Trail Use, Health and Active Living, Healthy Aging, Heritage and Restoration, History Happened Here, Kentucky, Ohio, OpeningDay, Texas, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail Use Tips, Urban Pathways, Virginia, Walkability and Bikeability, Winter Uses

Here are some of our favorite trails to help you #OptOutside on the day after Turkey Day, Nov. 23—straight from our staff and other trail users around the country. For lots more, check out RTC’s free trail-finder website, TrailLink.com, which maps more than 34,000 miles of multiuse trails!

Elizabeth River Trail | Photo by TrailLink user krmurphy

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Reflects on Its 32nd Year As America’s Voice for Trails

Posted 06/12/18 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails, Building Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition, Best Of, Caracara, Celebrating 30 Years, Connected Systems, Facts and FIgures, Florida, Funding, Hall of Fame, History Happened Here, IHTC, Louisiana, Miami LOOP, Missouri, Nebraska, Rock Island, Route of the Badger, RTC in Action, State and Federal Programs, Success Stories, Texas, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, TrailNation, TrailsTransform, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?, Wisconsin

Here’s just a quick snapshot of our successes in 2017. To learn more about our work, download our FY 2017 Annual Report.

Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in McLennan, Texas

Posted 03/29/18 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Building Trails | Tagged with Abandonment Notices, Corridors and Railbanking, Texas

On or about March 20, 2018, Union Pacific Railroad Company filed for the abandonment of 0.5 mile of track near Waco, McLennan County, Texas. We are providing this information because it presents an opportunity to develop a real regional asset: a multi-use trail that can accommodate hikers, bikers, equestrians and other appropriate uses.

San Francisco Bay Trail in California | Photo by Cindy Barks

These Eight Trail Networks Are Connecting Millions of Americans

Posted 12/06/17 by Amy Kapp, Laura Stark in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition, BATC, Best Of, California, Capital Trails Coalition, Caracara, Circuit Trails, Connected Systems, Disparities and Underserved Communities, Ecology and Environment, Facts and FIgures, History Happened Here, IHTC, Maryland, Miami LOOP, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Route of the Badger, RTC in Action, Texas, Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, TrailNation, Walkability and Bikeability, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Young Champions

In eight diverse areas across the country, through our TrailNation™ program, RTC is investing in projects that demonstrate what’s possible when trails are seamlessly linked together to form complete systems that are well integrated into the communities they serve—providing low-stress, high-quality and environmentally friendly transportation and recreation for all.

Trails are a great place to spy a variety of beautiful birds, including the bald eagle! | Photo courtesy Boyd Dwyer | CC BY-SA 2.0

Nine Great Birding Rail-Trails to Crow About

Posted 05/15/17 by Suzanne Matyas in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, Trail Destinations, Wild and Wonderful, Wisconsin

Whether you’re an avian aficionado, ornithologist, fan of fowl or simply a person who enjoys the subtle sight of a feather stretching across the wind, you’ll want to check out these nine great birding trails!

View of the Brays Bayou Greenway Trail in Hermann Park. | Courtesy Bob Bohmer Photography

Texas’ Brays Bayou Greenway Trail

Posted 02/03/17 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Texas, Tourism , Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

While not generally known for its greenspace, Houston—the country’s fourth most populated city—is onto something big. Something Texas-sized big: the Bayou Greenways 2020 project, which aims to complete a 150-mile network of trails along the city’s major waterways in just a few year’s time. Houston is home to seven lengthy bayous and two creeks (engendering the fitting nickname of the Bayou City) stretching from the city’s western boundary to Galveston Bay. The longest of these, the Brays Bayou, is the close companion of the Brays Bayou Greenway Trail, which spans more than 30 miles, connecting several parks and running just a couple blocks north of NRG Stadium, where this year’s Super Bowl is taking place.