Tourism Page 11

Outdoor Recreation Industry Worth $646 Billion a Year

Posted 08/21/12 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Trail Use | Tagged with Case Studies, Facts and FIgures, Tourism and Economic Stimulus

The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) this month released an economic study that found that outdoor recreation is one of America's fastest growing industries and a major job generator in both the manufacture and sale of equipment, but also in the American communities served by recreation amenities.

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Photo of pioneers in Loup Valley, Custer County, NE © Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Exhibit the Perfect Reason to Plan Your Own Trail Journey

Posted 07/11/12 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails | Tagged with Heritage and Restoration, Maryland, Tourism and Economic Stimulus

The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historic Park, better known as the C&O Canal towpath, is one of the most popular trails in the region, with hikers and riders drawn to its flat gradient, the history of the corridor, and the small, welcoming communities along the trail between D.C. and Cumberland, Md.

Photo © Rails-to-Trails Conservancy/Jake Lynch

Thanks to Towpath, Cycling Culture Thriving in Williamsport, Md.

Posted 06/20/12 by Jake Lynch in America's Trails | Tagged with Demand for Trails, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Sojourn Series, Tourism and Economic Stimulus

The first person I met in Williamsport, Md., was the town clerk, Donnie Stotelmyer. He was on the phone with the local fire chief, finding a way to hook us up with water for a giant shower truck and 250 hot and thirsty riders. A few moments earlier he had opened the restrooms in town hall for us to use, organized a discount rate at the swimming pool, and was generally bending over backwards to accommodate the droves of arriving riders on the 2012 Greenway Sojourn.

Photo © Gainesville Community Development Department

Former Rail Line in Georgia Now a Development Asset in Gainesville

Posted 05/25/12 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails | Tagged with Georgia, Tourism and Economic Stimulus

It's been 140 years since a railway once propelled the tremendous growth of Mule Camp Springs--a small trading post in northern Georgia--into a city of thousands. Today, that same rail corridor is driving growth of a new kind in the city now known as Gainesville.

Illinois Rail-Trail Ride Perfect for First-Timers

Posted 05/15/12 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Encouraging Trail Use, Illinois, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Wild and Wonderful

Covering a spectacular triangle loop of rail-trails west of Chicago, GITy Up! is purposefully designed for those who haven't done many long rides before but are keen to take the plunge. The route is flat and largely car-free, and there will be plenty of mechanical and gear support on-hand.

Photo of North Central State Trail © TrailLink.com/David Yates

Michigan Reaps the Dividend of Growing Rail-Trail Network

Posted 04/06/12 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Case Studies, Champions, Facts and FIgures, Michigan, Tourism and Economic Stimulus

At Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's (RTC) 25th Anniversary celebration last year, we recognized the trail-blazing achievements of Carolyn Kane and the late Fred Meijer, two Michiganders who during the past few decades have made a remarkable contribution to the development of America's rail-trail network.

Photo © TrailLink.com

A True Story of Liberty and Transportation in Vermont

Posted 02/18/12 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Case Studies, Facts and FIgures, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Vermont, Walkability and Bikeability

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's (RTC) new report on walking and biking in small town and rural America, Active Transportation Beyond Urban Centers, has really struck a chord with members across the country, and transformed the political debate about where the demand really is for walking and biking infrastructure.