Trail of the Month Page 10

Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail, Kentucky

Posted 08/01/12 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Kentucky, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Wild and Wonderful

Kentucky is perhaps best known for its horses, bluegrass and bourbon, but beneath the rolling hills of the state's Green River valley lies a natural treasure unmatched in the world: Mammoth Cave. With 390 miles of passages, it's the world's longest cave, more than double the length of its closest competitor. And now, thanks to the nine-mile Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike & Hike Trail, this geologic wonder is accessible by rail-trail.

Cardinal Greenway, Bridge in Economy | Photo by Angie Pool, courtesy Cardinal Greenways Inc.

Cardinal Greenway, Indiana

Posted 07/01/12 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Indiana, State and Federal Programs, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

One can imagine the collective Hoosier hooray when the final leg of the Cardinal Greenway was put in place last summer. The rail corridor for Indiana's longest and long-awaited rail-trail was purchased nearly 20 years ago and now offers 62 miles of smooth, inviting blacktop spanning five counties in east-central Indiana.

Greenbrier River Trail bridge | Photo by TrailLink.com/gregblume

Greenbrier River Trail, West Virginia

Posted 06/01/12 by Jake Lynch in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Hall of Fame, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, West Virginia, Wild and Wonderful

The Greenbrier River Trail, through Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties in east-central West Virginia, is the perfect embodiment of these sensations. In its 78-mile length, the rail-trail contains many of the elements that make the Mountain State one of America's favorite retreats: the peaks and valleys, the lush forests, the pioneering history, the genuine hospitality of its small towns, and, of course, the river.

Olympic Discovery Trail, Washington

Posted 05/01/12 by Mark Cheater in America's Trails | Tagged with Local Organizing, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Washington, Wild and Wonderful

Although the novels are set in real locations on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, you won't find any of Twilight's gothic drama if you journey there. What you will find, however, is plenty of natural drama—snow-capped mountains, verdant rainforests, rocky coasts, pristine lakes—and a rail-trail running through it.

Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, Connecticut

Posted 04/01/12 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails | Tagged with Connecticut, Heritage and Restoration, State and Federal Programs, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

When it comes to layers of history, few pathways can top the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. This central Connecticut corridor started life as a waterway, then turned into a railroad, then became a multi-use trail. Lately, it's become a crucial link in an ambitious 3,000-mile greenway from Florida to Maine.

Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail, Nevada

Posted 03/01/12 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails | Tagged with Heritage and Restoration, Nevada, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Looking for a safe bet in Las Vegas? You won't find it at the gaming tables or the slot machines in casinos along the Strip. But if you head just 30 miles southeast of the city toward Hoover Dam, you'll find a sure winner in the Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail (sometimes referred to as the Historic Railroad Hiking Trail).

High Line | Photo courtesy Friends of the High Line

New York City's High Line

Posted 10/01/11 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Hall of Fame, New York, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

It's been hailed as the "miracle above Manhattan"—an unused and decaying stretch of elevated tracks in the Chelsea neighborhood that was rescued from near-certain demolition and transformed into one of the city's most popular and celebrated public spaces. The High Line was recently inducted into Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.

Photo by dabiker, courtesy TrailLink.com

Oregon's Springwater Corridor

Posted 09/01/11 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Hall of Fame, Oregon, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

In a place renowned and envied for its parks, trails and general outdoors vibe, choosing the best of anything can be a major challenge. So when Mel Huie says the Springwater Corridor, a 21.5-mile rail-trail winding from the banks of the Willamette River in downtown Portland to the rural exurbs, is "the region's premier trail," it's saying something.

Prairie Spirit Rail Trail | Photo by Trent McCown

Kansas' Prairie Spirit Trail

Posted 08/01/11 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Hall of Fame, Kansas, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Running 51 miles between the towns of Ottawa and Iola in eastern Kansas, the Prairie Spirit Rail Trail State Park offers visitors a taste of rural, middle America at its finest—rolling pastures, lazy streams, wooded ravines, friendly townspeople, colorful wildflowers, big farms and an endless sky.