Trail Destinations

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.

Exploring the Ohio to Erie Trail via skateboard | Photo courtesy Raveena Adams

Trail Moments | Long-Distance Skater Raveena Adams Crosses Ohio

Posted 04/10/23 by Raveena Adams in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Ohio, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail Moments, Why Use Trails?

On Sept. 22, 2020, I started my four-day, 300-mile skate journey. The route took me through many cities, such as Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, as well as rural forest areas and cornfields. Although I faced a lot of obstacles along the way, the weather was generally perfect—warm days feeling that dimming autumn sun.

Wisconsin's Ozaukee Interurban Trail in Cedarburg | Photo courtesy Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department

Wisconsin’s Ozaukee Interurban Trail

Posted 04/07/23 by Shelby Deering in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Funding, History Happened Here, Route of the Badger, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, TrailNation, Transportation Alternatives, Wild and Wonderful, Wisconsin

This is the Ozaukee Interurban Trail, a paved, 30-mile route flanking the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan through the northern suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Red Brick Road | Photo by Gene Bisbee

Explore Trails While Learning About the Nation's Rich History

Posted 04/04/23 by William G. Pomeroy Foundation in America's Trails | Tagged with CelebrateTrailsDay, Encouraging Trail Use, Great American Rail-Trail, History Happened Here, Trail Destinations

According to The Historical Marker Database, there are more than 176,000 historic markers, and there will be even more historic markers dedicated to elevating the stories of people and places along the Great American Rail-Trail®.

This Caboose greets visitors where the Katy Trail and the Rock Island Trail intersect in Windsor. | Photo courtesy Missouri Rock island Trail Inc.

10 Great Destinations Along Missouri’s Future Rock Island Trail

Posted 03/16/23 by Amy Kapp in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, Featured Magazine Articles, Missouri, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations

The state of Missouri is partnering with local communities and nonprofit groups to plan and develop the Rock Island Trail, which is situated along a 144-mile disused rail corridor between Windsor and Beaufort. When complete, the trail will showcase 23 communities and serve as a boon for outdoor tourism and economic development. Here are some of our favorite destinations along the developing route.

Washington's Centennial Trail | Photo by Barbara Richey

Washington’s Centennial Trail

Posted 02/14/23 by Agueda Pacheco Flores in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, History Happened Here, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Washington

Traversing a region in northwest Washington known for its rural farmlands, lush riverbeds, forests and lakesides, as well as its historic districts with that timeless small-town feel, Snohomish County’s Centennial Trail is a popular route among the nearly 90 rail-trails in the state.

Photo by Helena Guglielmino

Travels Through Time on the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail

Posted 02/13/23 by Helena Guglielmino in America's Trails | Tagged with California, History Happened Here, Nevada, Trail Destinations

The bi-state Tahoe-Pyramid Trail (TPT) intersects some of the richest histories that have shaped the West as it follows the Truckee River on its developing 114-mile journey from the Lake Tahoe shoreline in California to Nevada’s Pyramid Lake. Here we showcase some of the diverse historical events trail users can learn about along the way

Charlotte Rail Trail | Photo by Eric Casella

North Carolina’s Charlotte Rail Trail

Posted 01/19/23 by Lindsay Martell in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Art, Best Of, North Carolina, Rail-with-Trail, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Transportation and Health

The bustling Charlotte Rail Trail is a 12-foot-wide swath of urban utopia in North Carolina’s largest city. Bikers stream by in packs, toddlers sprint away from their stroller-pushing parents, curious puppies on leashes pull their owners to every corner of the path; these are just a few of the sights that pop up along the way.

Michigan's Kal Haven Trail State Park in South Haven | Photo by C.M. McGuire

Michigan’s Kal-Haven Trail State Park

Posted 12/09/22 by Amy S. Eckert in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, Michigan, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Leading from South Haven to Kalamazoo, Michigan’s Kal-Haven Trail State Park ranks as one of the state’s most popular rail-trails. Comprised of a nearly unbroken 34-mile tunnel of hardwood trees, the trail is cool and shady in summer and spectacularly colorful in fall, blazing with shades of red and yellow.

National Trails Interpretive Center in Casper, Wyoming | Photo by Amy Kapp

10 Great Places of Learning Along the Great American Rail-Trail

Posted 11/04/22 by Zach Zimmerman in Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Great American Rail-Trail, History Happened Here, Top10, Tourism , Trail Destinations, Trail Use Tips, Why Use Trails?

The Great American Rail-Trail® and its hosts trails connect to many places of learning, history and culture where students can take a break from the grind of classwork and explore. Here are some of our favorites.

Arriving home at the end of the Great American Rail-Trail journey | Photo courtesy David Berrigan

Trail Moments | Fulfilling a Lifelong Dream on the Great American Rail-Trail

Posted 11/03/22 by David Berrigan in Trail Use | Tagged with Connected Systems, Encouraging Trail Use, Gear, Great American Rail-Trail, How-to, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail Use Tips, Why Use Trails?

The stars aligned a few years ago when family, work and life combined with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s announcement of their Great American Rail-Trail® project to push me toward a serious commitment to a long-distance bike trip.

The Poe Museum and its famous kitty ambassadors, Edgar and Pluto, near the Virginia Capital Trail in Richmond | Photo courtesy The Poe Museum

Trailside: Richmond’s (Haunted?) Poe Museum and the Legacy of a Gothic Literary Master

Posted 10/28/22 by Amy Kapp in Trail Use | Tagged with History Happened Here, Tourism , Trail Destinations, Virginia

To celebrate Halloween this year, let's shine a light on a 100-year cultural attraction in Richmond, The Poe Museum, which sits just a block from the 52-mile Virginia Capital Trail and pays homage to one of America’s greatest gothic writers: Edgar Allan Poe.