Trail of the Month Page 7

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.

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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).

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 took nearly a decade of work—battling property owners, developers and city officials; filing lawsuits; lobbying politicians; cultivating influential public figures; holding design competitions; and raising $150 million to bring the mile-long High Line to life and make it such a success. In recognition of this work, and the shining example it has become for the national rail-trail movement, the High Line was recently inducted into Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's (RTC) 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.

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. And as the Prairie Spirit marks its 15th anniversary, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is adding the trail to its Rail-Trail Hall of Fame for embodying the unique natural and cultural history of the region and acting as a vanguard for other rail-trail projects.

Iowa's Wabash Trace Nature Trail

Posted 05/01/11 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Hall of Fame, Iowa, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

The Wabash Trace Nature Trail—the newest member of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Rail-Trail Hall of Fame—winds 63 miles from the outskirts of Council Bluffs, Iowa, southeast to the small town of Blanchard near the border with Missouri. Along the way, it offers views of some of the most scenic countryside in Iowa, including the unique Loess Hills.

Minnesota's Paul Bunyan State Trail

Posted 02/01/11 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Hall of Fame, Minnesota, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

The Paul Bunyan is a signature Minnesota destination. Trail users will get their fill of aspens, maples and oaks, and horizon-spanning freshwater lakes; you'll pass 21 along the way. Famous for the big hospitality and small-town charm of the 15 communities it connects, the corridor is the newest member of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.

Photo courtesy Richard Due | CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Vermont's Island Line

Posted 12/01/10 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Hall of Fame, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Vermont

Vermont's Island Line consists of the Burlington Bike Path and the Colchester Causeway, running from Burlington through Colchester and the edge of South Hero. The first seven miles are paved and managed by the city of Burlington. Colchester Parks & Recreation oversees the middle 5.5 miles, and the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife the final mile and a half.

Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail State Park, Utah | Photo courtesy Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Utah's Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail State Park

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

Northern Utah is known for its voluminous snowfall and winter sports culture, but the Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail State Park gives tourists ample reasons to visit the area in all seasons, even when the fresh powder has all but vanished.