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Swap Out a Car Trip for a Trail Trip With These Tips and Tricks

Posted 08/31/22 by Ryan Chao, Amy Kapp in Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Bike Commuting, Biking, ebike, Gear, How-to, Mode Shift, Trail Use Tips, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?, Winter Uses

Along the Great Rivers Greenway trail network in St. Louis, Missouri. | Photo courtesy Great Rivers Greenway

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is embarking on an eight-week “Swap-a-Trip” challenge. Beginning Sept. 6, #TeamRTC will explore new ways to embrace active transportation by swapping car trips with walking, bicycling and other self-propelled activities—while getting the physical and mental health benefits to boot. Whether it’s to reduce your carbon footprint, or steep gas prices have got you down—we hope you will consider swapping a car trip for a walk or a bike ride. Here is a collection of tips and advice, brought to you from RTC, to change up that daily car commute or errand run while embracing trails, active transportation and a more active lifestyle.

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Along the Great Rivers Greenway trail network in St. Louis, Missouri. | Photo courtesy Great Rivers Greenway

Swap Out a Car Trip for a Trail Trip With These Tips and Tricks

Posted 08/31/22 by Ryan Chao, Amy Kapp in Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Bike Commuting, Biking, ebike, Gear, How-to, Mode Shift, Trail Use Tips, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?, Winter Uses

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is embarking on an eight-week “Swap-a-Trip” challenge. Beginning Sept. 6, #TeamRTC will explore new ways to embrace active transportation by swapping car trips with walking, bicycling and other self-propelled activities—while getting the physical and mental health benefits to boot. Whether it’s to reduce your carbon footprint, or steep gas prices have got you down—we hope you will consider swapping a car trip for a walk or a bike ride. Here is a collection of tips and advice, brought to you from RTC, to change up that daily car commute or errand run while embracing trails, active transportation and a more active lifestyle.

Aerial view of the Mather Trestle along South Carolina's Spanish Moss Trail | Photo courtesy of the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail

South Carolina’s Spanish Moss Trail

Posted 08/03/22 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Health and Active Living, South Carolina, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Trail Use Tips, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

Aptly named for the moss-draped oaks along the route, the woodsy sections of the Spanish Moss Trail provide a cool respite in the South Carolina summers. As it winds 10 miles through Beaufort County on the state’s southern coastline, numerous bridges over salt marshes and small streams provide picturesque views and the chance to see pink-hued roseate spoonbills or snowy white egrets wading in the shallows.

Massachusetts' Manhan Rail Trail mural | Photo by Wendy Hammerle

Massachusetts’ Manhan Rail Trail

Posted 07/12/22 by Kaylyn Yee in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Massachusetts, Trail Businesses, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, TrailNation

In the 20 years since its construction, Rosemary Laporte has hardly missed a day on the Manhan Rail Trail, a paved 6-mile route across Easthampton in western Massachusetts. Rain or shine, she starts her day around 6 a.m. with a leisurely stroll along the beloved trail. Most days, she walks with a friend.

Hall of Fame milestone on Florida's Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail | Courtesy Carol Alexander

Trail Moments | Our Quest to Visit All of America’s Hall of Fame Rail-Trails

Posted 07/05/22 by Carol Alexander in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Great American Rail-Trail, Hall of Fame, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, Trail Moments, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

For the last three years, we have concentrated on pedaling different regions of the country using two important planning tools: the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame guidebook and TrailLink.com. We have also expanded our agenda by incorporating other interests such as canoeing and geocaching. Our journey started with an F150 pickup carrying two solo canoes on the roof, bicycles and hiking attire in the truck bed, and a very comfortable 20-foot travel trailer towed behind.

Michigan's Kal Haven Trail on the Great Lake-to-Lake Trails Route 1 in South Haven | Photo by C.M. McGuire

Michigan Trail System Makes Connections From Lake to Shining Lake

Posted 07/04/22 by Amy S. Eckert in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Connected Systems, Michigan, Tourism , Tourism and Economic Development, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations

By summer 2022, the Michigan Air Line Trail will complete the final 2.5 miles of its 8-mile total, and enthusiasm among Wixom’s residents and business owners is high. But even more exciting than the trail’s completion is the news that the route will join the larger Great Lake-to-Lake Trails network. Because now, rather than merely attracting Detroiters, Wixom will be able to advertise itself to cross-state roadtrippers.

Idaho's Weiser River Trail | Photo by Mike Beavers

Idaho’s Weiser River National Recreation Trail

Posted 06/13/22 by Amy Grisak in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Idaho, Local Organizing, Maintenance and Volunteers, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

When someone says “Idaho,” most people think of potatoes, but the Weiser River National Recreation Trail demonstrates there is so much more to the landscape and the people. Traveling 84 miles—from forested terrain through canyons and onto the high prairie in the west-central part of the state—there is an ever-changing beauty that evokes an appreciation of the region and the forward-thinking individuals who sought to preserve the corridor.

Wendy Park Bridge along the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Lake Link Trail | Photo by Jason Cohn

Bridge to Everywhere: Examining Signature Gateways Across America

Posted 06/09/22 by Cory Matteson in America's Trails | Tagged with BATC, Best Of, Connected Systems, Featured Magazine Articles, Great American Rail-Trail, IHTC, Trail Destinations, TrailNation

Across the United States, bridges are serving as the hallmarks, gateways and centerpieces of communities, providing connectivity that has a major impact on active transportation, tourism and economic development. Plus—there’s the view. Here, Rails to Trails spans the country to examine how bridges are transforming trails and regions.

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge connecting Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska | Photo by Matthew Nissen

20 Iconic Bike and Pedestrian Bridges in America

Posted 06/08/22 by Amy Kapp in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Circuit Trails, Connected Systems, Florida, Great American Rail-Trail, IHTC, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Top10, Trail Destinations, TrailNation, Washington

Across the country, bridges are literally serving as gateways for communities to achieve critical strides in active transportation, conservation and economic development. Here, we take a look at 20 iconic bridges and trestles in the United States (in no particular order) that have played—or are playing—transformative connectivity roles in their regions.

Kentucky's Dawkins Line Rail Trail | Photo by Tamara Hicks

Kentucky’s Dawkins Line Rail Trail

Posted 05/13/22 by Austyn Gaffney in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Federal, Kentucky, Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, Trail of the Month

The Dawkins Line Rail Trail is Kentucky’s longest rail-trail. The 36-mile crushed-stone path is now open to bicyclists, hikers and horseback riders; a short, paved portion is also available in Royalton. The trail takes visitors on a journey back in time as they wind through the bright green Appalachian forests of Breathitt, Johnson and Magoffin counties.

Celebrate Trails Day event in Columbus, Ohio | Photo by Jeffrey A. Tilford

Celebrate Trails Day Inspires Trail Users to Be Active

Posted 05/04/22 by Brad Byrne in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, CelebrateTrailsDay, Community Events, Encouraging Trail Use, Facts and FIgures, Trail Use Tips, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?

From riding down Historic Route 66 to encountering black bears to overcoming a mountainous climb, so many great stories came to us from Celebrate Trails Day participants about the special moments they had on the trail—and what trails mean to them.

Cedar Lake Trail en Minneapolis, Minnesota | Foto de Tony Hull, Toole Design Group

Cómo prepararse para su primer viaje de larga distancia por senderos

Posted 03/22/22 by Tom Sexton in Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, How-to, Sojourn Series, Spanish, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations

¡pensamos que sería un buen momento para presentar cinco consejos simples para paseos en senderos de larga distancia! Estos están específicamente dirigidos a personas que no son ciclistas exigentes, pero que están interesadas en su primer viaje más largo todo terreno (con una duración de varios días o una semana).

The Scarborough bridge on Maine's Eastern Trail | Courtesy Eastern Trail Alliance

Maine’s Eastern Trail

Posted 03/15/22 by Cindy Barks in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Maine, Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

Bob Hamblen takes to the Eastern Trail on his bike, riding through various sections of the route that traverses 24 miles of southern Maine’s spectacular coastline. While he sees it as “a win” wherever he ends up on the trail, the long-time Saco resident has his favorites.