hall of fame

2020 Vision: New York's “Empire State Trail" Is Making Trails a Main Attraction

Posted 08/09/18 by Scott Stark in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Facts and FIgures, Featured Magazine Articles, Hall of Fame, Health and Active Living, Local Organizing, New York, Trail Destinations, Trails of the World, Transportation and Health, Urban Pathways, Walkability and Bikeability

A jogger on the Hudson River Valley Greenway catches the last rays of the day’s light as the sun sets behind the New Jersey skyline. | Photo by Scott Stark

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced in early January 2017 his $200 million plan to lay down 350 miles of new trails in three years to bridge the gaps in two major existing routes—the east-west Erie Canalway Trail and the north-south Hudson River Valley Greenway—and knit them together into the greater Empire State Trail (EST). Shaped like a giant sideways T intersecting near Albany, the EST will connect three corners of the state: Manhattan, Buffalo and the Canadian border near Lake Champlain.

Full Story
Cardinal Greenway, Bridge in Economy | Photo by Angie Pool, Courtesy Cardinal Greenways Inc.

Help Us Pick America’s 2018 Rail-Trail Hall of Famer!

Posted 07/02/18 by Suzanne Matyas in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Hall of Fame, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Trail Destinations, Washington

Our team scoured the states for rail-trails with exemplary scenic value, use, trail and trailside amenities, historical significance, management and maintenance, community connections and other Hall-of-Fame-worthy merits—and though it was difficult, we were able to narrow our choices down to five nominees:

Elizabeth River Trail | Photo by TrailLink user krmurphy

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Reflects on Its 32nd Year As America’s Voice for Trails

Posted 06/12/18 by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in America's Trails, Building Trails, Success Stories | Tagged with Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition, Best Of, Celebrating 30 Years, Connected Systems, Facts and FIgures, Florida, Funding, Hall of Fame, History Happened Here, IHTC, Louisiana, LowerRioGrande, Miami LOOP, Missouri, Nebraska, Rock Island, Route of the Badger, RTC in Action, State and Federal Programs, Success Stories, Texas, Trail Communities, Trail Destinations, TrailNation, TrailsTransform, Walkability and Bikeability, Why Use Trails?, Wisconsin

Here’s just a quick snapshot of our successes in 2017. To learn more about our work, download our FY 2017 Annual Report.

Katy Trail State Park | Photo by Aaron Fuhrman

RTC’s 2018 Doppelt Grants Invest in 9 Trail Projects, Filling Critical Gaps in Trail Funding

Posted 05/22/18 by Eli Griffen in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with California, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Funding, Hall of Fame, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Trail Communities

Since 2015, RTC’s Doppelt Fund has awarded nearly a half-million dollars in grants to nonprofits and government agencies working to develop and improve multiuse trails. This year, RTC is awarding the most annual funds yet to the most awardees, with more than $140,000 going to 10 worthy recipients.

Chicago Lakefront Trail | Photo by TrailLink user kristincreager

Best Trails of 2017 According to You!

Posted 01/25/18 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Success Stories, Health and Wellness, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, California, Circuit Trails, Connected Systems, Demand for Trails, Ecology and Environment, Encouraging Trail Use, Hall of Fame, Health and Active Living, History Happened Here, IHTC, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Route of the Badger, TrailNation, Vermont, Walkability and Bikeability

America has an amazing collection of multiuse trails with scenery and experiences as diverse as the country itself. More than 3,800 trails are currently included on TrailLink.com, our nationwide trail-finder database—and more are added every week. Here, are the top 10 most-viewed trails by the 7 million+ trail enthusiasts who visited the website last year.

The trail winds through St. Tammany Parish towns and green spaces | Courtesy LouisianaNorthshore.com

Louisiana’s Tammany Trace

Posted 08/16/17 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Best Of, Community Events, Encouraging Trail Use, Hall of Fame, History Happened Here, Louisiana, Tourism , Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, Walkability and Bikeability

The Tammany Trace is a Southern belle nestled in the pristine natural surroundings of the Northshore across a vast lake from vibrant New Orleans. Spanning 27 miles, the paved pathway crosses a number of small creeks and bayous on more than two dozen bridges, connecting five quaint towns—Covington, Abita Springs, Mandeville, Lacombe and Slidell—each with their own unique character and appeal.

Rio Grande Trail in Colorado | Photo by Rhonda Mock

Help Us Choose the 2017 Rail-Trail Hall of Fame Inductee

Posted 07/06/17 by Suzanne Matyas in America's Trails | Tagged with Colorado, Hall of Fame, Louisiana, Nevada

We have a serious problem, and we need your help. This year, there are three extraordinary rail-trails nominated for induction into our prestigious Hall of Fame—but only one can win. Will you help us choose? The 2017 nominees: Colorado’s Rio Grande Trail, Louisiana’s Tammany Trace and Nevada’s Historic Railroad Trail.

View from the Walkway Over the Hudson rail-trail in New York | Photo by Aaron Schmidt

5 Amazing Rail-Trail Destinations for Your Bucket List

Posted 04/12/16 by Laura Stark in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with Celebrating 30 Years, Colorado, Featured Magazine Articles, Hall of Fame, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Trail Destinations

In recognition of this year’s 30th anniversary of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, RTC is conducting a public vote for the 30th addition to our Rail-Trail Hall of Fame. We thought that it was the perfect opportunity to share with you why this year's nominees are also amazing destinations you won't want to miss. Here's a little more info for you, plus travel and bike rental info!

The well-loved Walkway Over the Hudson serves a multitude of users. | Photo by Fred Schaeffer

New York's Hudson Valley Trail Network

Posted 03/17/16 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Celebrating 30 Years, Hall of Fame, New York, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

The morning wind playfully tousles Fred Schaeffer’s hair as he stands in quiet wonder on the Walkway Over the Hudson—something he’s done for nearly a decade of mornings since the trail opened. The view looking out over the inky waters of the river more than 200 feet below and the sleepy hillsides awakening against a softly brightening sky is one he never tires of. The enchanting setting is fitting for something once deemed impossible.

Rio Grande Trail | Photo courtesy RFTA

RTC Invites America to Choose 2016 Hall of Fame Rail-Trail

Posted 01/19/16 by Laura Stark in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with Best Of, Celebrating 30 Years, Hall of Fame, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month

In recognition of the 30th anniversary of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), we’ll be conducting a public vote for the 30th entry into the prestigious Rail-Trail Hall of Fame. Here's a quick look at our five candidates, which will be highlighted in our Trail of the Month TrailBlog feature stories between January and May. Take a look!

Steam Into History along the Heritage Rail-Trail at Hanover Junction in Pennsylvania | Photo by Katie Harris

Pennsylvania Communities Celebrate 2015 Rail-Trail Hall of Fame Designation

Posted 11/17/15 by Katie Harris in Success Stories, America's Trails | Tagged with Hall of Fame, Pennsylvania, Rail-with-Trail, Trail Destinations

Last week, the restored depot in New Freedom, Pennsylvania, played host to a crowd of area residents, local elected officials and trail enthusiasts—all of whom had assembled to celebrate an exciting event: the induction of the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail and Heritage Rail Trail County Park into Rails-to-Trail’s Conservancy’s Rail-Trail Hall of Fame!