TrailBlog

Great American Rail-Trail illustration by Anderson Design

Rails to Trails Conservancy’s TrailBlog explores the world of trails, walking and bicycling, including industry news, amazing and impactful trail destinations, the unique history to be found across trails and the movement, and the leaders and communities shaping trail network development today. Sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Winter Trail Tips

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Wisconsin's Oak Leaf Trail | Photo by Ken Mattison

America’s Trails

Seven Hot Tips for Cold-Weather Biking

January 14, 2021

RTC hopes these tips for cold-weather biking will help you embrace and enjoy winter riding, but, if you’re new to it, just take it slow.

New Hampshire's Northern Rail Trail | Courtesy New Hampshire State Parks

America’s Trails

Rail-Trail Tips for Cross-Country Skiing (A 101 Guide)

February 03, 2021

Why not add cross-country or Nordic skiing to your list? Here are a few quick tips to help you give it a try!

The author, Willie Karidis, out on a snowshoeing expedition | Courtesy Willie Karidis

America’s Trails

The Magical World of Snowshoeing: A How-To Guide for Trails

February 04, 2021

Snowshoeing might seem a little intimidating at first, but once you give it a try, you might just find a new-found freedom to hit the trails.

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Ribbon cutting of Iowa's High Trestle Trail to Raccoon River Valley Trail Connector | Photo courtesy of Iowa Bicycle Coalition

Building Trails

Celebrating 2024’s New Rail-Trails

December 02, 2024

Photo courtesy Getty Images

Building Trails

Notice: Upcoming Railroad Abandonment in Pike County, Kentucky

August 06, 2024

Groundbreaking in Owensville, Missouri, along the developing Rock Island Trail State Park | Photo courtesy Friends of Rock Island Trail State Park

Building Trails

Missouri’s Rock Island Trail State Park: Building Miles and Momentum

Eastern Continental Divide tunnel along the Great Allegheny Passage (gaptrail.org) | Photo courtesy Dave Majors

Building Trails

American Icon: The Great American Rail-Trail Is on Its Way to Fulfilling a Cross-Country Vision

Trident Depot exterior | Photo courtesy Three Forks Area Historical Society

Building Trails

Trident Depot Saved by Three Forks Community Encapsulates Region’s Rich History

1867 Union Pacific advertisement poster | Courtesy Union Pacific Railroad Museum

Building Trails

How Council Bluffs Became the Eastern Point of the First Transcontinental Railroad

Waterloo, Cedar Falls & Northern Railway depot along the Iowa's Cedar Valley Nature Trail | Photo by Patrick Travers

Building Trails

Depot in Center Point Is a Trailside Landmark to Iowa Town’s 1914 Awakening

Double arch bridge in Brandon, Iowa | Photo courtesy Black Hawk County Conservation

Building Trails

Century-Old Bridge in Brandon Is a Legacy to Iowa’s Railroad Heyday

Group on trail - Photo courtesy Getty Images

Building Trails

Leveraging This Moment for Impact

February 06, 2024

Chuck Huckelberry Loop | Photo by Gerry Loew, Pima County Communications

A Cultural Shift as America’s Trail Networks Take Hold

December 14, 2023

Ohio's Cleveland Foundation Centennial Lake Link Trail | Photo by Jason Cohn

Building Trails

Elevating Opportunity in 2023—Reflections From the Trails Movement

December 14, 2023

Lamoille Valley Rail Trail in Wolcott, Vermont | Photo courtesy Vermont Agency of Transportation

America’s Trails

A Celebration of Completion for Vermont’s Lamoille Valley Rail Trail

Most Popular Blogs

How You Ride the Great American Rail-Trail

Learn how to ride the Great American Rail-Trail and Adventure Cycling’s contribution of a 960-mile detour route between Nebraska and Montana.

Here Are Five Fantastic New Rail-Trails That Opened in 2023

Here we spotlight a handful of the exciting new rail-trails that opened in 2023.

Exploring America’s E-Bike Evolution

Now it’s younger families, maybe zero-car families that are using cargo e-bikes as a car replacement or commuters trying to get from A to B in the most efficient way they can.

American Icon: The Great American Rail-Trail Is on Its Way to Fulfilling a Cross-Country Vision

Five years after launch, the Great American Rail-Trail is on its way to fulfilling a cross-country vision. See updates across the route.

Virginia’s High Bridge Trail State Park

Since the High Bridge Trail State Park was finally coming to Pamplin, there has been new investment in the town and a real revitalization.

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