My professional purpose is deeply tied to helping communities prosper through trails. I’ve been specializing in the Trail Town model since 2007 and spend a lot of time on this topic. And yet, I’m always learning and sometimes even have to reconsider what I thought I knew about Trail Towns. One of these moments occurred in 2023 when I learned that the Florida Trail Gateway Communities program was the first functioning Trail Town initiative. In that very moment, I realized I needed to update my book, Deciding on Trails.
Trail Towns and Communities
First-Time Study on Trail Community Programs
For the first time, a collective study has been conducted to understand the structure, challenges, and impacts of Trail Town & Gateway Community programs across the U.S. and Canada. This survey gathered insights from 19 programs that serve hundreds of communities and thousands of trail miles. In his book, On Trails, Robert Moor writes that “every […]
Questions People Ask About Trail Towns (Part 1)
I’m passionate about the Trail Town model and have devoted the last 18 years of my life to the topic. Wow, just writing that is really kind of staggering to me! It’s more than just work for me. I feel deeply devoted to helping communities, trail managers, and entire regions figure out how to create […]
“You Can’t Bake a Cake Without Flour”: Reflections on the World Trails Conference
I have so much to unpack following last week’s World Trails Conference in Ottawa, Canada! The conference gathered 400 people from 35 countries and was a truly inspiring event. It was both a thrill and an honor to be among a global audience that was thinking about how trails can have a greater impact on planet Earth.
North Central Appalachia Mountain Bike Summit: Activating and Connecting Trails and Communities
Photo courtesy of IMBA According to the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA), mountain biking contributes $133 billion annually to the U.S. economy. Interest in mountain biking continues to grow and evolve, especially with the rise of new trends such as bikepacking, gravel riding, and electric-assist mountain bikes (e-bikes). When the Pennsylvania Environmental Council wanted to […]
Swamp Rabbit Trail Trip Report
I stopped by the Swamp Rabbit Trail in early December. I had been in nearby Spartanburg, South Carolina attending the Appalachian Leadership Institute (and also had given a keynote presentation at the Carolina Thread Trail Forum in neighboring North Carolina)…
Gravel: Another Great Cycling Option in Pennsylvania
Gravel cycling, perhaps better explained as mixed surface riding, is one of the fastest growing forms of cycling. The sport is poised somewhere between road cycling and mountain biking. Most routes incorporate unpaved dirt and gravel roads, hence the term “gravel.” When the Pennsylvania Environmental Council wanted to advance a reginal understanding of the sport, […]
Gushing Over the High Trestle Trail
The High Trestle Trail in Iowa is one of my favorite trails to talk about. I visited in 2015 and was completely enamored with the High Trestle Trail Bridge. I’ve been sharing the story of the bridge ever since. In fact, when I issued the first “Trail Townz” Zine last year, I put it on the cover and included a story. I’ve pasted the story below…
Unlocking the Economic & Community Development Potential of IHTC Trails Report: Positioning Regional Multi-use Trails as Part of a Growing Regional Economy
Photo credit: Renee Rosensteel, Courtesy of Rails to Trails Conservancy The Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition (IHTC) is working to complete and connect a system of multi-use trails across 51 counties in western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, eastern Ohio, and southwest New York. One of the coalition’s supporting organizations, Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC), realized that […]
Cycle Forward Celebrating 10 Years in Business
Cycle Forward is celebrating 10 years in business! It’s been a heck of a ride that continues to become more thrilling. Founder Amy Camp has built connections and shared ideas in communities far and wide and is eager to keep going. In the meantime, this is a milestone worth celebrating!
