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 […] The post First-Time Study on Trail Community Programs appeared first on Cycle Forward.| Cycle Forward
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 […] The post Unlocking the Economic & Community Development of IHTC Trails Report: Positioning Regional ...| Cycle Forward
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. The post “You Can’t Bake a Cake Without Flour”: Reflections on the World Trails Conference appeared first on Cycle Forward.| Cycle Forward
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)... The post Swamp Rabbit Trail Trip Report appeared first on Cycle Forward.| Cycle Forward
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... The post Gushing Over the High Trestle Trail appeared first on Cycle Forward.| Cycle Forward
Enjoy a 60-mile GAP ride without ever getting into your car. This route is made possible by catching an early morning train from Pittsburgh to Connellsville and then biking back to your starting point. The post Start a Connellsville-Pittsburgh GAP ride with AMTRAK appeared first on Cycle Forward.| Cycle Forward
Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and Fayette County, West Virginia…both are experiencing growth spurred by the outdoor economy. I participated in two unrelated tours last month, but quickly realized there were overlapping themes. The post Two Fayettes Finding their Way – Exploring the outdoor economy in two Fayette counties appeared first on Cycle Forward.| Cycle Forward
Every so often, a person gets to work on a project that can make a significant difference for a community and also feels deeply personal. This was the case for Amy when she was invited to assist in creating the Hazelwood Riverfront Master Plan. Developing a plan to reconnect Greater Hazelwood to the Monongahela River had been a long time coming. The post Hazelwood Riverfront Master Plan: Reconnecting Residents with the Monongahela River appeared first on Cycle Forward.| Cycle Forward