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posted Apr 11, 2022

Impact of Trails Hub

Everything you need to know about the positive impact of trails on health, environment, economics, and more.

posted Feb 1, 2024

Why Trails Matter: Trails and Greenways Promote Health

by American Trails Staff

Trails and greenways create healthy recreation and transportation opportunities by providing people of all ages with attractive, safe, accessible and low- or no-cost places to cycle, walk, hike, jog or skate.


posted Jan 22, 2024

STEP IT UP! The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Promote Walking and Walkable Communities

The Call to Action provides strategies that communities can use to support walking, which we hope will result in long-lasting changes to improve the health and health care of Americans today and of the generations that follow.


posted Dec 29, 2023

Parks, Trails, and Health Workbook

by National Park Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Consider this workbook as a starting point. Every project is different. This workbook is intended as a guide to be adapted for specific situations.


posted Dec 29, 2023

Hiking Trails in America

by American Hiking Society

Call it walking. Call it hiking. Seldom has something so much fun also turned out to be so good for us!


posted Nov 25, 2023

Environmental Impacts of Winter Recreation

by Winter Wildlands Alliance

Regardless of our intentions, many species perceive humans as a threat and respond accordingly. In general, animals respond to threats by first increasing vigilance (time spent looking around versus foraging), and running away if the threat is perceived to be imminent.


posted Oct 26, 2023

Bridging the Urban-Rural Economic Divide

It’s time for the narrative to shift from urban vs. rural to a shared economic future. Bridging the economic divide between urban and rural areas will require states, regions and localities to understand and bolster the relationship between urban and rural areas in economically meaningful and strategic ways.


posted Oct 19, 2023

Great Allegheny Passage Economic Impact Report

by Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy

This report was developed by Fourth Economy in partnership with the Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy (formerly the Allegheny Trail Alliance). Research was conducted between the fall of 2020 and the spring of 2021.


posted Jul 12, 2023

Why Trails Matter: In Praise of Water Trails

by American Trails Staff

This article is intended to inspire and support trail managers, designers, volunteer groups, and individuals with information you can use, whether you want to get out and explore an existing water trail or begin the process of designating a new water trail in your community. 


posted Feb 14, 2023

2022 CDT Small Business Survey

by Continental Divide Trail Coalition

From August to December 2021, the Continental Divide Trail Coalition surveyed 136 small business owners in 38 communities located along the Continental Divide Trail to learn more about how the Continental Divide Trail impacts their businesses, the local economy, and their support for public lands.


posted Jul 15, 2022

The influence of use-related, environmental, and managerial factors on soil loss from recreational trails

This research investigated the influence of several use-related, environmental, and managerial factors on soil loss on recreational trails and roads at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, a unit of the U.S. National Park Service.


posted Jul 15, 2022

A Review and Synthesis of Recreation Ecology Research Supporting Carrying Capacity and Visitor Use Management Decisionmaking

This article reviews the most recent and relevant recreation ecology studies that have been applied in wildland settings to avoid or minimize resource impacts.


posted Jul 15, 2022

A Review and Synthesis of Recreation Ecology Research Findings on Visitor Impacts to Wilderness and Protected Natural Areas

This article examines the recreation ecology literature most relevant to wilderness and backcountry, with a focus on visitor impacts to vegetation, soil, wildlife, and water resources.