Rails to Trails Magazine
Statue of William Lanson along the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail | Photo by John Munno
Rails to Trails magazine is dedicated to exploring America’s remarkable rail-trails and trail networks, with a focus on the impact they have in communities nationwide. Published quarterly—three times per year in print plus one all-multimedia edition—the magazine is a benefit of membership to Rails to Trails Conservancy. Subscribe now to get great trail content while supporting RTC and the trails movement.
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In this issue:
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- Take a closer look at the citizen energy and community leadership behind Connecticut’s 56.5-mile Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, which is supporting healthy lifestyles, commuting and prosperity in the Constitution State (p. 8).
- Explore how the 165-mile Mesabi Trail is boosting the economies of 28 towns and municipalities, many with deep ties to the mining industry, while providing access to the state’s unparalleled natural scenery (pg. 20).
- Learn about the passion and leadership behind 2024 Rail-Trail Champion Sarah Clark Stuart’s work to spark development for the 860-mile Circuit Trails network in the Greater Philadelphia Area (p. 18).
- Get to know the new and fabulous rail-trails that made their debuts in 2024 (p. 25).
- Examine the ways in which trails across the country have played host to the (lights, camera) action in both television shows and films (p. 4).
- Discover some of the adventures that await in the Pennsylvania Wilds—a mecca for trails and family-friendly fun (p. 28).
- And much more!
Subscribe to the Magazine
Rails to Trails magazine is a benefit of membership to Rails to Trails Conservancy, which is $18 a year, $4 of which supports the magazine. In addition to the magazine, members receive discounts on RTC gifts and publications.
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Trail Moments: Cas Marburger Is Shifting Gears in Missoula, Montana
Heritage Corridor: How the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail Is Sparking Connections and Community Prosperity in Connecticut
16 Trails Featured in Movies and Television
Celebrating 2024’s New Rail-Trails
Bridging the Gaps: Maine’s Vision for a Statewide Interconnected Trail Network
Exploring a World Heritage Site Along Ohio’s Paint Creek Recreational Trail
Digital Feature Videos
In the all-multimedia Green Issue, Rails to Trails magazine takes a closer look at the leadership, public investment and community collaboration that is fueling efforts to create and connect trails—and bring this essential infrastructure to communities that have long been disinvested and under-resourced.
A Civic Transformation: The Rise of Texas’ Trail Networks
Across Texas, a cultural revolution is underway. In a state known for its highways, trail networks are emerging in numbers. Communities are building big visions to become walkable and bikeable—putting a priority on the safety of their friends and neighbors, and leveraging the power of this infrastructure to create new economic opportunity alongside new access to the outdoors. Leadership in the state is taking note and taking action, with the Texas Department of Transportation reimagining its signature federal funding programs to account for large-scale projects necessary to connect trails and trail networks.
A poster child of the change that’s underway can be seen in Texas’ Lower Rio Grande Valley, where regionwide connectivity is a long-sought goal of public leaders and residents, who are seeking to connect key community destinations, urban centers and outdoor amenities into the 428-mile Caracara Trails system, an RTC TrailNation™ project.
Featuring:
Noah Heath, TxDOT; Rose Gowen, City of Brownsville; Helen Ramirez, City of Brownsville; Eva Garcia, Rio Grande Valley MPO
Produced by Rails to Trails magazine and DS Simon Media
Energizing a Region: Missouri’s Rock Island Trail State Park
The people of Missouri are leading the charge for the Rock Island Trail State Park, anticipating the incredible impact the trail, when realized, could have along the 144-mile corridor. This video shines a light on how the communities are making it happen, with a goal to revitalize towns, spur new business and commerce, create safe off-road routes to destinations in dozens of towns along the route, and establish a new statewide tourism identity.
Read more about the Rock Island Trail State Park project in our online feature.
Featuring:
Rep. Bruce Sassmann, Missouri House of Representatives, 62nd District; Mayor Shannon Grus, City of Rosebud; Kim Henderson, Friends of Rock Island Trail State Park; Cary Parker, Gerald City Council/Bistro at the Mill; Jimmy Zumwalt, Mid-State Pipeline Maintenance/City of Belle
Produced by Rails to Trails magazine and DS Simon Media
Photo Essays
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A View From … Pacific Northwest Guidebook Sneak Peek
Destination: Washington State’s Spokane River Centennial State Park Trail
Destination: Utah’s Moab Canyon Pathway and Arches National Park
A View From: Kansas City’s Riverfront Heritage Trail
Destination: Southern New Mexico’s Cloud-Climbing Trestle Trail
A View From … The Historic Railroad Trail in Nevada
Subscribe to the Magazine
The magazine is a benefit of membership to Rails to Trails Conservancy, which is $18 a year, $4 of which supports the magazine. In addition to the magazine, members receive discounts on RTC gifts and publications.
Past Magazine Issues
View digital versions of past issues below or contact us for back issues.
We Want to Hear From You!
Our members always have plenty to say (and write) about Rails to Trails—and we’re always eager to hear it! If you enjoyed or have comments on a recent issue of the magazine, please submit a short letter to our editor. If we can—we’ll print it in the next edition! You can also contact us for former issues and articles of Rails to Trails not listed in the archive. Don’t forget to check out our TrailBlog for more stories.