Below are some of our favorite destinations along the Rock Island Trail, which is undergoing trail development and is not yet open for use.

“I only go on rail-trails now,” Carol said. “They make me feel safer because I don’t have to be watching for cars and traffic. And I can’t go very fast—I have to go slow so that I can see.”

Beautiful scenery and connections with nature are almost guaranteed when you spend time on a trail, and the experience can be even richer when you spot local wildlife along the way.  

I used to ride a regular two-wheeled bike; however, one morning in the summer of 2020, as I was riding, I got caught up in a tight turn and fell, breaking my elbow and pelvis. After recovering from the accident, I decided to switch to a three-wheeler, so I tried a few options and bought a recumbent electric Catrike.

RTC is bringing together its expertise and network of thousands of partners nationwide to launch the TrailNation Collaborative—a learning community where advocates, public leaders and professionals can come together to share their experiences, their challenges and their strategies for accelerating the pace of connecting trails and active transportation infrastructure.

Winding 25 miles through the northwest corner of Oregon, the Crown Zellerbach Trail (affectionately nicknamed the Crown Z Trail) serves as a rolling journey into history, introducing visitors to the home of the region’s First Peoples, the legacy of the area’s railroad and timber industries and intriguing geological events.

RTC has awarded a combined $300,000+ in grants to 25 organizations working in rural, suburban and urban communities across the country as part of the 2022 Trail Grants program.

The start of 2022 brought a significant opportunity for California trails and ended in a historic victory—as the state announced a $1 billion+ investment for trails and active transportation for fiscal year (FY) 2023.

“We should be exposing our students to lifelong physical activity and should be helping them develop the skills and confidence to enjoy those activities,” said Jack Hatert, principal of McKinney Middle School. “Our schools are the heartbeat of a cycling community, and we have to pass the passion on to our students.”

The Great American Rail-Trail® and its hosts trails connect to many places of learning, history and culture where students can take a break from the grind of classwork and explore. Here are some of our favorites.