The 3.2-mile Tacony Creek Trail, paved and smooth as a river stone, flows along the waterway under the hush of tall old-growth trees.

As an impassioned storyteller, author, cultural geographer and educator, Carolyn Finney, Ph.D., speaks to dozens of audiences each year on the intersection of environment and diversity.

The 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) in Southwestern Pennsylvania and Western Maryland is a premier rail-trail destination.

Framed by the majestic Rocky Mountains, Montana’s Milwaukee Road Rail-Trail (Thompson Park) sits roughly equidistant between two national parks—just a half-day’s drive from both Yellowstone and Glacier.

In honor of Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary this year, Rails to Trails magazine is highlighting four rail-trails that have had a transformative Cinderella story, going from industrial dumping grounds to beloved community assets.

Just as trails physically knit together communities and strengthen bodies, books have the power to connect individuals and strengthen minds. Celebrate World Book Day (March), National Library Week (April) and Book Lovers Day (August) with a trip down these literary-themed trails.

About a 45-mile drive northwest of Boston, the Londonderry Rail Trail in the quaint southern New Hampshire town of Londonderry offers locals a slice of tranquility in an otherwise upside-down world with a 4.5-mile jaunt through verdant forests and wildlife-rich wetlands and along scenic ponds.

Floating sinuously over America’s longest waterway, the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge straddles the Missouri River between bustling Omaha—Nebraska’s largest city—and the quieter-feeling hometown of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Google has helped direct millions of people to TrailLink to access all the health and wellness benefits trails provide. Since 2008, usage has grown from several hundred thousand people to more than 7 million annually who choose TrailLink as their go-to source for finding and using trails.

The Great American Rail-Trail spans more than 3,700 miles between Washington, D.C., and Washington State, traversing some of America’s most iconic and scenic natural wonders. While still in progress, it already connects us to our shared heritage, nature and each other in unforgettable ways.