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America’s Trails


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North Carolina’s Thermal Belt Rail Trail
February 11, 2020
Today, the 13.58-mile Thermal Belt Rail Trail lies where the old Southern Railroad, and later the Thermal Belt Railway, once ran. The trail has been a boon for Rutherford County on a number of levels.
Thermal Belt Rail Trail bridge over Highway 74 | Photo by Dana Bradley
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Nine Romantic Trail Destinations That Will Make You Swoon
February 10, 2020
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we thought it was a great time to bust out this list of top romantic rail-trails in the United States. Here are nine, great, romantic trail destinations to try and catch cupid’s arrow!
View from the Ivanhoe Trestle along New River Trail State Park | Courtesy Virginia DCR
Blog
Eight Scenic State Parks for RV Camping Along the Great American Rail-Trail
January 29, 2020
The Great American spans more than 3,700 miles. Here are a few of these picturesque parks for RV camping along the Great American Rail-Trail.
Lake Easton State Park in Washington | Courtesy Washington State Parks
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Illinois’ MCT Goshen Trail
January 13, 2020
With a newly opened extension of the MCT Goshen Trail, travelers can now also access neighboring St. Clair County by trail for the first time. Providing even more transit options for locals, many of St. Clair County’s trails are being developed to intertwine with MetroLink, the region’s light rail system.
MCT Goshen Trail | Photo courtesy Metro East Park & Recreation District
Blog
A View From … Michigan’s Great Lake-to-Lake Trail
December 20, 2019
It’s no secret that Michigan is a great trail state, hosting more than 2,400 miles of rail-trails, and exciting developing trail network projects like the Great Lake-to-Lake Trails, which is building momentum.
The inaugural Great Lake-to-Lake Trail ride along Kal-Haven Trail Sesquicentennial State Park | Photo by Jeff Green, TrailLink user jeffinbville
Blog
Greet the New Rail-Trails of 2019
December 16, 2019
Today, more than 24,000 miles of completed rail-trails traverse the nation, often serving as backbones for regional trail systems that are transforming the places where we live, work and play. Here are just a few of the exciting new rail-trails added to the ranks in 2019.
Encinitas Coastal Rail Trail | Photo courtesy San Diego Association of Governments
Blog
West Virginia and Pennsylvania’s Parkersburg to Pittsburgh Corridor
December 05, 2019
The Parkersburg to Pittsburgh (P2P) is the developing 238.5-mile route connecting northern West Virginia and Pennsylvania by trail.
North Bend Trail into Cairo, West Virginia | Photo by Mike Tewkesbury
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Seven Ways Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Brought Big Impact in 2019
December 05, 2019
This year, America and the rail-trail movement saw giant leaps, and small-but-no-less-important bounds, that have helped to achieve RTC’s goal of connecting the country by trail like never before.
Great American Rail-Trail preferred route reveal in South Cle Elum, Washington | Photo by Kathy Young
Blog
New York’s Ashokan Rail Trail
December 03, 2019
In the throes of peak leaf season, the stewards of New York’s Ashokan Rail Trail assembled at the Woodstock Dike Trailhead because they rightly suspected that trail users would overflow the first of the three parking lots to open.
Ashokan Rail Trail opening | Courtesy New York City Department of Environmental Protection
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Former Rails-to-Trails President Keith Laughlin Named 2019 Rail-Trail Champion
December 02, 2019
Former Rails-to-Trails President Keith Laughlin Named 2019 Rail-Trail Champion. When Keith Laughlin became the second president of RTC in 2001, he did not envision he’d help usher in a golden age for trails.
Keith Laughlin riding Caracara Trails | Photo courtesy RTC