16 Historic Highlights Along the Route of the Great American Rail-Trail. Rail-trails are the perfect way for us to connect to each other, our communities and our cultural heritage. Unique in makeup and geography, each trail that’s hosting the 3,700-miles-plus preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail has many stories to tell—some as old as, or far older than, our country itself. Both well known and lesser known, the histories found along the route demonstrate why the “Great American” is a true national treasure.

In 2017, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) was funded by the William Penn Foundation to advance planning and development of a trail along the Richmond Industrial Track Rail Corridor in the Kensington, Fairhill and Port Richmond communities. A $1.8 million corridor cleanup by Conrail, the adjacent rail road, with the City of Philadelphia created an opening for […]

Signage is an important feature of any trail, helping inform trail users where they are and where they are going, ensuring their safety, and pointing out amenities and landmarks to make the experience more enjoyable. For trail networks, signage takes on added importance, unifying individual trails under a common brand and elevating their visibility as […]

Learn how the legendary groundhog Punxsutawney Phil helped create the Pennsylvania’s Mahoning Shadow Trail in RTC’s trail of the month feature.

Imagine what’s possible with a trail that connects the country. That vision will become a reality thanks to the Great American Rail-Trail, a signature project of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the organization’s most ambitious TrailNation™ project yet.

2018 was an exciting one for the rail-trail movement. Here are new Rail-Trails of 2018, totally nearly 2,100 rail-trails across the country.

Prescribe-a-Trail (PAT) is a program in which Philadelphia-area hospitals and health-care organizations lead outings on local trails along the Circuit Trails network.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) and the national trail community put itself on the front lines to protect and defend trails in 2018. Here are five ways we mobilized in communities this year.

The Great Allegheny Passage, a truly world-class trail has developed over thirty years, along with of signage that was uncoordinated. Created by the Great Allegheny Passage

Below are the rail-trails now joining the ranks of more than 1,000 National Recreation Trails designated across the country.