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.

Executive Summary The small towns and cities between Cleveland and Pittsburgh are home to some of America’s richest industrial heritage and history. Innovations in 19th-century transportation unlocked the region’s potential, delivering new people and new economies, and fueling westward development and a booming industrial market nationwide. As these economies took hold, the “industrial heartland” emerged—from the coal mines of West […]

The Parkersburg to Pittsburgh (P2P) is the developing 238.5-mile route connecting northern West Virginia and Pennsylvania by trail.

I had the pleasure of chatting with President Ryan Chao on how RTC is making this work happen in collaboration with thousands of partners and trail advocates across the country.

Here are 10 spooky haunted trails RTC could find on America’s diverse collection of rail-trails and multiuse pathways.

Here are snapshots of our favorite rail-trail experiences from all 50 states—demonstrating the beauty and geography our country is known for.

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.

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.

Here is a spotlight on some of the critical TrailNation project advances we made in 2018—and how they are bringing to life our vision of trails at the heart of healthy, thriving communities.

The P2P corridor heads east out of the Ohio River port city of Parkersburg, along the North Bend Rail Trail, through small, rural communities like Cairo, West Union and Salem. Seventy-eight percent of the 150-mile West Virginia section is already complete, with a few key gaps in Wood, Harrison and Marion counties.