December 2018
Stories from trail enthusiasts of all ages

To celebrate a year that has had so many important landmarks, like the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System Act, the 50th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and the 30th anniversary of American Trails, we reached out to people all over the country to tell us what trails mean to them. The response we got back from people of all ages, locations, and walks of life was overwhelming. Here are some of their stories.
Featured National Recreation Trail
Medina River Greenway, TX

The 7-mile trail near downtown San Antonio provides a beautiful, pastoral setting to enjoy nature, history, and recreation along the banks of the sinuous Medina River.
From the American Trails Magazine
 Trails as a memorial in Newtown, CT

Dec. 14th was the sixth anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, and a permanent memorial is planned. This memorial will use trails and pathways to bring people together for healing and reflection.
Breaking Down the Silos
The trail industry is hard to define, but it includes a wide array of user-specific organizations, volunteer groups, professional construction firms, planning firms, design firms, and more.

All of these diverse constituencies rely on a robust trails infrastructure. Yet we have never sought to gather this energy together in one place. Perhaps the time has come to consider the idea.
National Recreation Trail Calendar
American Trails  is now offering a stunning 2019 calendar, featuring America's newest National Recreation Trails, FREE for download on our website!

Each month is dedicated to a different trail and provides both information and photos of these magnificent NRTs. Enjoy some of nation's best trails all year long with this unique calendar!
R esources and Training

January webinar demonstrates how to make your trail irresistible to private funders
The 2019 Advancing Trails Webinar Series will kick off with our January 17 webinar titled “Investment Opportunity: How to Make Your Trail Irresistible to Private Funders.” This webinar includes presenters that have successfully courted private foundations to give you a holistic view of how projects can be pushed to the next level by engaging the private sector.

Download the Trails Rock! Coloring Book for free in the American Trails online store
With the holidays approaching, we wanted to bring you something special.
We have created a Trails Rock! Coloring Book for the young (and young at heart!) to enjoy free for download on our website. Learn about why trails are important, and the work American Trails does.

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail Trailhead Design Guidelines
This document provides guidelines to help managers make decisions in a sustainable manner for major trailheads all along the CDNST. Overall principles given here relate to all trailhead sites. However, they also include more detailed guidelines specific to the highly varied settings along the Continental Divide.

San Francisco Bay Trail Design Guidelines and Toolkit
These guidelines offer direction and define goals to facilitate the design and development of a San Francisco Bay Trail system that is safe, connected, and continuous; provides a positive user experience that encourages people to use the trail; and maximizes access to and use by the broadest spectrum of people possible.

American Trails website resources
Check out our volunteer portal for the latest available volunteer opportunities, and our training calendar for upcoming conferences and events.

Featured Trail Industry Manufacturer: Reliance Foundry Co. Ltd.
Reliance Foundry is a leading supplier of architectural site furnishings that assist in trail delineation, access restriction, and pathway lighting.
International Trails Symposium News
Download the NEW American Trails mobile app
We are excited to launch our brand new American Trails mobile app! The mobile app will allow attendees to make their own personalized schedule (coming in early 2019), set reminders, share photos, receive push notifications for any changes, and so much more! Search for American Trails in the iTunes or Google Play store (you'll see the American Trails logo). The ITS 2019 will be our first event we are promoting in our new app!

Volunteer at ITS 2019 and get a free TRAIL BOSS shirt!
Additional benefits for volunteers include admission to concurrent sessions the day(s) volunteered, complimentary snacks and drinks, free ticket to the Trails Rock Party Monday night, as well as free parking at the convention center. We have a variety of volunteer opportunities onsite including assisting at the registration desk, auction, bag stuffers, exhibit hall setup/breakdown, and more!

Sponsor the Emerging Trail Leaders Program
The Hulet Hornbeck Emerging Trail Leaders Scholarship Program brings 16 young adults, ages 21-28, to attend the 2019 International Trails Symposium and Training Institute in Syracuse, New York this coming April. Each scholarship is valued at $2,500 but we welcome any sponsorship amount. The top 16 candidates have been selected and we are excited to showcase them in next month’s enews!

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