"Tens of thousands of miles of abandoned railroad tracks have been developed into recreational paths since the 1960s. Here are scenic pathways through deserts, valleys, mountain passages and more."
"In the early 20th century, the patchwork of the United States was quilted together by almost 300,000 miles of railroad lines. When train transport fell into disuse in the 1950s and ’60s, a movement began to transform those abandoned industrial corridors into recreational space. Those miles of track had the potential to be ideal bike paths, thanks to limited incline and their proximity to towns which stood to benefit from a new kind of tourism.
There are many ways, and many steps needed, to turn a track with steel rails and spikes, wooden sleepers and stone ballast into a smooth, inviting bike route. But while the rails-to-trails movement started in the ‘60s, it got a major boost in 1986 with the development of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a national organization that has helped local communities plan, fund-raise and execute their own trail development. Now, Rails-to-Trails is largely focused on connectivity — linking already existing trails (over 25,000 miles of them) to create bike networks that span the country, namely, the Great American Rail Trail, which will cross the country from Washington, D.C., to Washington state. Other long-distance projects include Peaks to Plains in Colorado, the Great Redwood Trail in Northern California, and the Route of the Badger in Wisconsin.
“We’re at a really exciting time in this country in terms of a never-before-seen understanding of the value of safe, outdoor activities,” said Ryan Chao, president of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy."
Lauren Sloss reports for the New York Times May 23, 2022.
SEE ALSO:
"Opinion: The Demise Of The Great American Road Trip" (Washington Post)
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