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Our Stories.

The Trail You See — and the Work You Don’t

It’s easy to picture a trail as just a line on a map. But the real magic is what happens behind the scenes.

Before the first person steps onto a new path, years of quiet, dedicated work have happened:

  • Hosting listening sessions in every community the trail touches
  • Applying for competitive grants
  • Coordinating engineers, surveyors, and contractors
  • Navigating local, state, and federal rules and permits
  • Building partnerships with towns, business, and local groups
  • Negotiating land access with private landowners 
  • Securing easements that will protect the trail forever
  • Running environmental studies to protect wildlife and wetlands

All this requires people: planners, managers, community outreach coordinators, accountants, lawyers, and volunteers.

Why Trails are a Smart, Lasting Investment

If you’ve ever asked, “Why should I give to a trail project?”  – here are a few reasons that thousands of communities have discovered: 

🌱 1. Trails Boost Local Economies

Studies show that every mile of trail can generate tens of thousands of dollars in local spending. Cyclists, runners, and walkers buy coffee, ice cream, gear, and meals. Small towns see new businesses open up at trailheads. Property values often increase near safe, well-maintained trails.

🚶 2. Trails Improve Health and Wellbeing

Accessible trails get people moving. They help kids build lifelong outdoor habits. They give seniors a safe place to stay active. They encourage walking and biking over driving — reducing traffic and pollution.

🌎 3. Trails Protect Green Spaces

Trails often follow rivers, woods, and open spaces that might otherwise be developed or neglected. By supporting trail projects, you help conserve wildlife corridors, wetlands, and historic landscapes.

🤝 4. Trails Bring Communities Together

From small rural towns to busy cities, trails connect people. They’re places to gather, volunteer, learn about local history, and meet neighbors you might never see otherwise.

🛠️ 5. Trails Are a Legacy

Unlike so many one-time projects, a well-built and well-cared-for trail system lasts for generations. Your gift today helps children, grandchildren, and future residents enjoy the same safe, beautiful spaces.

What Your Gift Supports

Your donation directly supports:

  • Staff salaries and benefits for experienced professionals managing the project.
  • Technical Expertise to plan and design safe, sustainable routes.
  • Community engagement so every community’s voice is included.
  • Grant writing and compliance to bring in large-scale funding.
  • Outreach and education so more people discover, respect, and love the trail.

If you believe in:

  • Healthier communities
  • Stronger local economies
  • Protected green spaces
  • Safe places for kids, seniors, and everyone in between

    … then this is your chance to be part of it!

    Whether you give $5, $50, or $50,000, your donation helps build the backbone that keeps the trail — and the community — thriving for generations to come.

    Join us. Give today. Build tomorrow.

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