Walking and Running
About Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and Rail-Trails
If you crave scenic and convenient places to run and walk, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is powering a movement that redefines outdoor adventure. Since 1986, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has helped transform more than 15,000 miles of unused railroad corridor throughout the United States into the world’s greatest running and walking trail system for you to enjoy.
Most of these corridors are located in beautiful spots: river valleys, along lake shores, or bordering forest lands. Some run their ribbons of open space through cities, suburbs and farmlands. And because of their even grade and generally gentle terrain, they make ideal running and walking trails
Running and Walking on Rail-Trails
Whether you are training for a marathon, looking for a safe place to exercise, or a scenic respite from the hustle and bustle of the city, rail-trails have it all.
Most rail-trails accommodate walking and running—whether you’re looking for smooth sailing or a rugged run. And if you walk or run, you know that surface matters. Rail-trails offer a variety of surfaces including crushed stone, dirt, or asphalt and provide great opportunities to get out and exercise on a surface that best suits your legs. Many of these trails also have mileage markers to support your training pursuits and provide safe places to recreate away from traffic. Although rail-trails come in all surface and scenery types, most are flat or have gentle grades of three percent or less.
You can use rail-trails as an extension of your fitness daily routine, a place to stretch your legs while traveling for business, or an excursion for you friends and family. And with more than 15,000 miles of rail-trail available in the United States—and 9,500 more miles in development—you’re bound to find a great walking or running trail near you.
Featured Article
California's Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail
California's coastal climes, though famous for Mediterranean summers and mild winters, don't often produce much variation throughout the year. Yet if you head a few hundred miles northeast of San Francisco—just east of the Sierra and Cascade mountain ranges—you'll find craggy canyons and upland forests that cycle through four distinct seasons. And you won't find better exposure to these changes than on the 25.4-mile Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail, which carves through the Susan River Canyon between the communities of Susanville and Westwood.