More Trailbuilding Resources

Resources and Library:

Trail design and construction

Resources for building trails and greenways: design guidelines, construction techniques, materials, trail paving and surfacing, and trailhead signs and facilities.

Basic elements of trail design and trail layout
Sustainable Trails: doing it right the first time
Optimizing trail grade: the key to creating sought-after trails by Randy Martin
Sustainability of Backcountry Trails: Minimizing Resource Impacts by Hugh Duffy, Danny Basch, and Don Sharlow (pdf 61 kb)
Developing Sustainable Mountain Trail Corridors: An Overview by Hugh Duffy
Guide to Sustainable Mountain Trails: Trail Assessment, Planning, and Design Sketchbook (pdf 11.6 mb)
Trail Planning, Design & Development Guidelines, MN DNR
Presentation on MN DNR’s Trail Manual: Recreational Value and Sustainability through Sound Planning and Design Practices (pdf 1.0 mb)
Trail Design Guidelines: Regional Trails, Natural Areas and Developed Parks, OR (pdf 7.4 mb)
Pathways to Trail Building from TN Dept of Environment and Conservation (pdf 4.9 mb)
Trail Design and Construction Standards; Northern Bonneville Shoreline Trail (pdf 494 kb)
Two new trail design books cover "how to think" and "how to do it"
Building Sustainable Trails: designing sustainable contour trails
Park Guidelines for Off-Highway Vehicles covers OHV recreation area design
Emerging Trends in Pocket Bike Parks (pdf of PowerPoint 2.7 mb)
The How and Why of Trail Construction on the Appalachian Trail
Handbook for Trail Design, Construction, and Maintenance, North Country National Scenic Trail
Hiking Trail Design: Trailbuilders tell us how they lay the groundwork
Erosion Control Strategies for New Trails by Martha S. Mitchell, Erosion Control
Equestrian Design Guidebook for Trails, Trailheads, and Campgrounds
Designing Shared-Use Trails to Include Equestrians, by Anne M. O'Dell (pdf 5.3mb)
Shared-Use Path Design (pdf 1.0mb); from FHWA
Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access
Conservation Ethics Guiding The Goethe Trail
Trail and greenway design development guidelines - Wake County
Trail Design Guidelines for Portland’s Park System, Oregon, 2009 (pdf 7.4mb)
Trail Guide: Building multiuse trails and bridges by Kyle Ryan
Guidelines for Trail Development Within Montgomery County, PA, 2005 (pdf 1.2mb)
Trails Guidelines and Best Practices Manual, Massachusetts DCR (pdf 2.4mb)
Trail Design for Small Properties from University of Minnesota Extension
Wetland trail development -- From THE TRAIL FORUM
Wetland Trail Design and Construction: Steinholz and Vachowski, 2001
Four Simple Tasks to Do Prior to Trail Design by Jef Farland
Criteria for trail placement, control points, and layout, from BLM Kremmling Field Office (CO)
How accessible recreation facilities benefit everyone
Back Country Trail Design and Management
How to Build Challenging Mountain Bike Trails: articles from International Mountain Bicycling Association
10 Most Common Trailbuilding Mistakes
Trail Construction and Maintenance Notebook; USFS

AZ: Okanogan Trail Construction tackles difficult Ajax section of Arizona Trail
FL: Design and development guide for Miami's Ludlam Trail
MD: Design and construction of the Matthew Henson Trail in Montgomery County, Maryland
NC: Design Guidelines & Schedule of Design Elements For the Haw River Trail (pdf 4.3mb)
NY: Westchester RiverWalk Design Guidelines (pdf 8.9mb)
UT: Trail Design and Construction Standards from Northern Bonneville Shoreline Trail (pdf 577kb)

Cattle Guards for Off-Highway Vehicle Trails: Selection and Installation Considerations
Accessible Picnic Tables: Requirements and Recommendations
Vault Evaporator Toilet System: An Innovative Alternative for Waste Disposal
Policy concerning the placement of signs along the Longleaf Trace rail trail
Art Enhances Western Greenways
Campground Accessibility: Issues and Recommendations
Bonneville Shoreline Trail Signage Documentation is a complete sign standards manual

Used steel well casings make better culverts
Best Management Practices for Erosion Control During Trail Maintenance and Construction
Revegetation along trail corridors -- From THE TRAIL FORUM
Damage Prevention Professional magazine: help protect the buried infrastructure
Know what's underground for safe trail construction and maintenance
Stock-Drawn Equipment for Trail Work
Mountain Bike Accessories for Trail Work
OHV Trail and Road Grading Equipment
The Slate Creek gabions: structures for a streamside trail
Crib Walls for Mountain Bike Trails
Armoring Trails, from Earth Riders Trails Assoc.
Building Contour Trails with Full Bench Cut and Outslope
Rolling Crown Switchbacks
Rolling Grade Dips
Trailbuilding Basics: International Mountain Bicycling Association's guide on trail design, construction and maintenance: download the pdf file

National Trails Surface Study seeks survey participants
Porous asphalt shows advantages for trail surfacing
Rio Grande Trail Corridor: Trail Surfacing Report
The art of building crushed stone trails by Tony Boone
Concrete vs. asphalt vs. crushed rock, presentation from Columbia, MO (pdf 2.3mb)
Building crusher fines trails -- From THE TRAIL FORUM
Using crushed rock to improve trail drainage and stability at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve, VA
Use of recycled pavement materials for trails; feasibility study (pdf 3.3 mb)
Mowed grass and crusher fines surfaces on Cross Country Running Trail, Bettendorf, Iowa
National Trails Surface Study seeks best materials
Accessible Trail Surfaces: What Do I Need to Know? from National Center on Accessibility
Surfaces for accessible trails: tips and definitions
Soil Stabilizers On Universally Accessible Trails (pdf 164kb)
Evaluation of "Road OYL" for trail Stabilization-- From THE TRAIL FORUM
Geosynthetics for Trails in Wet Areas: 2008 Edition
Permeable Paver Research Summary from Lake County Forest Preserves (pdf 335kb)
Armoring: Using Rock to Harden Trails
Geosynthetics for Trails in Wet Areas (pdf 256kb)
What's Under Foot? Multi-use Trail Surfacing Options, by George Hudson, Alta Planning + Design (pdf 1.0mb)
Pavement Discussion from Parks and Recreation, Vancouver, BC (pdf 144kb)
Use of Recycled Pavements study, San Jose
Asphalt mix developed for better durability where winter snowmobile traffic takes place, Michigan
Recycled Asphalt Paving for Staged Construction and Recreation Trails
Building Better Asphalt Trails
A Guideline for the Design and Construction of Asphalt Pavements for Colorado Trails and Paths

National Trails Surface Study seeks survey participants

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More Trailbuilding Resources

Resources and Library:

Trail design and construction