Trails for All Americans


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Deciding on Trails


Book Description

DECIDING ON TRAILS is for every local champion, thought leader, and dreamer who knows that trails can make a difference in their community if only their town would recognize the value of trails. Written by one of the first Trail Town practitioners, it covers the history of Trail Towns, recommended best practices, and how the concept has been adapted in dozens of places around the U.S. and Canada. This book is not a "how to" for structuring a Trail Town program. Rather, it is a call to action for trail communities and those dedicated individuals who want to cultivate a trail culture, embrace Trail Town best practices, and to once and for all "decide on trails." If you want more for your community and know that trails are part of the solution, this is the book for you. WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT DECIDING ON TRAILS "Deciding on Trails is a 'must read' for communities that hope to integrate trails into their placemaking efforts. Amy's passion, knowledge, and empathy are evident in her work and make her the perfect person to tell this Trail Towns story." --Laura Torchio, Director of Education, Project for Public Spaces "This ground-breaking book addresses head on something that has long been missing from conversations about trails: that they are more than the sum of their economic impact. Amy perfectly captures the many reasons communities ought to connect to their trails. Easy to digest, fun to read, and full of inspiration, this book is destined to become a staple in my trail reference library. " --Mike Passo, Executive Director of American Trails "Deciding on Trails is a book for people who want more for their places. This carefully researched, heartfelt book will easily convince community champions to embrace their trails. And these pages are not only full on inspiration, but this book provides these champions with the tools they need to make the most of their community's trails." --Kent Spellman, Consultant at Rails-to-Trails Conservancy




America's Great Forest Trails


Book Description

America’s Great Forest Trails is an unprecedented showcase and practical travel guide to the finest woodland hiking opportunities, calling us to get out “into the woods” but also reminding us of the importance of leaving no trace through these fragile ecosystems. No other book combines the hiking-boots-on-the-ground guidance found here with spectacular photography and narratives that describe, motivate, and inspire the hiker in all of us. Featuring 100 outstanding hikes lasting from one day to several weeks, this photo-packed book is an inspirational bucket list for anyone looking to escape into America’s finest areas of wild beauty and to experience both the excitement and serenity of being among the trees—from armchair traveler to day hiker to experienced backpacker. America’s Great Forest Trails introduces readers to 100 hikes of a lifetime, from legendary trails to some that are scarcely known. The trails included range across the country: from the ancient Appalachians and the Pacific Coast’s uplift, to the Rockies, Desert Ranges, Sierra Nevada, Cascade Mountains, Olympics, and beyond to the wild terrain of Alaska and the islands of Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Readers get practical details about each trail and guidance on how to protect these special places so they remain alluring and rewarding to the generations ahead who seek both solace and adventure.




America's National Historic Trails


Book Description

An inspirational bucket list for hikers, history buffs, armchair travelers, and all those who wish to walk in the hallowed footsteps of American history. 2020 GOLD WINNER OF THE FOREWORD INDIES AWARD IN HISTORY 2021 NATIONAL OUTDOOR BOOK AWARD WINNER From the battlefields of the American Revolution to the trails blazed by the pioneers, lands explored by Lewis and Clark and covered by the Pony Express, to the civil-rights marches of Selma and Montgomery, this is the official book of the country's 19 National Historic Trails. These trails range from 54 miles to more than 5,000 and feature historic and interpretive sites to be explored on foot and sometimes by paddle, sail, bicycle, horse, or by car on backcountry roads. Totaling 37,000 miles through 41 states, our entire national experience comes to life on these trails--from Native American history to the settlement of the colonies, westward expansion, and civil rights--and they are beautifully depicted in this large-format volume.







Trails for America


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The Pacific Crest Trail


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This pocket-sized gift and souvenir photo book captures the beauty of America's quintessential wilderness hiking trail. From desert California to the Washington-Canada border, the compelling photography of Bart Smith brings the entire 2,650-mile trail to life. This beautifully illustrated book, officially published with the Pacific Crest Trail Association in a pocket-sized gift and souvenir format, highlights this legendary footpath with more than 170 spectacular contemporary images taken by the foremost hiking photographer in America. Readers can experience the trail as if their boots were on the path--passing by the trail blazes, taking in the surrounding wilderness at scenic overlooks, meeting other hikers at lean-tos or shelters, and freezing at the sight of bear, elk, or other majestic wildlife. Designated as one of the first two national scenic trails in 1968, the Pacific Crest Trail is a continuous footpath of more than 2,650 miles--from the Mexican to the Canadian border. It is often called the "wilderness trail" because roughly half of it runs through federal wilderness--25 national forests, six national parks, five state parks, three national monuments, and 48 federal wilderness areas. The trail symbolizes everything there is to love--and protect--in the western United States. This book is perfect for anyone interested in conservation, outdoor recreation, or American history, or for those who dream of one day becoming thru-hikers themselves.




Trails for All Americans


Book Description

Excerpt from Trails for All Americans: The Report of the National Trails Agenda Project; Summer, 1990 Such a network of trails was endorsed in 1987 by the President's Commission on Americans Outdoors when it called for a nationwide system of greenways within easy access of all Americans. However, the Commission also raised a major challenge when it noted, Deci sions made between now and the year 2000 will determine the fate of America's remaining land and water resources. The ability to create a national system of trails depends on land-use decisions being made every day. The critical task today is thinking about trails in the context of whole systems and making land-use decisions that explicitly consider connecting the trails, setting aside land to allow connections, thinking systematically about trails, linear parks and greenways, and acting now because decisions made in this decade will determine the long term fate of essential resources. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.




A Walk in the Woods


Book Description

God only knows what possessed Bill Bryson, a reluctant adventurer if ever there was one, to undertake a gruelling hike along the world's longest continuous footpath—The Appalachian Trail. The 2,000-plus-mile trail winds through 14 states, stretching along the east coast of the United States, from Georgia to Maine. It snakes through some of the wildest and most spectacular landscapes in North America, as well as through some of its most poverty-stricken and primitive backwoods areas. With his offbeat sensibility, his eye for the absurd, and his laugh-out-loud sense of humour, Bryson recounts his confrontations with nature at its most uncompromising over his five-month journey. An instant classic, riotously funny, A Walk in the Woods will add a whole new audience to the legions of Bill Bryson fans.




America's Great Mountain Trails


Book Description

Winner of the 2020 National Outdoor Book Award, this book is a hiker's inspirational bucket list embodied in a lavishly illustrated celebration of our nation's one hundred best mountain trails. America's mountain trails lure us to exquisite heights, from the Atlantic Coast in Maine to the Pacific edge in California and the Northwest. These rugged yet seductive pathways call to all who seek both solace and adventure, whether out for a day hike or an extended backpacking expedition. America's Great Mountain Trails introduces readers to one hundred hikes of a lifetime. The book covers some of our nation's most legendary trails and some that are scarcely known, but all can take us on journeys to remarkable places. Between the ancient Appalachians and the Pacific Coast's uplift lie the Rockies, Desert Range, Sierra Nevadas, Cascade Mountains, Olympics, and more. Beyond are the resoundingly wild terrain of Alaska and the islands of Hawaii and Puerto Rico, which ascend like dreamy visions from the sea. Readers get practical details about the length and difficulty of each hike, along with concise directions to each trailhead, tips about the best seasons to go, advice on permit requirements, and a selection of alternate routes. An appendix offers information about what must be done to protect these special places so they'll remain alluring and rewarding to all the generations ahead. With fascinating text and beautiful photography by Tim Palmer, America's Great Mountain Trails is sure to become the definitive reference book to the most outstanding mountain trails in America.