Rails-to-Trails Conservancy TrailNation Summit: Reflections on the Opening Sessions
The speakers reminded me that trails are for all and essential to our shared future
Last week, I was fortunate to attend the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s TrailNation Summit in Cleveland, Ohio. 400 passionate trail advocates gathered from across the country, representing trails large and small, cities and small towns, policymakers and planners, advocates, and volunteers. What united us was a shared love of trails and a vision for growing a connected trail network across the United States.
In this post, I’m sharing my reflections from the opening sessions that invigorated, challenged, and deepened my understanding of the value of trails.
A Different Kind of Summit
The summit’s format was both innovative and refreshingly old-school. Each attendee received a printed workbook with space for notes from every session. In an age of apps and live social media feeds, the simple act of putting thoughts on pen to paper felt grounding.
I fully embraced the workbook. It quickly became my conference bible. It wasn’t just a place to jot down what I heard, but a companion for reflection, capturing ideas that will evolve into future Tom on the Trails posts and my work on trails. Sometimes, handwriting makes ideas stick in ways that notes in the cloud never can.
The Case for Trails
Kicking off with an impactful plenary, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) leaders’ welcoming remarks were followed by a diverse panel. Elected officials and government employees provided a refreshing, multi-faceted look at advocating for trails, encompassing urban, rural, local, and statewide viewpoints. The discussion underscored something all my readers know: trails transform. It’s those short and two sweet words.
While we may be passionate advocates, we’re still a small slice of the public conversation. A speaker noted that trail advocates make up only about 2% of the collective voice in this country. The challenge is clear: we need to make our voice louder and a bigger part of the collective view of our country and society.
RTC shared data from its national poll showing strong public support for trails. Nearly everyone agrees they matter:
The vast majority of Americans say they value trails.
Over 80% support using tax dollars to build, connect, and maintain them.
A large majority also says they want more places to enjoy the outdoors.
Those numbers are powerful reminders that our message already resonates. It just needs to reach policymakers’ ears.
The Path Forward: Pragmatic Optimism
We’ve lived through a once-in-a-lifetime moment for trail growth. Over the past two decades, we’ve seen an extraordinary expansion of trails and trail networks across the nation. Yet, current political and budget challenges threaten to slow that progress. The speakers offered a mindset for moving forward: pragmatic optimism.
Pragmatic optimism is the mindset of maintaining hope and confidence in the future while making realistic, practical decisions in the present. This approach blends the vision and expectation of a better outcome with a clear-eyed acceptance of challenges, limitations, and the need for implementation—focusing not just on positive thinking, but also on action grounded in reality. – Source: AI Summary of Better Humans Medium Post
It’s about maintaining hope and confidence in the future for trails while making realistic, practical decisions today. Pragmatic optimism balances our vision with on-the-ground action, believes in a better outcome for all, while doing the challenging work, often unseen by others, to make it real. Embrace this mindset during these uncertain times.
Be the pragmatic optimist whose dedication and action will blaze a clear path forward for trails and the work you do to protect and expand them.
Voices from the Opening Panel
It was inspiring to hear panelists from diverse backgrounds, representing both red and blue states, and perspectives from large metropolitan areas to the voices of outlying rural communities. Each person championed trails in a way that resonated deeply with them and their constituents, emphasizing that trails do more than connect places. They build pathways to better lives, enabling opportunities, health, and community growth in countless meaningful ways.
Mayor Justin Bibb, Cleveland, Ohio
Mayor Bibb spoke about how trails are revitalizing Cleveland and its metropolitan region. He emphasized leveraging the past for a brighter future. Once a hub of industrial power, Cleveland’s numerous rail corridors now form the backbone of greenways that reconnect neighborhoods, promote health, and offer safe, traffic-free routes for everyday travel.
“Investing in multimodal corridors and transportation choice is critical to Cleveland’s success on many levels,” said Mayor Bibb. “Putting people over cars allows us to build a city that is safer, healthier, and more accessible for everyone. The time is right to prioritize and leverage equitable investments along our low-carbon transportation network, especially along chronically vacant historic commercial corridors.”
Source: Cleveland takes big steps toward Mayor Bibb’s vision for a 15-minute city
Senator Andrew Jones, Alabama
Senator Jones spoke of Sweet Trails Alabama, a bipartisan state trails plan effort to expand trail access statewide. Alabama faces challenges of poverty and health disparities, and lawmakers realized that outdoor recreation is an effective and affordable way to strengthen communities and retain workforce talent. The trails are helping Alabama chart a healthier, more connected future.
“This Plan largely stemmed from the work of the Hoover Institution in their Innovative Alabama report to the Alabama Innovation Commission, in which one of the main takeaways and recommendations is for the State to expand its outdoor recreation industry, enhancing the state’s attractiveness to high-skilled workers and yielding substantial returns for both rural and urban communities. Trails are a critical, desired, and unmet need in Alabama outdoor recreation that is needed to keep Alabama competitive.”
Source: Sweet Trails Alabama’s Executive Summary
Cassie Mordini, Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation
Cassie represented Wisconsin’s Office of Outdoor Recreation, part of the state’s Department of Tourism. She illustrated how investing in trails is not simply good for public health. It’s an economic strategy. Trails fuel tourism, boost local businesses, and keep dollars circulating in cities and small towns across the state.
“With over 15,000 lakes, 84,000 miles of rivers and streams, and 6 million acres of public land, Wisconsin’s natural assets are remarkable. It’s no wonder outdoor recreation is a top reason people visit Wisconsin, as well as a key factor in relocation, second home purchases, and business attractions. There is a direct connection between these natural resources, how we enjoy them, and the economic health and overall well-being of our state and its residents. The Office of Outdoor Recreation works with partners to support and uplift this essential industry.”
Source: Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation Website
Trisha Purdon, Kansas Department of Commerce
Trisha directs the Office of Rural Prosperity within Kansas’s Department of Commerce. “Downtowns are the heart of rural America.” Trisha’s message resonated deeply with me as a person living in a rural area outside of a small Midwest city, where the downtown is the community hub that brings people together.
She spoke about how trail development and rural revitalization go hand in hand. By investing in trails, rural communities attract visitors, stimulate local economies, and help bridge the urban–rural divide. I’ve seen firsthand how my vibrant downtown embracing trail access can transform a community.
“Since being one of the first key priority departments established by Governor Kelly in 2019, we have worked to ensure rural communities were elevated and programs and services that rural stakeholders outlined as priorities are developed. After two state-wide listening sessions, one thing was clear: rural Kansans consistently felt the State was not listening. They felt as if they did not have a seat at the table. These discussions established the foundation and priorities of ORP.”
Source: Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity website
Key Takeaways
Rural (and Urban) Champions: Every successful trail project has its champions: local leaders, often everyday people and not elected officials, who believe in the vision and rally others to it. Rural champions, especially, are vital to building prosperity and ensuring their communities are not left behind. They know firsthand the challenges of rural America and can tell their stories with passion and lived experiences.
Connections and Connecting: The theme of connection echoed through the words of every presenter. Trails connect people to places, communities to each other, and individuals to nature, and even to themselves. They expand our circles of friendship and understanding, transcending politics, backgrounds, and boundaries.
Trails as Essential Infrastructure: Trails must be reframed as essential infrastructure, not amenities. In an era of tight budgets, decision-makers fund what they view as essential. Trails improve public health, stimulate economies, and preserve history. Rail trails and canal towpaths, especially, connect our industrial past to a sustainable future from this vision rooted in the past. These are some of the reasons that are essential.
Collaboration, Awareness, and Planning: The panelists emphasized the importance of working as a team. We collaborate because many voices are stronger than one. We raise awareness because not everyone understands the benefits trails bring. We help them see it. We plan collaboratively because grassroots energy builds trails, but a shared long-term vision with others connects them into a wider network that changes regions.
In Closing
The opening sessions of the TrailNation Summit were both motivational, deeply grounded, and provided lessons from many viewpoints. They resonated with my view that trails are not just recreational paths, but pathways toward stronger, healthier, and more united communities and nation.
In the coming weeks, I’ll share more reflections and lessons from the summit. Until then, I encourage you to explore the resources and recordings below to hear directly from these inspiring voices.
Resources:
Happy trails,
Tom