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Deciding on Trails: 7 Practices of Healthy Trail Towns
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 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
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 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
240 pages, Paperback
Published December 29, 2020
4 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 1, 2021
The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) is an iconic rail-trail. The trail draws me back every year. The scenery is unparalleled. It is a trip through American history from my handlebars. The trail’s biggest asset is the forgotten boom towns of America’s steel industry reborn by welcoming cyclists, hikers, and tourists.
Amy Camp is one of the primary individuals who brought the Great Allegheny Passage Trail Towns Program to life. This spirit of welcoming visitors to towns with a declining population and economic health did not happen overnight and by accident. The Trail Town Program tied the towns’ identities and rebirth to the trail passing on their doorsteps.
Deciding on Trails is more than a story of this transformation in the Allegheny Mountains. Amy Camp shares the joys, struggles, triumphs, and lessons learned in this pioneering program and many others the embrace the value of a rail trail, water trail, hiking trail, or road trail to the towns on the trail’s map.
The story in this book is of transformation to a shared value and vision of welcoming travelers. The core of this book speaks to seven practices that make a community a healthy trail town. They speak to the importance of economic and tourism initiatives to grow a community's health. The seven practices emphasize the importance of building a welcoming trail front door, living a life of welcoming all, and advocating for and strengthening partnerships between the town and the trail.
I recommend this book to anyone looking to make their community more welcoming to trail visitors. Ms. Camp lays out a sound approach to move forward on this goal. The book shares many success stories. She points the reader to many resources where they can expand their knowledge. The reader will be a stronger and more informed voice in making their community a more welcoming place.
Amy Camp is one of the primary individuals who brought the Great Allegheny Passage Trail Towns Program to life. This spirit of welcoming visitors to towns with a declining population and economic health did not happen overnight and by accident. The Trail Town Program tied the towns’ identities and rebirth to the trail passing on their doorsteps.
Deciding on Trails is more than a story of this transformation in the Allegheny Mountains. Amy Camp shares the joys, struggles, triumphs, and lessons learned in this pioneering program and many others the embrace the value of a rail trail, water trail, hiking trail, or road trail to the towns on the trail’s map.
The story in this book is of transformation to a shared value and vision of welcoming travelers. The core of this book speaks to seven practices that make a community a healthy trail town. They speak to the importance of economic and tourism initiatives to grow a community's health. The seven practices emphasize the importance of building a welcoming trail front door, living a life of welcoming all, and advocating for and strengthening partnerships between the town and the trail.
I recommend this book to anyone looking to make their community more welcoming to trail visitors. Ms. Camp lays out a sound approach to move forward on this goal. The book shares many success stories. She points the reader to many resources where they can expand their knowledge. The reader will be a stronger and more informed voice in making their community a more welcoming place.
November 30, 2023
Our Town has many trails running through it and we are looking for ways to incorporate them into our identity. This book is invaluable in learning the many dimensions of how to do that. I am very grateful for Camp's advice and insights, which have given me so many different ways to look at our neighborhood trails. I intend to buy a few extra copies of this book to share with our Town staff and elected officials.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews