Rail-Trails

Parks don't have to be neat squares of land with a pond here, a meadow there, and a gazeebo for people to sit underneath as they enjoy a hotdog from the grill. Parks can be linear, weaving atop a landscape like laying down a ribbon.

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Rail-trails are a perfect example of linear parks. As many railroads were left obsolete by interstate highways, they have been repurposed as pathways for people to run, bike, and do other forms of recreation.

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Check out the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the Sunflower Rail-Trails Conservancy, and the Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy, three groups that promote the development, maintenance, and use of unused railroad paths for recreation.

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Here is a directory to many of the rail-trails around the United States.

 

Bike across Missouri along the Katy Trail!