Become a Trail Town

With any luck, when this post is published, I’ll be in Carroll, Iowa. Sitting in a chair, sipping on a tasty beverage, and waiting for my team to ride into town. As my team’s SAG (Support and Gear) driver, I run a route parallel to the riders on RAGBRAI in case I’m needed. It is an important role as bikes break down…and so do riders.

But as I ride into town, I’ll be crossing over the Sauk Rail Trail. The same Sauk Rail Trail that runs through Lake View, a former “Star Community”.  Lake View’s a town that has recognized the importance of being on the regional trail. With their connection of the Sauk Rail Trail to the Swan Lake Trail, it looks like Carroll is supportive of the development of trails. Yet, are they a “Bike Town”?

Sauk Rail Trail Entrance, Lake View, Iowa

What is a Trail Town?

What does it mean to be a Trail Town?

According to the North Country Association, “A Trail Town is a community through which [a trail] passes that supports [trail users] with services, promotes the Trail to its citizens and embraces the Trail as a resource to be protected and celebrated. Trail Towns are built on a relationship between a town, the Trail and its volunteers.”

Trail Towns typically exist along long-range trails that connect multiple towns. These towns are commonly found along hiking-only trails. But these communities can exist along any type of long-distance trail out there. They are towns that understand what the economic impact of Bike Tourism can do for a community and do what it takes to take advantage of that possible economic impact.

Where do you Start?

So where do you start? First, your team needs to become scholars in everything about how communities utilize trails for tourism development. In addition to the resources discussed later in this post, scouring the internet and books for more information should be an ongoing effort. There’s always something new to learn. Start now and don’t stop.

It’s also important to start building support within the community. Much like with any other significant effort, sufficient buy-in throughout the community is critical. Residents and business owners should understand the benefits and the challenges. They should see how other communities have thrived in becoming a Trail Town.

It is also important to set some objectives. These objectives will guide the efforts of your team. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has drafted a basic set of objectives that can be starting point for your own community’s goals:

• Improve connectivity between the trail and the towns along its route
• Improve services and amenities available in trail communities, ensuring that those investments are in the best interest of residents
• Promote a culture of hospitality, stewardship and inclusivity in trail communities

Nearly everything your community does in relation to trail-related tourism should be related to these objectives. They are the pivot point where every action revolves around.

Download the Trail Town Guide and Learn More

There’s much more to learn about becoming a trail town than reading a short, rambling blog post. But there are resources out there that can help you get started. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has a webpage dedicated to Trail Towns on its website. It delves deeper into the subject and is a good read.

On that page, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy includes a link to the Progress Fund’s Trail Town Guide. This 37-page guide provides even more information to help guide your community along the way. There’s information about marketing, branding, the impact of bike tourism, building consensus within the community, and much more. I really like the “9+ ways your businesses can go the extra mile for cyclists” section of the guide. Here’s a direct link to the guide:

Progress Fund’s Trail Town Guide

It’s a long road to becoming a viable Trail Town. But hopefully these resources help your community get started.