Trail Skills College Course Curriculum
To help our volunteers succeed in their trail work, PCTA collaborated with many partners to develop a Trail Skills College curriculum.
Perform inclusive and proactive recruitment and hiring (i.e., hiring beyond basic knowledge, skills, and abilities) of diverse crew members and staff.
Work closely with agency/organization personnel and volunteers to schedule, assign specific tasks and general duties, ensure appropriate safety and operational equipment is assigned, and provide overall management of personnel in carrying out assigned project work.
Demonstrate ability to create a site- and task-specific job hazard analysis and manage a safe job site.
Develop a jobsite specific plan for risk management that includes engaging law enforcement, local EMT, search and rescue, and other public safety capabilities.
Create and utilize a systematic approach for oversight of agency/organization personnel and volunteers to ensure skills, knowledge, and behaviors meet agency/organization standards for high quality trail operations, the implementation of trail management goals, safe operations, and overall effectiveness.
Communicate inventory, regulations, and field practices related to resource preservation (e.g., plant and animal species common to the area, invasive species, and threatened resources) to avoid damage during trail projects, and/or maintenance.
Resources for Project & Crew Management:
Documents and Media
• Video Trainings
• Training Programs
• Calendar
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To help our volunteers succeed in their trail work, PCTA collaborated with many partners to develop a Trail Skills College curriculum.
This publication provides comprehensive guidance and instructions for applying Trail Fundamentals and Trail Management Objectives. This recently published version includes the original 2008 content, along with updated photos and formatting.
This handbook defines the role of the SCA and the Programs’ policies and guidelines. It is to be referred to and followed. There are three sections- general information, a section specifically for the Leader Team Crew Leader, and a section…
This handbook is intended to provide consistency among the National Park Service (NPS) units responsible for implementing the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) and to offer guidance for establishing and operating the YCC throughout the NPS.
This book examines all phases of planning, designing, building, and operating these facilities, with real-world success stories and multiple essays provided by leaders in the field.
Managing Mountain Biking is IMBA's guide to overcoming user conflict, minimizing environmental impact, managing risk, and providing technically challenging riding for all levels.
Trail Skills Training Library
This webinar will provide you with some of the needed tools, understanding, and resources of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing so that you can be more inclusive, respectful, and successful.
AllTrails will bring together case studies from their Public Lands Partners to have an open discussion about how they are working to mitigate these issues through their Public Lands program and contribute to improving the overall experience of…
Mike Linnane of Evolve Technologies and award-winning Trail Manager Eoin Hogan will present on the development path of the world’s first integrated digital trail management system. The webinar will outline the evolution from a paper-based trail…
What can we learn from near-misses on trail, and in trail work?
This webinar will discuss best practices to reduce risk to your trail crew, company, agency, or organization during trail construction activities.
One part of a three-part series on the Introduction to Trail Planning, Design and Development, and Management. PART THREE: In the Introduction to Trail Management we will discuss visitor and maintenance management.
Further Education
Trail Academy is our free class series that teaches students how to tackle any trail-related challenge. Courses are hosted both in the field and online, and are a great starting point for anyone looking to become a certified Trail Crew Leader or…
The Trail Sustainability Institute (TSI) is NWTA’s internal training classes for everything related to trail building. We want to make sure our trail builders are knowledgeable in not only how to build/maintain fun trails, but ensure those trails…
Partner with IMBA Trail Solutions and create with confidence. By deploying a complete range of skills–including visioning, detailed design, professional construction, and training for stewardship–our comprehensive approach saves resources.
Because wildfires, wind storms, floods, gravity, and vegetation growth are constant threats to the PCT, the annual maintenance and reconstruction of the trail is a never-ending and monumental undertaking. Such work, historically carried out by…
The Trailbuilding Professional certification integrates field-based training using hand tools and heavy machinery with first responder training, geospatial information science and technology (GIST), natural resource management, and business…
The Trail Master Steward online course is intended to provide volunteers, trail organizations, and land managers both a foundational understanding of the values inherent in trail stewardship as well as introduce the basic skills required to be…
Skill Library
Training Calendar
Custom Trainings
Middlefield, CT
Trails Stewardship Coordinator
Connecticut Forest and Park Association (CFPA)
Asheville, NC
Senior Director for Partnerships and Trail Operations
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Hire Workers
Post Falls, ID
Program Director
National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC)
Bend, OR
GIS, Trail Planning and Winter Trails Steward
Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA)
Suggest a Resource
Know of a good resource for this skill? Let us know! From webinars, to workshops, to PDFs, we'd like to add them to our resource library.
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