Project Planning and Design

Project Planning and Design Skills Include:

    Trail Sustainability Principles

    Understand and apply principles of trail sustainability to all components of project planning and design

    Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project

    Use primary data (e.g., stakeholder outreach, trail use data, trail counters) and secondary data (e.g., planning documents, natural and cultural resource survey information, and site-specific resource limitations including soils, hydrology, geology, slope) to define the purpose of the proposed project, the need that it will meet, and its feasibility

    Stakeholder Engagement

    Identify stakeholders from interested individuals, agencies, and organizations to inform an outreach strategy and engage stakeholders in a transparent, authentic, and meaningful way

    Land Use Plan Alignment

    Identify elements of the general management, forest, or comprehensive resource management plans as they relate to the trail project

    Corridor Planning

    Collect, analyze and integrate spatial data and field collected data to identify potential areas (broad corridors) that meet the project purpose and need, and establish potential areas of avoidance

    Trail Specifications

    Identify trail specifications (i.e. tread surface, trail width, trail corridor height, grades, cross slope, turning radius, obstacles/protrusions, and structures) that match the project purpose, need, and resources

    Conceptual Trail Plan Development

    Integrate and assess the data collected during the trail planning process (i.e. trail use, stakeholder input, land use plans, spatial data/analysis and field data) to develop a conceptual trail plan that identifies trail corridor, site-specific trail specifications and matches the project need, purpose and resources

    Field Design: Trail Alignment Identification and Marking

    Delineate the trail alignment, width, height, grade and structures appropriate to the intended trail use in the field with field flagging and GPS

    Project Cost Estimation

    Estimate the cost of project construction, maintenance and related oversight, permitting and planning (including tools, consumables, volunteer and staff time, contractors and consultants, equipment, materials)

    Trail Plan Development

    Transfer field-delineated trail design (location, alignment, structures), along with construction process, materials, notes, and special conditions into a trail planning document that will guide the trail development process

    Compliance and Permitting

    Ensure compliance with applicable permitting requirements at the federal level (National Environmental Protection Act/NEPA, Section 106 of the Antiquities Act, the Historic Preservation Act, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System/NPDES, US Army Corps of Engineers) and state, regional, county and local level (Erosion & Sediment Control/E&SC, Stormwater Pollution Prevention/SWPP, and other regulations related to wildlife, natural heritage, archeological/cultural resources, and environmental resource protection)

    Implementation Plan

    Accurately interpret specifications, construction process notes, and construction documents to develop an implementation plan based on available labor and funding

    Interpretation

    Identify specific interpretive and educational opportunities on trails to contextualize the visitor experience (e.g., history, habitats, scenery, flora/fauna), and make recommendations for interpretive method

    Trail Inventory and Assessment

    Inventory and assess existing trails and their conditions, identifying causes of trail degradation (e.g., water, grades, soil conditions, users, and/or use patterns) and the appropriate actions to address the deficiencies

    Operations and Maintenance Plan Development

    Transfer field data, spatial data, and land management plan information into an operations and maintenance plan that will direct ongoing trail management including: maintenance specifications, seasonal maintenance schedule, operational protocols, and risk management protocols

Resources for Project Planning and Design

Documents and MediaVideo TrainingsTraining ProgramsCalendar
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Learn More

Documents and Media for Project Planning and Design

Sustainable Trail Bridge Design
Sustainable Trail Bridge Design

Designing trail bridges based on trail-specific Trail Management Objectives (TMOs) is essential for providing the desired trail experience, for ensuring user safety, and for maximizing bridge longevity.

Signs, Trails, and Wayside Exhibits
Signs, Trails, and Wayside Exhibits

This sourcebook is a comprehensive, visual guide to planning, designing, and fabricating effective wayside exhibits, information signs, and trails. Over 400 photographs from interpretive sites around the world illustrate effective techniques for…

Trail Fundamentals and Trail Management Objectives
Trail Fundamentals and Trail Management Objectives

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.


Trail Skills Training Library

Recorded Trainings for Project Planning and Design

OPDMD or Wheelchair: Where Can They Go?
OPDMD or Wheelchair: Where Can They Go?

The webinar will address the difference between Wheelchair and OPDMD (Other Power Drive Mobility Devices), explain the ADAs Assessment Factors, clarify Legitimate Safety Requirements, how to develop Policy and the importance of Training.

Plan Trails to Minimize Wildlife Disturbance
Plan Trails to Minimize Wildlife Disturbance

A summary of best practices for trail groups who plan, design, and manage nonmotorized trails to minimize disturbance of or conflict with wildlife, specifically large carnivores.


Further Education

Training Programs for Project Planning and Design

Trail Sustainability Institute
Trail Sustainability Institute

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…

Trails Certificate
Trails Certificate

Gain insight into best practices related to the design, construction and maintenance of trails. Learn about and apply techniques that can enhance, rehabilitate and protect trails and greenways. Participants will also learn about trail…

Sustainable Trails Development
Sustainable Trails Development

The Sustainable Trails curriculum welcomes students from various fields who are interested in trails development, programming and management, as well as design.

PCTA Trail Skills Course
PCTA Trail Skills Course

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…

Advancing Trails Webinar Series
Advancing Trails Webinar Series

American Trails brings agencies, trail builders, planners, architects, advocates, and volunteers the latest in state-of-the-art information on all aspects of trails and greenways. Our webinars focus on a variety of trail topics, usually applicable…

Training Calendar

Upcoming Trainings for Project Planning and Design

OPDMD or Wheelchair: Where Can They Go?
American Trails
American Trails
UX Design for Trails: Digging for Meaning
Baere - Outdoor Experience Creators
Baere - Outdoor Experience Creators
UX Design for Trails: Digging for Meaning

April 12 - 13, 2025

Madison, Wisconsin

Foundations
International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)
International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)
Foundations

October 01 - 02, 2025

Duluth, Minnesota

Plan Trails to Minimize Wildlife Disturbance
American Trails
American Trails
Foundations
International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)
International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)
Foundations

May 07 - 08, 2025

Winona, Minnesota

Safe Bridges for All
Indiana Trails
Indiana Trails
Safe Bridges for All

May 13 - 15, 2025

Louisville, Kentucky

Navigating NEPA in Trail Development
American Trails
American Trails
8th Fábos Conference on Landscape and Greenway Planning: Healing Place and Planet
University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
International Trails Summit
American Trails
American Trails
International Trails Summit

April 15 - 17, 2025

Madison, Wisconsin

Custom Trainings

There are 73 trainers on TrailSkills
with Project Planning and Design experience

Hire Workers

There are 285 workers on TrailSkills
with Project Planning and Design experience

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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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Trail Skills Collaborators
Federal Highway Administration USDA Forest Service National Park Service Bureau of Land Management
American Trails Professional TrailBuilders Association Partnership for the National Trails System Northern Vermont University Northwest Arkansas Community College Eppley Institute Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals Washington Trails Association