Basic Trail Design
PCTA Trail Skills College Curriculum
Identify trail elements (i.e. tread material, width, height, grades, and structures) that are appropriate for the intended use, resource conditions, budget, and stewardship capacity.
Learn More
PCTA Trail Skills College Curriculum
Explore foundational concepts related to the principles and applications of trail tread and alignment—all through the lens of developing and maintaining a sustainable trail. This course will introduce basic trail design elements as well as processes…
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.
The Standard Trail Plans and Specifications reflect current Forest Service trail management efforts and the agency’s Trails Data Dictionary for constructed features and tasks.
This 300-page spiral-bound publication, several years in the making, provides a first-ever comprehensive "how-to" guidebook for developing all types of recreational trails.
The North Country National Scenic Trail (NST) extends for thousands of miles across seven states. Its layout, design, construction, and maintenance require the participation of a myriad of individuals and groups.
Improve this skill
Custom Trainings
Greenville, SC
Benchmark Trails is a full service trail design, layout and construction firm with over 20 years of…
Bellingham, WA
Mike Passo is the Executive Director of American Trails. Mike has also served as the Executive…
Old Fort, NC
I'm in the process of building McDowell Tech Trail School into a national-level Trail Construction…
Santa Cruz, CA
Bellvue, CO
Member of Center for Protected Area Management and Training at Colorado State University,…
Asheville, NC
Leanna currently leads the development of systems, services, and protocols to support Appalachian…
Hire Workers
Ridgway, CO
Cedar City, UT
Ashland, NH
Conservation Trail Services LLC. Working with private, non-profit, and…
Marlinton, WV
Trail manager
La Crosse , WI
Willie Bittner started working on trails 25 years ago with the Wisconsin DNR and over the years he…
Post Falls, ID
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.
Let us know