American Trails
Choosing the Right Aggregate: Matching Material to Trail Use and Terrain
Recorded Training
Help attendees evaluate site conditions and user needs to select the most appropriate material—reinforcing your team’s technical expertise and the value of well-engineered materials. Trail uses include both pedestrian and vehicular pathways in rural and urban settings.
Webinar Outline
Part 3 of a 3-part webinar series on the Tools, Technologies, and Techniques for Successful Trail Building with Aggregates.
Deliver actionable insights on installation best practices that reduce long-term maintenance and boost user satisfaction. Trail uses include both pedestrian and vehicular pathways in rural and urban settings.
3-Part Webinar Series on Tools, Technologies, and Techniques for Successful Trail Building with Aggregates:
- November 20, 2025: Understanding Trail Aggregates: Foundation for Performance
- January 22, 2026: Choosing the Right Aggregate: Matching Material to Trail Use and Terrain
- March 19, 2026: Installation Excellence for Aggregate: Tips, Tricks, and Common Pitfalls
Learning Objectives:
- Proper Base and Sub-Base Preparation
- Importance of compaction and grading
- Drainage strategies to avoid failure
- Installation Techniques
- Traditional vs. stabilized vs. wax-coated installs
- Equipment needs and labor considerations
- Quality Control During Installation
- Moisture content, layering, rolling
- Checklists for installers
- Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Inadequate drainage, overwatering fines, improper compaction
- Maintaining Trail Performance
- Routine upkeep expectations by material type
- When and how to refresh aggregate surfaces
- Case Studies:
- Before/after of problematic installs vs. successful projects
- Invite a contractor or land manager to share field experience with one of your products
- Support Materials:
- Installation checklists
- Time-lapse or drone video of a project (if available)
- Maintenance planning template
Trail Competencies
-
Trail Construction
- • Trail Sustainability Principles
- • Construction Specifications
- • Water Management/Drainage Features
Relevant Trail Types
General. All trail types are relevant.
Learning Credits and CEUs
Learning credits are available. The length of the session will determine the number of hours/credits given. In order to obtain credits, attendees must fill out an evaluation survey for each session they attend, as well as complete a learning credit tracking form noting each session they are requesting credits for (or a quiz if virtual). This form (and complete instructions) will be available during the live webinar or at registration when you check in for in-person events. Email the conference host or [email protected] with any questions.
American Trails is a certified provider and can offer the following learning credits and continuing education opportunities: AICP CM, LA CES (most HSW approved), NRPA CEU, and CEU/PDH Equivalency Petition for other accepting organizations.
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