Design, Build, and Maintenance
Your guide to creating high-quality, sustainable trails
Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy a wide-range of trails in Vermont. Some cater to hikers and bikers, while others set the stage for horseback riding, ATV use, paddling, or snowmobiling. Some trail networks, like Green Mountain Club’s vast Long Trail network, were built more than a hundred years ago using techniques that would not be employed today. Today’s builds and upgrades to older trails involve state-of-the art design focused on resiliency and durability to increased use. Whatever type of trail you are building or stewarding, it’s important to stay current with best practices and have an ongoing management plan in place.
Follow Best Practices
Below are trail design and management guides recommended by FPR and VTGC. Questions? Please contact us at any time and we will help you find additional support for your project.
Best Management Practices Guides
Prioritize Resilience
The more frequent and intense extreme weather events brought on by climate change have made trails and trail infrastructure more vulnerable to erosion and damage. In Vermont, the heavy rains and flooding our state weathered in 2023 caused millions of dollars in damage.
Trail builders can design trails to bounce back more quickly after extreme weather by building with resiliency in mind. For example, the Green Mountain Club applied lessons learned after Hurricane Irene in 2011. Building more durable, resilient trails helped them to avoid losing any major infrastructure along the hundred-year-old Long Trail in July 2023 floods. For example, the organization is investing in stone steps and other trail-hardening measures; training volunteers to spot problems early; and relocating erosion-prone segments. Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) also reported that its 900 miles of trails fared relatively well in the 2023 floods due to its use of modern trail building techniques and water management.
Keep Learning
As our knowledge of the world evolves, so do trail management best practices. Come to the annual Trails Symposium and VTGC’s annual meeting to meet other trail enthusiasts, and check out our events page for learning opportunities. American Trails offers live and recorded webinars relevant to trail organizations and professionals throughout the country. Check out more than 200 recorded webinars on trail funding, accessibility, planning, stewardship, equity, and more.
Trail Accessibility Hub
Discover the Trail Accessibility Hub, your go-to resource for creating trails everyone can enjoy. Whether you’re interested in designing new trails, adapting existing ones, or learning the latest best practices, the Hub provides the necessary tools and guidance. Visit the Trail Accessibility Hub to explore how to make Vermont’s natural landscapes accessible to all.
