News and Events
Featured News
Conference on Parks, Trails, and Recreation – Register Today
The Vermont Recreation and Parks Association (VRPA) and the Vermont Trails & Greenways Council (VTGC) are excited to host the 82nd Vermont Conference on Parks, Trails, and Recreation, Vermont’s premier networking and skill-building event.…
Read article Conference on Parks, Trails, and Recreation – Register Today
More News
Trail User Survey
The Vermont Trails and Greenways Council (VTGC), along with five partner organizations*, was awarded an eighteen-month grant from the Vermont Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) to address trail accessibility in Vermont. As part of that grant, VTGC is conducting a trail user survey to gather feedback from people with mobility challenges or disabilities about their experiences when using Vermont’s trails to enjoy nature or pursue recreation activities such as biking, walking, hiking, bird watching, or paddling. VTGC and its partner organizations will use this feedback to better understand the obstacles that prevent people with mobility challenges and disabilities from accessing trails in Vermont, and identify opportunities to address and overcome those obstacles. The survey will be available through Friday, May 23th. The resulting data will be the topic of conversation at a roundtable event in early summer (date TBD) which survey respondents are invited to attend. The survey will be open through May 23; please share widely with your networks. Contact independent consultant Gretchen Elias at gretchenelias@mac.com with questions or for more information.
*Community Geographics, Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Upper Valley Trails Alliance, Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sport, and Vermont Mountain Biking Association
Outdoor Recreation Day, February 12, 2025 @ the Statehouse
On February 12, VTGC co-hosts the second annual Vermont Outdoor Recreation Day. Join fellow outdoor enthusiasts, businesses, trail organizations, and agencies as celebrate outdoor recreation’s contribution to peoples’ wellness, community vitality, and economic growth. RSVP today. Interested in having a table to promote your organization? Email us at info@vermonttgc.org if you’d like to host a table.
Take Action: Urge Lawmakers to Support S.4
Please Take Action: VTGC is urging you to email the Senate Transportation Committee to ask them to Support S.4, a bill that would clarify that municipalities have explicit authority, but not obligation, to maintain Legal Trails. The bill would also provide towns with the authority to regulate the use of Legal Trails within their municipality, including what types of vehicles have public access on these trails.
Vermont House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development Hosts Outdoor Recreation Introduction
e House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development asked VTGC to provide an introduction to our organization and an overview of the VTGC 2025 Policy Priorities. Please see the presentation here and check out the video of our testimony (27:30). Chair Mike Marcotte from the Commerce Committee is the lead sponsor on our key priority bill that aims to study a pathway to a mechanism for recognition of private landowners who provide public access trails. We eagerly await the introduction of this bill that includes:
First Vermont Trail Accessibility Hub Summit charts bold vision for inclusive outdoor recreation
On Wednesday, June 14, Bolton Valley Resort’s Timberline Lodge played host to the inaugural Vermont Trail Accessibility Hub (TAH) Summit, bringing together more than 50 thought leaders and advocates to advance trail accessibility across Vermont. This collaborative event united representatives from more than 30 organizations and agencies, setting the stage for a transformative future in trail-based outdoor recreation.
American Trails Capacity Grant 2025 Opens
American Trails
American Trails and Bronco Wild Fund are pleased to continue the Trails Capacity Grant Program in 2025. This program is targeted for projects on all federal public lands, as well as state, local, and private lands accessible to the public. Project applicants may include nonprofit organizations, businesses, or agencies at the state or local level. American Trails is administering this grant program, and is soliciting proposals for funding, with awards between $2K and $10K per project. Deadline is January 31, 2025 by 11:59 PM Pacific Time.
Northern Forest Center Funds Trail Sustainability in Vermont
Northern Forest Center
The Northern Forest Center recently awarded grants to The Town of Marshfield, Southern Vermont Trails Association, Dog Mountain, The Town of St. Johnsbury, and South Hero Land Trust.
VTGC Seeks Contractor to Support VT Trail Accessibility Hub
The Vermont Trails and Greenways Council (VTGC) is seeking proposals from qualified independent contractors to support the Vermont Trail Accessibility Hub (TAH). This person will collaborate with TAH partners on several projects including: 1) Lead the process to research and write a long-term sustainable operating model; 2) Produce a final report with recommendations to the State of Vermont Department of Forest, Parks, and Recreation; 3) Develop a Trails Accessibility Advisory Council, and 4) support TAH communications and events. Contact sharon@vermonttgc.org for more information. Applications due 12/20/24.
Vermont Trails and Greenways Council Releases Statement Regarding Potential Vermont Supreme Court Ruling on the Authority to Maintain Trails
A coalition of outdoor recreation organizations led by the Vermont Trails and Greenways Council (VTGC), issued a statement today urging
the Vermont Supreme Court to carefully consider the long-term implications of its
upcoming ruling regarding the maintenance of public access trails on private land. The
case, which involves the use of a “legal trail” maintained by the Town that crosses
private property in Tunbridge, has the potential to reshape public access rights
throughout the state, with significant consequences for recreationists, landowners,
residents, and municipalities.
