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.
Understand and apply common construction specifications/trail management objectives such as corridor height/width, tread width, cross/outslope, protrusions, obstacles, and compaction.
Clear the corridor (brushing, logging out, hazard tree removal, rock/stump removal) in preparation for construction using proper pruning techniques.
Using hand tools, construct a trail with a full bench, raised tread, and/or combination that meets the construction specifications.
Safely use and maintain mechanized trail construction equipment (i.e. mini-excavators, skid steers, trail dozers, compactors, etc) to construct trail that meets construction specifications.
Utilize tools, often mechanical (i.e. excavators, harrow rakes, compact utility loaders, compactors), to meet specifications for final tread surface and backslope preparation and compaction, construction spoils management, and erosion control stabilization.
Construct drainage features that decrease erosion , including grade reversals, berms, ditches, and sheet drains.
Construct a water crossing structure (i.e. puncheon, turnpike, bridge) to span drainageways or wetland areas and raise the trail above the high water line while maintaining uninterrupted hydrology beneath the constructed feature.
Construct stone or wood retaining walls to bolster unconsolidated soils, gain elevation, or transition tread from rocks/natural barriers.
Install the appropriate treadway hardening technique for a trail given the slopes, soils, available material (wood, rock, gravel) and designed use, including advanced hardening techniques (i.e. turnpiking, rock culverts, boulder causeway, rock drains).
Build and maintain trail heads, parking lots, kiosks, sanitary facilities, camping facilities, traffic barriers, and directional signage.
Demonstrated ability to plan and implement the closure, reclamation, and revegetation of a trail segment.
Resources for Trail Construction:
Documents and Media
• Video Trainings
• Training Programs
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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.
To help our volunteers succeed in their trail work, PCTA collaborated with many partners to develop a Trail Skills College curriculum.
Discover the lasting satisfaction of working with stone. Master stonemason Charles McRaven covers everything you need to know about working with different types of stone to create a variety of durable and elegant features. Clear enough for the…
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.
Stone Primer is both a practical handbook and an inspirational guide for the budding stonemason.
A handbook on trail work, from landscape values to the nitty-gritty of moving rock.
Trail Skills Training Library
This webinar will break down how successful agencies manage parking, discuss common strategies and solutions to consider, and how to successfully deploy them.
This webinar will feature three members of the original design team who will take attendees through the vision, design, and development process to develop the Grand Canyon Greenway.
This webinar will review several common approaches and technologies for trail planning and design projects and provide attendees with real world examples.
This webinar will discuss the challenges of legacy trails, examine with photos and commentary commonly built trail features, and applying the SET test to them. It will also discuss the renovation of existing features and the construction of new…
This webinar will discuss the various types of materials used for paved, multi-use trails in the District of Columbia. We will discuss different projects where we used flexi-pave, asphalt, or porous asphalt and our experience with each material. How…
A decade after initial publication, The Third Mode author will provide an update to discuss recent accomplishments that tie into the central concept of “the third mode” including his co-founding of Citi Bike, building the Empire State Trail, and…
Further Education
In this one-year certificate program, you’ll have boots-on-the-ground at Northwoods Stewardship Center in East Charleston, VT for three individual week-long intensive classes. You will grow your knowledge base and connect with trail building…
Trail Academy is our free class series that teaches students how to tackle any trail-related challenge. Courses are hosted both in the field and online, and are a great starting point for anyone looking to become a certified Trail Crew Leader or…
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…
Partner with IMBA Trail Solutions and create with confidence. By deploying a complete range of skills–including visioning, detailed design, professional construction, and training for stewardship–our comprehensive approach saves resources.
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…
The Sustainable Trails curriculum welcomes students from various fields who are interested in trails development, programming and management, as well as design.
Skill Library
Training Calendar
June 12 - 13, 2024
East Burke, Vermont
Custom Trainings
Old Fort, NC
Coordinator - Trail Construction and Maintenance
McDowell Tech Community College
Hire Workers
Saratoga Springs, NY
Regional Trails Specialist
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation
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