Keys to Long-Distance Trail Success

The University of Alabama conducted a case study analysis of seven successful long-distance trails to identify and describe factors that are important for the creation and operation of a long-distance trail that most effectively delivers economic and quality-of-life benefits to trail communities and entire regions. These Key Components of Success highlight important goals for the structure, function, development, operation, programing, and marketing of long-distance trails and regional trail systems that will produce the greatest local and regional benefits:

  1. Providing facilities that meet needs of diverse users, be they locals or tourists. Accommodating the needs of both tourists and residents helps to ensure that a long-distance trail will generate the greatest economic impacts through tourism spending while enhancing the quality of life for a region’s residents. Public participating in planning is critical.
  2. Planning, developing, and sustaining operation of infrastructure/facilities that are safe, environmentally sustainable, durable, and universally accessible (where practicable). Infrastructure/facilities that best serve the public, local operators, and the needs of our planet are those that provide safe recreational opportunities for everyone, regardless of their ability, while protecting our natural resources and requiring minimal short and long-term maintenance.
  3. Ensuring quality and consistency in infrastructure, branding, and public information. A positive visitor experience is significantly dependent upon well-designed facilities and communication assets.
  4. Addressing economic and social barriers to local participation. Ensuring that a community realizes the full quality-of-life benefits a long-distance trail or trail system can provide requires that all members of a community have access and are welcomed.
  5. Utilizing programs and events to engage and inspire public participation. Creating social opportunities to activate resident and visitor participation enhances the economic impact and quality-of-life benefits of a long-distance trail or trail system.
  6. Providing online marketing, promotion, and information platforms that are accessible, engaging, inspiring, informative and provide diverse “entry points.” Thoughtful planning and design of digital communication assets and strategies will maximize the number of people that hear about the trail/trail system and will be inspired to visit.
  7. Developing interpretive assets and programs that enrich the visitor experience and appeal to nature, history, and culture enthusiasts. Engaging a visitor’s attention with compelling stories that a community or region has to offer will capture their intellectual and emotional interest and create for them a meaningful and positive experience.
  8. Utilizing partnerships to develop, operate, program, and market the trail/trail system. The level of success of a long-distance trail or trail system depends in large part on the strength of the organizational partnerships forged to create and sustain it. Each organization leverages its funding, human talents, equipment, and capacity by sharing these resources with the partnership, thereby achieving much greater impact than would ever be possible through individual effort.
  9. Integrating and cross-marketing the trail/trail system with complementary tourism and outdoor recreation assets, including locally owned businesses such as outfitters, hospitality providers, etc. Making trail tourists aware of all activities, events, and services available to them in a community will enhance both their experience and the community’s opportunity for economic impact.
  10. Creating a central administrative body that provides inter-jurisdictional coordination, quality standards, participation outreach to communities, and support that can include funding assistance, marketing, and small business development services. The long-distance trails and trail systems that generate the highest economic impact for the communities they connect incorporate centralized administration of some critical functions.


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