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The following is a list of various documents and links to other websites to be used as resources to assist trail organizations, community and user groups, planning organizations, interested individuals and others in planning, designing, developing and maintaining trails. Federal and state funded grant programs are available to aid in trail development including the Recreational Trails Program.

OPRHP Trails Technical Documents

These documents were designed for use within New York State Parks to help guide the design, development and maintenance of trails but can be used as resources for trail projects outside of the Parks. These documents may be updated periodically. Additional documents will be developed in the future as part of this series.

• Trail Standards and Guidelines for NYS Parks (pdf)
• Trail Signage Guidelines for the NY State Park System (pdf)
• OPRHP Guidelines for Closing Trails (pdf)
• OPRHP Trail Assessment Process and Forms (pdf)
• NYS Parks Trail Assessment Process PowerPoint Presentation (pdf)
• Trail Conditions Assessments - Analysis and Maintenance Guidelines (pdf)
• Trail Project Approval Process for NYS Parks (pdf)
• Sample Trails Memorandum of Agreement (pdf)
• Accessibility and the Universal Trail Assessment Process (pdf)

Design, Development and Maintenance

Proper trail design and development are essential to creating sustainable trails and trail systems. The following manuals with links are provided as resource guides for trail design, development and maintenance:

• Trail Planning, Design, & Development Guidelines. State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources, 2007. Trails and Waterways Division.
• Trail Maintenance Manual, 7th Edition Revised. 2007. New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, Inc.
• Trail Construction and Maintenance Notebook. 2007 Edition. Forest Service, US Department of Agriculture.
• Lightly on the Land: The SCA Trail-Building and Maintenance Manual. 2006. Robert C. Birkby, The Student Conservation Association.
• Trail Solutions: IMBA's Guide to Building Sweet Singletrack. 2004. International Mountain Bicycling Association.
• Equestrian Design Guidebook for Trails, Trailheads and Campgrounds. December 2007. US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service - Missoula Technology and Development Center.
• Guide for the development of Bicycle Facilities. 1999. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
• Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access, Part II of II: Best Practices Design Guide. 2001. United States Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration
• Shared use Paths and Greenways. 2006. Massachusetts Highway Department.
• Trails for the Twenty-First Century, Second Edition, Planning, Design, and Management Manual for Multi-Use Trails. 2001. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

Rail Trails

Over 650 miles of former railroad in urban, suburban and rural communities has been developed into rail trails within New York State to date. An inventory conducted by OPRHP suggests that over 5,500 miles of historic rail corridor are no longer used for rail road purposes. This presents a vast opportunity for developing rail trails to connect communities with environmental and recreational resources and become valuable assets to communities. The following documents provide guidance and better understanding of the process of converting rails to trails.

• Getting Started (pdf)
• Getting On Track - Working with Railroads to Build Trails in New York State (pdf)
• Rails Trail Development Q & A (pdf)
• Railroad Corridor Abandonment in New York State (pdf)
• Railbanking and Rail-Trails - A Legacy for the Future (courtesy of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy) (pdf)

The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., whose mission it is to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people. Their website provides a wealth of information and resources for conversion of rails to trails.

Other sources

• American Trails
• Bureau of Land Management
• National Association of Recreation Resource Planners
• National Park Service
• Parks and Trails New York