Rails to Trails

Rails to Trails
http://www.railstotrails.org/about/history/

Quote from an RTC Founder

"In 1965…Rails-to-Trails was still a highly localized movement; people said, 'We've got an abandoned railroad track, so let's use it.' Only gradually did there emerge a realization that America desperately needs a national trails system, and that unused rail corridors are the perfect backbone for that network."
– Peter Harnik, RTC Co-founder

What a wonderful dream, a nationwide trail system!  I have hiked a number of rails to trails some years back when I did a LOT more hiking than I do now.  Mostly I hiked them in the woods in the Pine Barrens when I ran across them.  

In an earlier blog I mentioned the one at the (now closed ) Pemberton Train Station.  Twice my hiking buddies and I went there and had lunch nearby at Wrightstown at the German restaurant there.  Both times the Rails to Trails hiking trail was an unmanageable sheet of ice.  It could have been managed with difficulty using Yak Trax, I guess, but I had my dog with me and my hiking buddy and I decided to wait till the thaw.  It should be high and dry now, so today we are going to try it out and I'll get back to you about it. 

The two recovery and re-pupose hiking efforts that I can think thus far are the canal tow paths (which I wrote about at Bordentown) and the Rails to Trails.  That is such good work on the part of conservation workers.  Animal rescue people and conservationists are my heroes, along with historic site volunteer.

The sun is out, the trails are drying, hope to see you out there hiking!
Happy Trails
Jo Ann