Field Notes: Trail Connectivity
Trail connectivity provides a promotional funnel to attract customers and dollars to an area. Some routes are local in nature. Often loops are best, such as the Atlanta Belt Line, Dragons Tooth (Blacksburg, VA), and the Billy Goat Trail (Great Falls, MD). People can get on or off at any point and return to their point of origin by completing the loop. Others are bi-directional and provide cohesion at a regional level. The Appalachian Trail, Erie Canal and C&O Canal are examples of established trails, while the East Coast Greenway is of growing importance as more sections are completed. Communities should draw attention to and promote these trails through partnerships, marketing campaigns, and trailblazing signs among other tactics.
