Hiking at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park.
INTRODUCTION
Trails are one of the most valued recreational
amenities in Nebraska (2021 SCORP). People
seek out trails for a variety of experiences.
Trails offer opportunities to exercise, connect
with nature, improve quality of life and mental
wellbeing, and have fun. The ways in which
people use trails are just as diverse. Trail users
may enjoy walking, hiking, biking, horseback
riding, or ATV riding. Water trails welcome
canoeing and kayaking. The winter months
bring out those that enjoy snowshoeing, cross
country skiing, and snowmobile riding. When
trails are successful, they connect all community
members to the places they want to be and to
their preferred modes of recreation.
Do you ever think about how a trail came
about? Do you ever wonder what steps were
taken to create that trail and how the route was
determined? This guide can help you understand
the steps to take to create trails in your park or
community.
When you know a trail is needed, the desire
to "just go build it" is strong. All good trails
start with a good plan. The intent of this guide
is to provide trail planning guidance to anyone
interested, especially recreation providers and
trail advocates, and to satisfy Recreational Trails
Program (RTP) requirements. This document
provides guidance for Nebraskans to create the
trail plans that their communities need. Every
trail project plan is different; take what you need
from the guide and skip what you don't.
Learn more about the
Recreational Trails Program
at OutdoorNebraska.gov,
search "RTP".
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