Types of Walking Trails

There are several kinds of walking trails, distinguishable primarily by the ways they were created and who utilizes them. They can be categorized into four types, not including independently formed walking trails, which is a viable, if slightly less official manner of creating and utilizing walking trails.

  1. Rail Trails

    • Rail trails are trails that exist where railroads formerly did. They are plentiful in urban and suburban areas and do not usually contain harsh gradients. Rail trails should be distinguished from railbanking, a practice in which trail agencies agree to use unused rail trails only until a railroad company can use the rail again. Rails with trails should also be distinguished from rail trails. These are trails that run alongside railroads. Rails with trails can be dangerous because of electric currents on former or current railroad lines and should be treated as such.

    Canal Towpath Trails

    • Just as trails exist now on or alongside current or former railroad lines, canal towpath trails are trails that exist where canals formerly were. A towpath is a path alongside a canal that was used as a path for horses to tow vessels and materials along the canal. Unlike rail trails, towpaths are feasible paths whether or not vessels still use a canal.

    Hiking-Only Trails

    • Hiking-only trails are to be utilized only for hiking. They are often less developed or built up so that hikers experience as much nature and natural circumstances as possible. Agencies like the American Hiking Society discourage automobiles from treading on these trails to avoid disrupting some of the natural aspects of hiking these trails. These trails, if protected, require the least amount of infrastructure investment.

    Multi-purpose Trails

    • Unlike hiking-only trails, multi-purpose trails can accommodate a range of activity and travel, as long as whatever mode of travel traverses these trails does not endanger the usability of the trail by hikers. These trails can be more dangerous than hiking-only trails because automobiles or other automated modes of travel may occupy the same trail as hikers and can endanger them.