Posts written by PNTS Communications

A decade in the making: Temporal Gulch Passage reroute approved to provide safer alternative for AZT

by Matthew Nelson, Executive Director, Arizona Trail Association Over the past decade, the Arizona Trail Association (ATA) has been working to find a safer, more scenic alternative to the trail’s current alignment near the town of Patagonia, AZ, which includes three miles of paved roads…

ELCAT awarded grant for erosion control at Lobanillo Swales

by Steven Gonzales, Executive Director, El Camino Real de los Tejas NHT Association El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Association (ELCAT) and the National Park Service-National Trails office are pleased to share that the trail has received a $10,000 grant from the…

Closing Ice Age Trail gaps: Land purchases preserve rare native ecosystems and geological features

by Gary Werner, Volunteer, and Kevin Thusius, Director of Land Conservation, Ice Age Trail Alliance Over the past year or so, the Ice Age Trail Alliance (IATA), Dane County, and the City of Madison have collectively purchased 86 acres of land and conservation and trail…

Electronic Tour Sites: Enhancing visitor experience on two historic trails

by Chrysann Jaeger, Recreation Programs Assistant and Historic Routes Project Manager, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests The Lolo Trail National Historic Landmark (NHL) encompasses the Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo) National Historic Trail (NPNHT) and Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail (LCNHT) through the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests…

Exploring Trails Virtually

GEOTOURS During this time of physical distancing, geocachers are also advised to follow local mandates and safety recommendations. So enjoy the Santa Fe Trail Association’s Geotour from the comfort of your home by touring the sites online instead. Read history lessons associated with more than…

Digital Junior Rangers: Student project brings historic trails to life online

by Hannah Schaefer Tibbett and Ashley O’Hara, Digital Junior Ranger team in partnership with NPS Do you love junior ranger programs? So do we! We are the Digital Junior Ranger team—a mixture of graduate, undergraduate, and high school students from Gunnison, CO. We’re guided by…

Collaborating during COVID-19: Trails community shares resources, adjusts to change amid global pandemic

by Samantha Haas, Communications Coordinator, Partnership for the National Trails System Maybe COVID-19 won’t spread throughout the whole country. I think many Americans held onto that hope until March 11, 2020, when the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus a global pandemic.  Time seemed…

Navigating times of change for the Partnership – by Barney Mann

by Barney “Scout” Mann, Board President, Partnership for the National Trails System Greetings from Washington, D.C. That is no typo. I live in San Diego, but one of our daughters needed help with our two-year-old grandson while preparing for the arrival of their new baby.…

Navigating times of change for the Partnership – by Kathy DeCoster

by Kathy DeCoster, Advocacy and Policy Director, Partnership for the National Trails System Talk about trial by fire! I began my tenure as the Partnership’s Advocacy and Policy Director in late January 2020 by testifying before Congress on trail funding needs, followed immediately by the…

Navigating times of change for the Partnership – by Karen Crossley

by Karen Crossley, Interim Executive Director, Partnership for the National Trails System Greetings from Madison, WI. I imagine many within the PNTS family and community have never visited the Partnership’s office—a light and airy second floor suite we share with an international microfinance organization. We…