Trails are recreational. We seek them out whether for a casual evening walk with the dog, a bike ride with friends and family, or a weeklong excursion. They can lead us through a local park or a remote wilderness, all the while enjoying recreating in the great outdoors.
Many trails are also historical. They often follow historic rail lines, such as York County’s Heritage Rail Trail, or link historic sites such as the Great Allegheny Passage connecting Pittsburgh to Washington, DC. Moving on a bicycle at 10 miles per hour or walking at 2 miles per hour, trail visitors slowly experience the heritage of an area.
Combine recreation with local history and trails become magnets for tourism. Similarly, trail towns – large urban centers or quieter communities located along a trail – become destinations for hungry, tired, and intellectually curious trail travelers. Trails provide another “market-able” feature of an area’s tourism package.
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