Sheepskin Trail Resource Library
Explore Trail Resources
Find planning documents, trail-management guidance, municipal SOP materials, maintenance and safety resources, signage standards, volunteer tools, and practical information supporting communities and partners throughout the Sheepskin Trail corridor.
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Sheepskin Trail Resource Library
Choose a collection from the shelves below, or search the library by topic, resource name, agency, or keyword. Only the collection you select opens, keeping the library compact and easy to browse.
Trail Stewardship
Management, maintenance, signage, and volunteer tools for caring for the trail.
Planning & Community
Funding, community development, business support, mapping, and inclusive recreation.
Learning & Archives
Video learning and the Fayette Trails Coalition meeting-packet archive.
A draft working version of the Sheepskin Trail Standard Operating Procedures document intended to support consistent trail management and coordination across municipalities and partners.
Open Full PDF in Google DriveA high-level overview of the Sheepskin Trail SOP framework and municipal coordination process.
Open Full PDF in Google DriveA working questionnaire used during coordination meetings with municipalities to help identify trail management responsibilities, operational capacity, maintenance considerations, communication procedures, and local priorities related to the Sheepskin Trail corridor.
Open Full PDF in Google DriveThis collection provides practical guidance for trail managers, municipalities, volunteers, and community partners working to keep the Sheepskin Trail safe, accessible, sustainable, and welcoming. Resources include local reporting tools, Pennsylvania regulations, inspection and maintenance guidance, accessibility standards, emergency planning, volunteer safety, and vegetation management. Resource links reviewed August 2026.
Sheepskin Trail Reporting & Local Safety Local reporting tools, current safety improvements, and resources specific to the Sheepskin Trail corridor.
Report a Trail Issue
Use the Sheepskin Trail maintenance reporting system to document surface damage, drainage problems, fallen trees, vegetation, damaged or missing signs, vandalism, and other safety concerns. Reports are reviewed by Fayette County Parks and Recreation and trail partners.
Sheepskin Trail Roadway Crossing Safety Project
PennDOT’s project page provides information about flashing warning signs and advance-warning signs planned at four existing Sheepskin Trail roadway crossings in South Union Township.
Pennsylvania E-Bike Rules & Biking Guidance Current Pennsylvania definitions, operating requirements, DCNR policies, and trail etiquette information.
DCNR E-Bike Policy and Frequently Asked Questions
Explains where compliant e-bikes may be operated on DCNR-managed roads and trails, applicable weight, motor, pedal, and speed requirements, trail restrictions, safety expectations, and the distinction between an e-bike and a motorized pedalcycle.
Pennsylvania Vehicle Code: Electric-Assist Pedalcycles
The Vehicle Code contains Pennsylvania’s legal definition of a pedalcycle with electric assist and the rules applicable to pedalcycles. It also prohibits operation of an electric-assist pedalcycle by a person under 16 years of age.
Biking Rules and Safety Fact Sheet
A public-facing reference covering Pennsylvania biking rules, e-bike requirements, trail etiquette, helmets, passing, speed, yielding, and responsible trail use.
Trail Inspection, Maintenance & Operations Practical resources covering trail monitoring, drainage, surfaces, vegetation, structures, seasonal work, and long-term maintenance.
Pennsylvania Trail Design and Development Principles
Pennsylvania’s comprehensive guidance for planning, designing, constructing, monitoring, and maintaining sustainable non-motorized trails. The document includes maintenance principles, drainage, erosion control, trail structures, accessibility, and monitoring considerations.
Trail Maintenance and Construction Notebook
A practical field reference for trail crews and managers covering trail fundamentals, maintenance, drainage, tread work, structures, tools, construction practices, and common trail problems.
Guide for Maintaining Pedestrian Facilities for Enhanced Safety
Guidance for agencies and organizations maintaining sidewalks, shared-use paths, crossings, signs, and other pedestrian facilities. Topics include inspections, surface defects, vegetation, snow and ice, accessibility, documentation, markings, and maintenance programs.
Trail Design and Maintenance
A Pennsylvania-focused online resource addressing trail planning, clearing, stabilization, slopes, drainage, wet areas, monitoring, accessibility, signs, marking, and routine maintenance.
Operations, Maintenance and Stewardship 101
An overview of trail operations covering routine inspections, maintenance responsibilities, emergency access, incident tracking, public reporting, user etiquette, signage, budgets, partnerships, and long-term stewardship.
Accessibility, Signage & Emergency Planning Guidance for accessible trail facilities, traffic-control devices, emergency preparation, and safer public access.
Trails for All People
Guidance intended to help trail planners and managers incorporate accessibility and inclusive design into trail planning, development, communications, and visitor experiences.
Outdoor Developed Areas Accessibility Guide
Technical guidance for trails, trailheads, outdoor recreation access routes, surfaces, slopes, passing spaces, resting intervals, signs, viewing areas, and outdoor constructed features.
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
The federal reference for traffic-control devices, including regulatory, warning, directional, bicycle, pedestrian, shared-use path, crossing, pavement-marking, and temporary traffic-control applications.
ADA and Pedestrian Accommodations
PennDOT’s collection of accessibility policies, design references, public-right-of-way guidance, pedestrian facility resources, and links to federal accessibility standards.
Outdoor Emergency Plan
A public-safety planning resource covering preparation before an outdoor trip and basic actions to take if someone becomes lost, injured, delayed, or otherwise requires emergency assistance.
Volunteer & Work-Crew Safety Safety information for cleanup events, vegetation work, equipment use, field operations, and higher-risk maintenance activities.
Landscape and Horticultural Work Hazards
Safety guidance addressing hand and power tools, machinery, lifting, heat and cold stress, noise, chemicals, slips and falls, vehicles, vegetation work, personal protective equipment, and tree-care hazards.
Safe Operation of a Chainsaw
Covers chainsaw inspection, fueling, starting, chain brakes, secure footing, work-area preparation, carrying, and other safe operating practices for trained operators.
Vegetation & Invasive-Species Management Pennsylvania identification, monitoring, treatment, prevention, and quarantine resources relevant to trail corridors and maintenance work.
Invasive Plants in Pennsylvania
A statewide overview of invasive plants, their impacts, prevention, early detection, treatment considerations, native-plant restoration, management tools, and links to additional resources.
Invasive Plant Management for Landowners
A downloadable guide addressing invasive-plant identification, planning, control approaches, treatment considerations, monitoring, and restoration of affected land.
Invasive Plant Fact Sheets
Species-specific identification and management information for invasive trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, herbs, and aquatic plants found in Pennsylvania.
Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine and Permitting
Current quarantine information and compliance resources concerning the movement of landscaping waste, logs, tree parts, equipment, vehicles, outdoor materials, and other items that may transport spotted lanternfly life stages.
These materials are provided for general planning and educational use. Property-owner requirements, municipal policies, engineering standards, grant conditions, permits, and applicable laws should be confirmed before beginning trail work or adopting an operating policy.
This collection provides trail managers, municipalities, designers, volunteers, and community partners with resources for developing clear, consistent, accessible, and maintainable trail signage. Materials cover roadway traffic-control devices, trail wayfinding, destination and distance signs, trailhead information, maps, interpretive exhibits, accessibility, sign inventories, and long-term maintenance. Resource links reviewed August 2026.
Sheepskin Trail Signage Projects & Local Tools Current signage work, reporting tools, and project information specific to the Sheepskin Trail corridor.
Sheepskin Trail Roadway Crossing Signs
PennDOT is installing flashing warning signs and advance-warning signs at four existing Sheepskin Trail roadway crossings in South Union Township. The project is intended to improve trail visibility and increase motorist awareness at the crossings.
Report a Missing or Damaged Sign
Trail users and community partners can use the online reporting system to document missing, damaged, faded, obstructed, vandalized, or incorrectly placed signs and other trail concerns.
Traffic-Control Signs & Pennsylvania Standards Federal and Pennsylvania requirements for regulatory, warning, crossing, directional, bicycle, pedestrian, and temporary signs.
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices — 11th Edition, Revision 1
The national standard for traffic-control devices on streets, highways, bikeways, and shared-use paths. It addresses sign design, placement, colors, symbols, pavement markings, crossings, bicycle facilities, guide signs, temporary traffic control, and other applications.
Standard Highway Signs and Vector Artwork
FHWA provides official sign-design details and downloadable artwork for signs included in the current MUTCD. Files are available in formats suitable for review, design, and sign fabrication.
PennDOT Handbook of Approved Signs
Pennsylvania’s reference for approved traffic-sign designs, dimensions, layouts, symbols, lettering, borders, and related fabrication information.
Official Traffic-Control Devices
Pennsylvania guidance and regulations concerning official signs, markings, signals, bicycle-facility controls, temporary traffic control, special events, studies, approvals, and responsibilities.
Temporary Traffic-Control Guidelines
Reference guidance for signs, cones, barricades, flagging, lane restrictions, detours, and other temporary traffic-control measures associated with construction, maintenance, utility work, and special events.
Trail Wayfinding Planning & Design Resources and practical steps for creating a consistent destination, directional, confirmation, identification, and mapping system.
Pennsylvania Trail Design and Development Principles
Statewide guidance for planning, designing, constructing, and managing non-motorized trails. The guide addresses trailheads, user information, signs, markings, accessibility, crossings, structures, safety, and long-term trail management.
Pennsylvania Bicycle Routes Map and Viewer
An interactive reference showing Pennsylvania bicycle routes, U.S. Bicycle Routes, roadway information, and trail connections. It can help identify regional destinations and transportation connections that may be appropriate for trail wayfinding.
Before Designing a Wayfinding System
- Identify the trail owner, roadway owner, municipality, approving agencies, maintenance partners, and emergency-service contacts.
- Define the sign’s purpose: regulation, warning, direction, confirmation, trail identification, orientation, interpretation, facility information, or emergency location.
- Inventory existing signs, posts, pavement markings, trailheads, intersections, road crossings, gaps, destinations, and decision points.
- Establish a destination hierarchy that prioritizes trailheads, communities, connecting trails, parks, transit, parking, restrooms, business districts, and major visitor destinations.
- Use one consistent name for each community, trail, park, road, destination, and facility throughout the system.
- Place directional information before or at decision points and use confirmation signs after turns or uncertain locations.
- Use consistent arrow styles, destination order, distance units, colors, fonts, symbols, materials, and mounting systems.
- Check sight lines, vegetation, seasonal conditions, nighttime visibility, snow storage, mowing, drainage, utilities, and expected maintenance equipment.
- Field-test proposed locations from the perspective of bicyclists, walkers, wheelchair users, visitors, motorists, and people unfamiliar with the corridor.
- Assign responsibility for installation, inspection, vegetation clearing, cleaning, repair, replacement, and updating outdated information.
Recommended Sign Inventory Information
- Unique sign identification number.
- GPS coordinates and nearest address or trail mile.
- Municipality, property owner, and responsible organization.
- Sign category, message, dimensions, material, and manufacturer.
- Post, mounting system, foundation, and installation method.
- Installation date and expected replacement cycle.
- Current-condition photograph and inspection date.
- Condition of the panel, lettering, reflectivity, post, hardware, foundation, and surrounding vegetation.
- Maintenance action required, priority level, responsible party, completion date, and cost.
- Original design file, fabrication specifications, approvals, and funding source.
Interpretive Signage & Outdoor Exhibits Guidance for developing engaging, site-specific historical, environmental, cultural, and community interpretation.
Wayside Exhibits: A Guide to Developing Outdoor Interpretive Exhibits
A detailed guide to planning, researching, writing, designing, producing, installing, and maintaining outdoor interpretive panels. It includes project workflows, design examples, accessibility, typography, maps, materials, and evaluation.
Wayside Exhibit Planning
Guidance for selecting appropriate locations and stories, establishing an interpretive focus, developing projects in phases, coordinating design and landscape decisions, and integrating exhibits with other visitor information.
Writing for Outdoor Interpretive Exhibits
Practical recommendations for writing short, clear, place-based interpretive content that connects visitors with the landscape, avoids unnecessary jargon, and can be understood during a brief stop.
Outdoor Exhibit Design
Guidance covering panel size, information hierarchy, grids, typography, maps, graphic elements, visual consistency, production, and long-term maintenance.
Wayside Exhibit Evaluation Checklist
A checklist for reviewing whether an installed exhibit is site-specific, accurate, legible, accessible, logically organized, visually engaging, properly located, securely installed, and in acceptable physical condition.
Accessible & Inclusive Signage Guidance for trailhead information, viewing areas, exhibit placement, legibility, accessible formats, and informed visitor decision-making.
Outdoor Developed Areas and Trailhead Information
Technical guidance for trails, trailheads, outdoor recreation access routes, viewing areas, surfaces, slopes, widths, resting intervals, and trailhead information signs.
Accessibility Guidance for Signs
Information about visual characters, contrast, symbols, accessibility identifiers, mounting, and sign requirements, including examples of accessible trailhead information.
Accessibility for Wayside Exhibits
Guidance for exhibit placement, viewing height, clear ground space, legibility, contrast, tactile and audio alternatives, accessible routes, and presenting interpretive information in multiple formats.
Sign Inspection, Maintenance & Replacement Resources for inventories, condition inspections, nighttime visibility, cleaning, vegetation control, repair, and replacement.
Methods for Maintaining Traffic-Sign Retroreflectivity
Guidance for agencies developing a method to manage nighttime sign visibility, including inspection approaches, measured retroreflectivity, expected sign life, blanket replacement, control signs, and documentation.
PennDOT Sign Installation and Maintenance
An overview of how signs along state roads are fabricated, installed, inspected, repaired, and replaced when they are aged, vandalized, damaged, obstructed, or otherwise deficient.
What to Check During a Sign Inspection
- Verify that the sign is still present, visible, facing the correct direction, and located where users need the information.
- Check for fading, peeling, cracking, delamination, graffiti, bullet damage, stickers, scratches, dirt, mildew, and water damage.
- Inspect reflectivity and nighttime visibility where retroreflective materials are required or appropriate.
- Check posts, brackets, fasteners, frames, foundations, anchors, breakaway features, and mounting hardware.
- Confirm that vegetation, parked vehicles, snow, equipment, temporary signs, or other objects do not block the view.
- Confirm that the message, arrow, destination, map, mileage, phone number, QR code, website, regulation, and emergency information remain current.
- Look for duplicate, conflicting, unnecessary, or overly dense sign installations that may confuse visitors.
- Confirm that the viewing area and route to the sign remain firm, stable, clear, and accessible where applicable.
- Photograph the sign, record the inspection date and condition, and assign any repair or replacement action to a responsible party.
These materials are provided for planning and educational purposes. Before installing signs, confirm the property owner, roadway jurisdiction, permits, engineering requirements, utility clearances, accessibility obligations, funding conditions, and applicable federal, state, county, and municipal standards. Official traffic-control devices should be reviewed and approved through the appropriate roadway authority.
These resources support volunteers, community organizations, trail partners, and municipalities involved in Sheepskin Trail cleanups, stewardship activities, events, public outreach, maintenance reporting, and other community projects. Volunteers should only perform work that has been approved by the appropriate property owner or trail manager and that matches their training, experience, equipment, and assigned role. Resource links reviewed August 2026.
Volunteer Along the Sheepskin Trail Join the Sheepskin Shepherds, report trail needs, and find ways to support the trail and its communities.
Become a Sheepskin Shepherd
Sheepskin Shepherds help care for, promote, and support the trail. Volunteer roles may include litter cleanups, maintenance reporting, event assistance, community outreach, visitor support, group rides, and other stewardship activities. Volunteers can participate once, occasionally, or on a more regular basis.
Report a Trail Issue
Volunteers and trail users can help document fallen trees, drainage problems, surface damage, vegetation, vandalism, damaged signs, litter, and other concerns through the online maintenance reporting system.
DCNR Conservation Volunteer Program
Explore additional outdoor volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania state parks and forests. Opportunities may include trail maintenance, invasive-species work, environmental education, community forestry, wildlife projects, facility support, and stewardship activities.
Planning a Volunteer Trail Workday A practical checklist for organizing cleanups, stewardship projects, volunteer events, and community workdays.
Before the Workday
- Confirm the location, property owner, trail manager, project scope, and all required approvals.
- Identify a workday leader, on-site safety lead, emergency contact, and person responsible for volunteer sign-in.
- Inspect the work area and identify traffic, terrain, weather, vegetation, wildlife, tool, and accessibility concerns.
- Set appropriate age, ability, training, and supervision requirements for each task.
- Establish a meeting point, parking plan, start and end time, restroom access, weather backup, and cancellation procedure.
- Prepare gloves, safety vests, grabbers, trash bags, tools, drinking water, first-aid supplies, sunscreen, and insect repellent.
- Confirm how collected trash, vegetation, tires, hazardous materials, or other debris will be removed and disposed of.
- Send volunteers clear instructions describing clothing, footwear, supplies, physical expectations, and any items they should bring.
At the Start of the Workday
- Have every participant sign in and provide an emergency contact.
- Introduce the workday leader and explain who volunteers should contact with questions or safety concerns.
- Review the project boundaries, approved tasks, restricted areas, tool rules, emergency plan, and nearest access point for emergency responders.
- Demonstrate the safe use of hand tools and distribute appropriate personal protective equipment.
- Assign volunteers to teams, establish a buddy system, and confirm that children and youth have appropriate adult supervision.
- Encourage water breaks and remind volunteers to report injuries, near misses, hazardous materials, aggressive behavior, or unsafe conditions immediately.
After the Workday
- Account for all volunteers, tools, safety equipment, and collected materials.
- Record volunteer names, hours, work completed, supplies used, and the approximate amount of litter or vegetation removed.
- Photograph completed work and document any problems requiring municipal, county, contractor, or professional attention.
- Report injuries, property damage, near misses, or other incidents through the organization’s established process.
- Thank volunteers, share the results, provide information about the next opportunity, and ask for feedback.
Volunteer Safety & Training Trail-specific safety training and guidance for outdoor work, weather, heat, ticks, insects, tools, and emergency situations.
Trail Safe! Volunteer Training
Trail Safe! is a multi-part safety training program developed for trail volunteers. The lessons address situational awareness, leadership, communication, risk assessment, decision-making, and human factors that can contribute to outdoor incidents.
Trail Volunteer Safety Handbook and Hazard Analyses
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail volunteer resource page includes a volunteer safety handbook, volunteer agreements, job descriptions, job-hazard analyses, injury reporting information, and short safety topics for trail crews.
Outdoor Worker Hazards
Guidance covering heat, cold, severe weather, sun exposure, noise, insects, poisonous plants, animals, and other hazards that may affect volunteers completing outdoor trail work.
Heat-Related Illness and First Aid
Learn how to recognize possible heat exhaustion, heat stroke, heat cramps, and other heat-related conditions, along with immediate first-aid actions and emergency-response recommendations.
Tick-Bite Prevention for Outdoor Work
Guidance for reducing exposure to ticks, choosing clothing and repellents, checking volunteers and equipment, removing ticks, and recognizing when medical attention may be needed.
Youth Volunteers, Consent & Clearances Pennsylvania resources for organizations involving children, youth, schools, clubs, and family volunteer groups.
Child Abuse Clearances
Information about who may need a Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance, how to request one, renewal requirements, disclosure statements, and additional child-safety resources.
Criminal History Record Check for Volunteers
Pennsylvania provides information about the State Police criminal history record check, including the volunteer application process and access to the PATCH system.
FBI Criminal History Background Check
Information about when a fingerprint-based federal criminal history background check may be required and how to begin the application and fingerprinting process.
School Volunteer Background Checks
Guidance for school-based volunteers, including individuals who may be responsible for student supervision, guidance, care, or routine interaction through school activities.
DCNR Volunteer Frequently Asked Questions
Includes information about individual and group participation, volunteer opportunities, minors, parent or guardian consent, and coordination with volunteer leaders.
Volunteer Recruitment, Management & Recognition Resources for building a sustainable volunteer program and providing clear roles, orientation, supervision, feedback, and recognition.
Volunteer Management and Engagement Resource Guide
A collection of resources addressing recruitment, retention, volunteer position descriptions, recognition, program evaluation, inclusion, and effective use of volunteers.
Volunteer Handbook and Program Practices
A current example of a structured trail volunteer handbook covering volunteer rights and responsibilities, orientation, training, supervision, position descriptions, service agreements, safety, conduct, feedback, and recognition.
Volunteer Safety and Administrative Requirements
Reference guidance addressing volunteer agreements, liability, recordkeeping, risk analysis, supervision, youth safeguards, emergency management, training, and volunteer assignments.
Volunteer Program Records and Management
An example of a detailed volunteer program covering recruitment, applications, service descriptions, risk assessments, training records, hour tracking, evaluations, supervision, recognition, incident reporting, and program administration.
External forms, agreements, handbooks, and policies are provided as planning references and examples. Federal or state-agency forms should not automatically be adopted as local organizational forms. Volunteer agreements, waivers, parental-consent forms, background-check procedures, and incident-reporting processes should be reviewed by the organization, property owner, insurer, and legal counsel when appropriate.
Funding and project-development resources for municipalities, nonprofits, trail managers, and community partners working on trail, recreation, greenway, connectivity, and placemaking projects. This shelf emphasizes Pennsylvania programs first, then adds federal readiness and trail-grant training tools. Resource links reviewed August 2026.
Pennsylvania Trail & Recreation Grant Programs Core state funding programs for trail planning, acquisition, development, rehabilitation, community recreation, and related improvements.
Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2)
DCNR’s primary recreation and conservation grant program. Use this overview to identify eligible applicants and the grant categories available for parks, trails, planning, conservation, and community revitalization.
Non-Motorized Trail Grants
Funding for public non-motorized trail planning, acquisition, development, rehabilitation, maintenance, trail facilities, maintenance equipment, and trail-related education. The current program page also links to other Pennsylvania trail-funding programs.
Recreation & Conservation Planning Grants
Planning assistance for comprehensive recreation, open-space and greenway plans, master site development plans, feasibility studies, and conservation or stewardship plans.
Greenways, Trails & Recreation Program (GTRP)
A Pennsylvania funding program for planning, acquisition, development, rehabilitation, and repair of greenways, recreational trails, parks, open space, river conservation, and beautification projects.
Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TASA)
Federal transportation-alternatives funding administered by PennDOT for eligible bicycle and pedestrian facilities, transportation-purpose trails, non-driver access, Safe Routes to School, and related community improvements.
Capacity Building, Partnerships & Technical Assistance Programs that can help municipalities and partners strengthen capacity, prepare plans, develop scopes, and move projects toward implementation.
Peer Grants
Year-round capacity-building grants that help eligible municipalities contract with professionals for special-purpose planning, strategic plans, site-specific plans, operations studies, and walkability or Safe Routes to Parks assessments.
State & Regional Partnerships Grants
Support for collaborative regional or statewide initiatives including special-purpose planning, training, plan implementation, mini-grant programs, conservation landscapes, and heritage-area work.
Community Planning Technical Assistance Program (C-TAP)
Hands-on planning assistance for eligible local and county governments and municipal partners. Services can include engagement strategies, RFP and scope development, strategic planning, plan implementation, GIS-supported assessments, and funding strategies.
Grant Readiness, Applications & Project Delivery Practical resources for preparing competitive applications and understanding the work required to move a funded project into delivery.
DOT Navigator
A searchable federal resource for grants, technical assistance, funding and match information, data tools, rural-community resources, and guidance for planning and delivering transportation projects.
Project Readiness Checklist for Competitive Grants
A useful checklist for thinking through project readiness, including the factors federal transportation grant programs may use to evaluate whether an applicant can deliver a proposed project on schedule.
2026 C2P2 Grant Workshop — General Overview
DCNR’s recorded overview of C2P2 eligibility, fundable project types, application scoring, and strategies for preparing an application.
Grants for Trails: Finding, Applying & Managing
A trail-focused session covering how to locate funding, determine whether a grant fits a project, prepare applications, and organize grant-management responsibilities after an award.
Program summaries are provided for orientation only. Funding availability, deadlines, match percentages, eligible applicants, and federal or state requirements can change from year to year; current agency guidance controls.
Resources for communities that want to turn a nearby trail into a stronger connection to downtowns, public spaces, businesses, attractions, and community life. The collection combines the regional Trail Town model with current trail-oriented development and Pennsylvania downtown-revitalization tools. Resource links reviewed August 2026.
Trail Town Fundamentals & Community Assessment Tools for evaluating a community from a trail visitor’s perspective and identifying practical improvements that connect the trail, downtown, amenities, and local destinations.
Trail Town Guide
A free guide drawing on more than 17 years of Trail Town work, with practical guidance on community assessment, business development, funding, marketing, and trail tourism.
Trail Town Assessment Workbook
A free printable assessment designed to help communities evaluate safety, access, parking, wayfinding, amenities, businesses, and the visitor experience from a trail user’s point of view.
Connecting Town to Trail
Practical recommendations for turning the trailhead into an invitation to visit the community, including parking, restrooms, water, signs, information, bike racks, seating, and other trail-to-town connections.
Placemaking, Downtowns & Trail-Oriented Development Resources for designing public spaces and trail-adjacent districts that encourage people to stop, explore, spend time, and connect with the community.
The Right Path: A Trail-Oriented Development Primer
A current primer with strategies and case studies for creating amenities and investment around trails, including public art, outdoor furniture, trail-oriented sites, adjacent properties, and community partnerships.
Trail-Oriented Development: How Trails Create Connected Communities
A webinar exploring how multiuse trails can be integrated with housing, businesses, amenities, and community development to create more walkable, bike-friendly, connected places.
Main Street Matters
Pennsylvania’s downtown and neighborhood revitalization program, with support for planning, business assistance, aesthetic improvements, safety, district development, and other community-revitalization activities.
Navigating Main Streets as Places
A people-first transportation and placemaking toolkit for rural downtowns and commercial districts, focused on balancing mobility, street activity, public space, and community decision-making.
Trail Economy, Business Development & Marketing Strategies for strengthening the economic connection between trail users, local businesses, attractions, and community identity.
Trail Town Development Tools
Guidance for supporting new and existing trail businesses, connecting entrepreneurs with SBDC assistance, developing a shared business vision, networking, and improving the visitor experience.
Trail Town Marketing
Ideas for collaborative print, digital, social-media, and visitor marketing that connects trail groups, businesses, attractions, and community partners.
Assessments & Research
A collection of Trail Town research resources covering community assessments, visitor research, trail counts, rider surveys, business research, economic-impact findings, and other tools for making data-informed decisions.
Practical resources for entrepreneurs and existing businesses in trail communities, with special attention to businesses serving cyclists, walkers, outdoor-recreation visitors, and people exploring nearby towns. Resource links reviewed August 2026.
Starting & Operating a Pennsylvania Small Business Reliable statewide and federal resources for business planning, registration, startup decisions, finances, and day-to-day operations.
Start a Business in Pennsylvania
No-cost, confidential consulting and training covering business planning, market research, cash-flow projections, registration, licensing, location, and funding. Pennsylvania SBDC lists Saint Vincent College SBDC as the center serving Fayette County.
Pennsylvania Business Guides
State-produced guides for entrepreneurs, business registration, Pennsylvania taxes, and other steps involved in starting and operating a business.
Business Help Center
A searchable library of licensing references, how-to guides, FAQs, and videos that help Pennsylvania businesses navigate filings, registrations, tax systems, and agency processes.
Plan Your Business
Business-planning tools covering market research, competitive analysis, business plans, startup costs, funding choices, and other fundamentals for new businesses.
Marketing, Visitors & Trail Customers Resources for helping trail-adjacent businesses understand their market, build visibility, and convert recreation visitors into customers.
Marketing & eCommerce Consulting
No-cost consulting and training for market research, demographic analysis, location analysis, websites, SEO, social media, e-commerce, pricing, positioning, and customer engagement.
Marketing & Sales
A straightforward guide to defining target markets, competitive advantage, marketing plans, pricing, promotion, sales channels, and measuring results.
Business Development for Trail Towns
Trail-specific ideas for business support, bike-friendly standards, networking, customer service, shared branding, and partnerships between trail businesses.
Marketing to Trail Visitors
Practical ideas for coordinating businesses, trail groups, attractions, print materials, digital communications, and visitor-focused marketing.
Hospitality & Tourism Businesses Resources particularly relevant to lodging, food, beverage, visitor services, retail, and other businesses that benefit from outdoor-recreation traffic.
Hospitality & Tourism Businesses Guide
A Pennsylvania-focused educational guide created for hospitality and tourism businesses, with connections to SBDC consulting and industry resources.
Mapping, field-data, open-data, trail-count, and survey resources for trail managers, municipalities, planners, and partners. These tools can support inventories, maintenance reporting, corridor planning, grant development, trail-user analysis, and public-facing maps. Resource links reviewed August 2026.
Pennsylvania GIS & Open Data Authoritative statewide sources for trail, transportation, environmental, basemap, and other geospatial data used in planning and corridor analysis.
DCNR Open Data Portal
Access to more than 130 published GIS datasets related to state parks, state forests, geology, recreation opportunities, and natural resources. Data can be mapped, styled, downloaded, and shared.
PennDOT Open Data Portal
A gateway to PennDOT’s published spatial data for transportation planning and mapping, including roadway, bicycle, bridge, traffic, and other transportation datasets.
Pennsylvania Bicycle Routes Map Service
An ArcGIS map service for Pennsylvania bicycle routes that can be opened in ArcGIS tools or consumed as GIS data for corridor and connectivity mapping.
DEP GIS & Open Data
Access to hundreds of non-sensitive environmental GIS layers covering waterways, mining, water quality, stormwater, waste, permits, natural resources, and other conditions that can affect trail planning.
Pennsylvania GIS Data Access & PASDA
State guidance for finding authoritative GIS information, including Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access (PASDA), state open data, Census-related data, and county sources.
Field Mapping & Data Collection Practical ArcGIS resources for building mobile forms, collecting point/line/polygon data, conducting inspections, and working offline in the field.
Get Started with ArcGIS Field Maps
Overview of Field Maps for exploring maps, collecting data, completing inspections, sharing locations, building mobile forms, and preparing offline field workflows.
Create a Map for Field Data Collection
Step-by-step guidance for creating maps and editable layers for inspections and field collection using Field Maps Designer, Map Viewer, or ArcGIS Pro.
Trail Counts, Surveys & Data-Informed Planning Tools for understanding how trails are used, collecting defensible visitor data, documenting economic activity, and communicating results to partners and funders.
Trail User Surveys & Counting
RTC guidance and resources for trail-user counts and surveys, including links to count data, webinars, economic-impact work, and survey methods.
Trail User Survey Workbook
A detailed workbook with sample survey questions and methods for collecting visitor information and using results to build support for a trail.
Technology & Data Hub
A centralized collection of trail GIS, mapping, data standards, data portals, technology resources, and webinars supporting planning and stewardship.
Make It Count: Collecting & Applying Trail Count Data
A trail-data session covering count methods, counter placement, usage trends, communicating results, and using trail counts to support planning, funding, and management decisions.
Resources focused on inclusive trail planning, objective trail-condition information, accessible trailheads and facilities, adaptive recreation, and helping visitors make informed choices about outdoor experiences. Resource links reviewed August 2026.
Accessible Trail & Trailhead Design Standards and guidance for trail characteristics, trailheads, routes, outdoor facilities, visitor information, and other features that influence whether people can use a trail independently and safely.
Outdoor Developed Areas Accessibility Guide
Technical guidance for trails, trailheads, outdoor recreation access routes, surfaces, slopes, passing spaces, resting intervals, viewing areas, and trailhead information under the Architectural Barriers Act standards.
Accessible Recreation in Pennsylvania
Information about accessible recreation features in Pennsylvania state parks and forests, including accommodations for varying mobility, sensory, and cognitive needs and the importance of confirming current site conditions before visiting.
Outdoor Recreation Access Interactive Maps
Pennsylvania’s State Outdoor Recreation Plan includes interactive mapping intended to help communities understand where residents have—or lack—convenient access to outdoor recreation and identify opportunities for more equitable access.
Physical & Mobility Accessibility Information
Examples of trail information that can help visitors plan ahead, including surface, width, slope, cross slope, trail length, safety considerations, and access to outdoor exhibits and facilities.
Trail Assessment & Accessibility Information Resources for measuring trail conditions and communicating objective information about surfaces, grades, widths, cross slopes, obstacles, and other characteristics.
Trail Accessibility Hub
A large collection of accessibility guides, articles, standards, webinars, adaptive-recreation resources, and trail-management references curated for the trails community.
Introduction to Trail Assessment Using UTAP & HETAP
An introduction to the Universal Trail Assessment Process and High-Efficiency Trail Assessment Process, including how trail-condition data is collected and communicated to managers and trail users.
Adaptive Recreation & Inclusive Trail Experiences Planning and design resources for adaptive equipment, adaptive mountain biking, inclusive programming, and trail experiences that work for a wider range of users.
Adaptive Mountain Biking: Trail Design for Accessibility & Reduced Risk
A free trail-design webinar focused on accessibility, risk reduction, adaptive mountain biking, trail signage, managed use, and sustainable design considerations.
A Guide to Adaptive Mountain Bike Trailbuilding
A recent resource set focused on planning, designing, building, and retrofitting adaptive mountain-bike trails, with materials from trail managers, riders, programs, and trail builders.
Outdoor Adventures for All: Accessible Outdoor Developed Areas
A 2026 session reviewing accessible outdoor-developed-area provisions, real-world National Park Service design scenarios, operational challenges, and best practices.
Accessibility requirements depend on project ownership, funding, scope, facility type, and applicable federal, state, and local standards. Use these resources for planning and education and confirm project-specific requirements with the appropriate design, legal, funding, and regulatory professionals.
An educational video demonstrating methods and considerations for addressing root heaves, surface bumps, and maintenance issues commonly found on asphalt trail sections.
An RTC webinar discussing routine maintenance considerations, operational costs, seasonal trail management, and long-term stewardship practices for multi-use trail systems.
2026 Meeting Packets
August 2026 Monthly Meeting August 10, 2026 · Bike Art Park, South Union Township
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Open August Packet Full SizeJuly 2026 Monthly Meeting July 13, 2026 · Virtual Meeting
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Open July Packet Full Size2025 Meeting Packets
Archived meeting packets will be added as they are organized and made available.