Trails & Rails is a program of the National Park Service, in conjunction with Amtrak, wherein Ranger Guides and Volunteers-In-Parks provide interpretation of a region's history and ecology aboard select Amtrak train routes. The program's goal is to "reach out to people who may not traditionally visit National Park Service areas", according to former NPS Director Robert Stanton. [1]
The idea behind Trails & Rails first formed from an Amtrak marketing director who was on board the Sunset Limited and overheard a National Park Service ranger talking with passengers about the sites outside the window of the Sightseer Lounge. [2] That ranger, James Miculka, served as Chief of Interpretation at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in New Orleans, and started the program with staff from the park aboard the Sunset Limited and soon the City of New Orleans. [2]
Trails & Rails officially became a nationwide program in 2000 when an agreement was signed between the National Park Service and Amtrak. [3] Since then, the program has expanded to nearly two dozen routes under the leadership of National Coordinator Jim Miculka. [4]
Around 2007, NPS began a partnership with the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences (RPTS) at Texas A&M University to house the management of the program there. RPTS faculty assists in training the new Volunteers-In-Parks (VIPs) who work on the program, as well as providing logistical and technical support to the program. RPTS faculty member Susan Scott serves as the Trails & Rails liaison, [5] and coordinates training and support for the program.
The program was suspended during the early COVID-19 pandemic, but resumed in a limited form in 2021. By 2023, eleven routes were participating. [6]
Due to the unique relationship between the National Park Service and Texas A&M's Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences, students of RPTS are able to support the program through their studies, gaining hands on experiences. Host Parks in other cities around the nation also seek interns from local universities to volunteer aboard the routes in their area. The National Parks of New York Harbor have recruited students from local universities like St. John's [7] to intern with the unit, and gain experiences volunteering aboard the Adirondack, in addition to their work at the parks. [8]
This list is current as of April 2023 [update] . [6]
| Route | Start | End | Sponsoring National Park System unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Water | Chicago | Niles | Indiana Dunes National Park |
| Wolverine | |||
| Southewest Chief | La Junta | Las Vegas | Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site |
| Pacific Surfliner | Los Angeles | San Diego | Cabrillo National Monument |
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government, within the U.S. Department of the Interior. The service manages all national parks; most national monuments; and other natural, historical, and recreational properties, with various title designations. The United States Congress created the agency on August 25, 1916, through the National Park Service Organic Act. Its headquarters are in Washington, D.C., within the main headquarters of the Department of the Interior.
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is a non-profit group in the United States whose mission is to build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of the environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land through service opportunities, outdoor skills, and leadership training.
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The National Trails System is a series of trails in the United States designated "to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nation". There are four types of trails: the national scenic trails, national historic trails, national recreation trails, and connecting or side trails. The national trails provide opportunities for hiking and historic education, as well as horseback riding, biking, camping, scenic driving, water sports, and other activities. The National Trails System consists of 11 national scenic trails, 21 national historic trails, over 1,300 national recreation trails, and seven connecting and side trails, as well as one national geologic trail, with a total length of more than 91,000 mi (150,000 km). The scenic and historic trails are in every state, and Virginia and Wyoming have the most running through them, with six.
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The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is a route across the United States commemorating the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 to 1806. It is part of the National Trails System of the United States. It extends for some 4,900 miles (7,900 km) from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon.
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