For most of mountain biking’s history, trail building lived in a curious space. It was essential to the sport yet rarely treated as its own profession. Its origin story is rooted in rogue trail builders. Riders with tools and imagination carved lines into hillsides long before formal trail systems existed. From those early days through the volunteer era that followed, trail building operated on passion, community, and ingenuity more than official recognition. But something is changing. Mountain biking is expanding at a rate few predicted, and with that expansion, trail building is maturing into a true profession.

I spend a lot of time around trail builders. Sometimes I am taking photos. Sometimes I am tagging along on a dig day. Sometimes I am just listening. And over the years, one thing keeps coming up in those conversations. Builders want people to understand the work. They want the community to see what actually goes into creating a trail or repairing the damage after a storm. They want more people to care.

Over the past few months, I have been learning how to find my pace. Not the pace of putting out fires or scrambling to keep up, but the steady rhythm of building something that is starting to take on a life of its own.

Most trail organizations are doing incredible work, but almost no one sees it. Saturday morning crews shape tread, clear corridor, and fix drainage issues that keep local trails alive through another season. Yet outside the handful of volunteers who show up that day, the story disappears. There are no photos, no short updates, no narrative showing what was accomplished or why it matters. For small volunteer-led groups and nonprofits with limited staff, this is normal. But in a world where visibility equals credibility, staying quiet has real costs. This article explores why social media matters for trail organizations and how even the smallest groups can use simple storytelling to grow volunteers, attract sponsors, and strengthen relationships with land managers.

Trails do far more than connect riders to landscapes. Across the country, they are connecting people to jobs, businesses, and new opportunities. From Arkansas to West Virginia, rural communities are proving that investing in trails pays off—creating both direct and indirect employment that strengthens local economies.

When the new Dollar Mountain Trail System officially opened in Grants Pass, Oregon, it marked more than the debut of 11 new miles of singletrack. It signaled the arrival of a new trail town. This feature explores how collaboration between city leaders, Visit Grants Pass, and RVMBA turned an overlooked hillside into a cornerstone of community identity and economic development. From morning coffee at Wheelhouse to post-ride beers at Weekend Beer Company, the anatomy of a trail town is taking shape … one ride at a time.

I’m back in Portland this week after a whirlwind trip to Arizona, which included speaking at the Spirit World fundraiser for the Arizona Trail. What is funny is that even though I spent a good amount of time writing and prepping for this speech leading up to the event, when it was time actually to speak, I pivoted.

For many places, it used to be that winter meant downtime. A chance for the soil to settle, tools to be cleaned, and crews to take a breath. But lately, the off-season has disappeared. Trails that once held through a steady drizzle now vanish under a single storm. Water cuts deeper, drains fail faster, and what was once routine maintenance now feels like emergency response.

Around the globe, trail builders are discovering that climate resilience is no longer a side note in their work. It is the work.

Somewhere between a rusting welcome sign and an empty storefront, a hand-painted banner flaps in the wind: Welcome Riders! Trail Town USA. It’s hopeful, maybe even inspiring, but is it true?

Across North America (and beyond), small towns are embracing the label of “trail town” in a bid to bring in new energy, dollars, and identity. The idea is simple: trails bring riders, riders bring money, and maybe, just maybe, that’s enough to kickstart something new.

But here’s the catch: not every town with a trailhead is ready to claim the title. And sometimes, rushing into the trail town identity can do more harm than good.

Discover how brands and nonprofit trail organizations can build real impact through local dig days and trail events. Learn why showing up matters, how to create sponsor-ready partnerships, and how authentic collaboration leads to stronger communities, lasting relationships, and more trails on the ground.