How to Measure the Economic and Social Impact of Trail Building
A community meeting. A skeptical mayor. A projector that won’t connect. And you’re standing there, trying to explain (again) why that new loop your crew cut last month is more than just a place to ride bikes. You know it’s adding value. You’ve seen the businesses it boosts, the volunteers it energizes, the way locals bring out-of-town friends just to show it off.
But knowing and proving are two different things.
When budgets get tight or land access comes under review, gut instinct isn’t enough. Trail builders and advocacy groups need to show, not just tell, the real value of their work. The good news? You don’t need a PhD or a six-figure grant to get started. Just a shift in mindset and a few tools in your back pocket.
Here’s how.
Understand What to Measure
Impact is bigger than dollars. But dollars help. So do volunteer hours, user counts, and community sentiment. When you’re thinking about what to track, start with two broad buckets:
Economic Impact: Visitor spending, job creation, local business support, gear and equipment purchases, increasedtourism.
Social Impact: Volunteer hours, health and wellness outcomes, youth involvement, equity and access, environmental education.
Even a small community trail can generate ripple effects. The trick is knowing how to look for them.
Learn the Lingo (Without Drowning in It)
Advocates who can speak the language of economic development get further and faster. Again, you don’t need a PhD or to be an economist, but having a working vocabulary helps.
Direct Impact: What users spend (gas, snacks, lodging, gear).
Indirect Impact: What businesses spend to serve those users (inventory, supplies, local services).
Induced Impact: How employees re-spend their wages in the local economy (rent, groceries, childcare).
This is what economists call a “multiplier effect.” It’s the idea that one dollar spent on outdoor recreation doesn’t stop at the trailhead. It keeps circulating, building momentum.
Start Tracking the Basics
Forget massive spreadsheets or complex software (unless you’re into that sort of thing). Most trail organizations can get valuable insights by simply starting small:
Use Trail Counters (manual or digital) to track usage.
Survey Your Users: Where are they coming from? How long are they staying? Are they spending money in town?
Track Volunteer Hours and convert them into dollar value using federal estimates.
Collect Testimonials from local business owners and land managers.
Take Photos that show trail use, events, and community engagement.
These small data points, especially when tracked over time, begin to form a powerful story.
Leverage Existing Reports (No Need to Reinvent the Wheel)
From IMBA to your local tourism bureau, someone’s already done some of the heavy lifting. Use reports like TPL’s Economic Benefits of Mountain Biking. Use their language. Cite their numbers. Show how your trail fits into the larger story of outdoor recreation’s role in economic and community development.
Pair the Data with a Story
Facts get you in the door. But stories? Stories get you funded.
Maybe it’s the local brewery owner who doubled sales on dig days. Or the teenager who discovered trail work and found a future in land stewardship. These moments matter. Tie them to your numbers and you’ll have a message that hits both the heart and the head.
The Bottom Line ... or Double Bottom Line
Your trail work is shaping more than dirt. It’s shaping economies, communities, and futures. And now, more than ever, you have to prove it. Because the next time you’re in front of a city council or land agency, you’ll want more than good intentions. You’ll want numbers, stories, and the confidence that your work speaks for itself.
So start tracking. Start sharing. Start proving what we already know: trail building matters.
Want more info? Check out our free downloadable guide titled Trail Towns from Scratch: How Small Communities Can Revive Their Economy Through Trails.
Sean Benesh
Sean is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Trail Builder Mag. He is also the Communications Director for the Northwest Trail Alliance in Portland, Oregon. Sean also spends time in the classroom as a digital media instructor at Warner Pacific University.
Email: sean@trailbuildermag.com
Instagram: @seanbenesh
