Sean Benesh, editor of Trail Builder Magazine, shares insights from his upcoming talk at the Spirit World fundraiser in Patagonia, Arizona. The event supports the Arizona Trail and highlights how gravel cycling can spark rural revitalization, strengthen communities, and build momentum for trail-based tourism and economic growth.

Our new free guide, Trail Towns from Scratch, walks you through the first steps … from building community support to putting on your first gravel event. Packed with real-world case studies and actionable insights, this is your starting point if you’ve ever looked around and thought, “We could build something here.”

A newly released report from the Trust for Public Land (TPL), developed in partnership with the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), shines a spotlight on something trail builders have long known: mountain biking trails don’t just create smiles—they create jobs, tourism, and opportunity.