About Blue Trails

What are blue trails

Blue trails are the water equivalent to hiking trails. They are created to facilitate recreation in and along rivers and water bodies. They are found in urban settings and remote environments. Blue trails come in all shapes and sizes and are used by paddlers, anglers, hikers, picnickers, and those just seeking a bit of solitude.

To have a successful blue trail you need to have a healthy water body. That is why blue trails are often associated with conservation easements and land acquisition, stream buffer requirements, higher water quality standards, and requirements for stream flow protections. Blue trails can be the driving force behind removing dams that no longer make sense and building support for protections such as Wild and Scenic River designation.

Communities across the country are realizing this and beginning to plan for conservation when creating new and improving existing blue trails. American Rivers is helping communities to reconnect with their rivers through recreation and to work to protect and restore these valuable assets.

Why are blue trails important?

Though many rivers have suffered from decades of neglect, pollution, and other ills, communities are taking steps to reconnect with their rivers through recreation. Rivers are again becoming a focal point for communities and a destination for boating, fishing, and other recreation. In fact, three out of every four Americans participate in active outdoor recreation each year and paddle sports are among the fastest growing segments of the industry. More people (30 million) go fishing each year than go to Disney World (16 million), the number one vacation destination in the world.

Blue trails are important because they help make rivers and communities healthier. A recent wide-ranging report by the private, bipartisan Outdoor Resources Review Group recommended creating a nationwide system of water trails to protect clean water, and promote recreation, health, and economic growth. The report highlighted the leadership of American Rivers in establishing new strategies like blue trails to protect the nation’s rivers and clean water.