Trail Builder Magazine

01/12/2026

Strong trails build strong communities.
Strong communities build resilient local economies.

This is why trail work matters far beyond the trailhead.

How have trails changed your local community?
How do you grow a trails-based economy without forfeiting your town's soul?

01/08/2026

A big thank you to our growing list of industry partners.

When you subscribe to Trail Builder Magazine, you get every new issue at release plus exclusive discounts from brands that support trail builders.

Subscribe ... https://bit.ly/44fVkOt

01/06/2026

Trail work does not always start at a trailhead with a truck full of tools.

Often, builders are hiking or riding into work zones where carrying full-size tools is impractical. The category of packable trail tools continues to grow.

We just published a first look at the Blaze from Backslope Tools International. This review focuses on features, design, and who compact trail tools are actually built for.

If you have ever wanted to bring a tool but left it behind because it was not realistic to carry, this one is worth reading.

A first look at the BackSlope Tools Blaze, a lightweight, packable trail tool designed for volunteers and remote trail work. Features, specs, and use cases.

01/05/2026

What if trail design started long before a shovel ever hit the ground?

In Volume 3, Issue 2 of Trail Builder Magazine, Jack Rahilly pulls back the curtain on how modern trail design is evolving. From LiDAR and watershed modeling to 3D CAD, simulations, and even virtual test rides, this piece explores how technology is reshaping the way trails are planned, approved, and built.

But this is not about replacing builders. It’s about giving them better information, fewer rebuilds, smarter flow, and trails that work with the land instead of against it.

Volume 3, Issue 2 is live now ... https://bit.ly/4aDqJNP

01/02/2026

Volume 3, Issue 2 is live.

Inside, you’ll find stories about trail culture taking root across generations, volunteer-built networks pushing toward bike park–level features, integrating more tech in trail design, hard questions about unsanctioned trails, deep gear testing done over years (not weekends), and a road trip through Northern BC that reminds us why lesser-known places often leave the biggest mark.

Volume 3, Issue 2 is available now in print and digital. https://bit.ly/4aDqJNP

12/31/2025

As the year comes to a close, I took some time to look back at the stories that readers spent the most time with at Trail Builder Magazine.

The pattern that emerged was clear.

The most-read articles weren’t about tools or trends. They were about impact, visibility, and helping trail builders explain why their work matters.

I share a reflection on what those stories reveal about where trail building is right now, and what that means for the work ahead.

A look back at Trail Builder Magazine’s most-read articles and what they reveal about trail building, advocacy, visibility, and impact right now.

12/30/2025

What happens when a volunteer-built trail network decides it’s time to go bigger?

In Volume 3, Issue 2 of Trail Builder Magazine, we head to Germany’s Flowtrail Stromberg, where a new jumpline is officially on the way. Built on years of community-led trail work, this next phase introduces heavy machinery, bigger features, and a clear focus on experienced riders, while staying rooted in the volunteer spirit that started it all.

This story is about progression. Fabiola Christian writes and photographs how trail communities grow, adapt, and take bold steps forward without losing their identity.

Volume 3, Issue 2 is live now. Dive into the full feature and see what’s coming next ... https://bit.ly/4aDqJNP

12/29/2025

For many trail organizations and volunteer advocates, the phrase “putting your town on the map” sounds like a big leap.

It conjures images of crowded trailheads, too many Sprinter vans, wannabe influencers, outside investors, and growth that feels out of control.

Putting your emerging trail town on the map means making your work visible.

It means showing that trails are being built, maintained, and cared for.

It also means helping your own community, and eventually visitors, understand that something meaningful is happening here.

This kind of visibility comes from documentation. Documentation earns attention because it shows proof.

That distinction matters, especially in rural communities where trust, pacing, and local buy-in are everything.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4jhCnjU

12/23/2025

If your town has trails but hesitates to call itself a trail town, this one is for you.

Many trail organizations and volunteer advocates feel caught in the middle. You want support and visibility, but you do not want to invite chaos or market something your community is still building.

In our latest article, we break down a practical, realistic approach to putting an emerging trail town on the map. Not through hype or ads, but through consistent documentation, storytelling, and social media that actually works with limited budgets.

This is written for rural communities, nonprofits, and trail groups who want to start now and bring leadership along with them.

A practical, step-by-step guide to putting an emerging trail town on the map using social media. Learn how trail organizations and rural communities can document trail work, build momentum, and gain local support without big budgets or hype.

12/22/2025

What if the most important thing you build never shows up on a screen?

In Volume 3, Issue 2 of Trail Builder Magazine, Pat Pero reminds us that trail building is about far more than dirt and tools. It’s about culture. Memory. Belonging. The kind of work that outlasts trends, apps, and Wi-Fi signals.

This story explores how trail culture takes root when digging stops feeling like volunteering and starts feeling like a normal Saturday with friends, coffee, and shared purpose. It’s about kids, parents, longtime builders, and first-timers all leaving something behind that will still be there decades from now.

Volume 3, Issue 2 is here: https://www.trailbuildermag.com/volume-3-issue-2

12/18/2025

What happens when you stop chasing famous trail towns and start driving north instead?

In Volume 3, Issue 2 of Trail Builder Magazine, Abby Cooper heads into Northeast British Columbia for a road trip shaped by long daylight, quiet highways, and trail networks built far from the spotlight. From alpine ridgelines and loamy forest descents to dinosaur tracks and après-ride lake dips, this story is not only about riding, but it’s also about the builders and communities quietly shaping something special.

Northern Lines is a reminder that some of the most meaningful trail experiences live in places you rarely see on a map or a reel.

Volume 3, Issue 2 is here: https://www.trailbuildermag.com/volume-3-issue-2

12/17/2025

Volume 3, Issue 2 of Trail Builder Magazine is officially here.

This issue brings together six feature stories exploring trail building legacy, technology, tools, and the communities shaping trails around the world. From new jumplines in Germany to remote trail networks in Northern BC, from long-term tool reviews to big questions about trail sanctioning, this issue reflects where trail building is headed right now.

Volume 3, Issue 2 of Trail Builder Magazine features six in-depth stories on trail building, technology, tools, and global trail communities shaping the future of trails.