Resources for Water Trail developers (under construction)
The ACA's Water Trails Database
A water trail is a pathway along a river, lake, or coastline that provides boaters with a recreational, scenic, historical or educational opportunity. To be considered a water trail, this pathway must be contiguous or semi-contiguous, must be open to recreational use by paddlers, and must be the subject of a map, guide, signage or a web site that provides information to trail users.
A well-designed water trail provides the ideal access opportunity to new paddlers just entering the sport by answering the questions they often have when they are getting started: Where should I go? What should I expect when I get there? What should I do to ensure that I will be safe? Who should I contact to obtain more information? At the same time, a coastal water trail or a whitewater trail in a remote canyon can provide advanced paddlers opportunities for a more challenging experience.
As part of its Strategic Agenda for 2004-2008, the ACA has undertaken an initiative to support the development and promotion of water trails. The ACA is providing support for water trails in four ways:
- By assisting with the development of new trails.
- By providing resources for the maintenance of existing trails.
- By connecting paddlers to trails.
- By celebrating the successes of water trails nationwide.
The ACA's Club-Fostered Stewardship Program makes small grants to volunteer-driven trail development programs to assist them with establishing new trails.
The ACA is building a Water Trails Resource page that will give trail organizations ready access to useful information on how to manage their trails for sustainability. This resource page will be available in September 2006.
The ACA's Water Trails database provides information about water trails throughout the United States and in parts of Canada. This database is the most comprehensive listing of water trails on the web. Use the database to find a trail in your state, or in the state of your next paddling destination.
Each year, the ACA selects several water trails in the U.S. and Canada as ACA-Recommended Water Trails. ACA-Recommended Water Trails meet a set of basic criteria and stand out as particular good destinations for paddlers. These trails earn the right to use a special ACA logo in maps, signs and other printed material related to the trail. They also receive special recognition in the ACA's Water Trails database. Visit our ACA-Recommended Water Trails page to learn more about this program.
Each year, the ACA also recognizes those people and organizations responsible for establishing and maintaining premier water trails around the country as "Champions of Water Trails." Champions of Water Trails deserve special recognition for providing safe and enjoyable access to our recreational waterways, and for taking care of our natural resources. Visit our Champions of Water Trails page to learn more about the ACA's Water Trails Champions.
