Water Trails
Member Login
About
About RMS
News
Chapters
Board
Team
Awards
#TheRiverIsMyOffice
Training & Events
Calendar
Upcoming Events
River Training Center
River Training Channel
River Management Roundtables
River Ranger Rendezvous
2027 Symposium
Resources
Planning & Management
National Rivers Project
Wild and Scenic River Resources
Hydropower
For Students
Equitable Workspaces
River Training Channel
RMS Job Board
Positions with Our Partners
For Employers
Library
For Members
My Profile
Member Directory
Listserv
Archives
Professional Purchases
Life Legacy
RMS Journal
RMS Job Board
Positions with Our Partners
For Employers
River Cookbook
Member Benefits
Member Login
About
About RMS
News
Chapters
Board
Team
Awards
#TheRiverIsMyOffice
Training & Events
Calendar
Upcoming Events
River Training Center
River Training Channel
River Management Roundtables
River Ranger Rendezvous
2027 Symposium
Resources
Planning & Management
National Rivers Project
Wild and Scenic River Resources
Hydropower
For Students
Equitable Workspaces
River Training Channel
RMS Job Board
Positions with Our Partners
For Employers
Library
For Members
My Profile
Member Directory
Listserv
Archives
Professional Purchases
Life Legacy
RMS Journal
RMS Job Board
Positions with Our Partners
For Employers
River Cookbook
Member Benefits
Water Trails Management
Rivers are trails. They invite a visitor to put in and travel a distance to a destination or simply float to another landing upstream or downstream. Water trails are acknowledged water-based routes promoted as designated recreational segments.
They were first promoted as a concept in the 1960s, and Minnesota kicked off a formal acknowledgement of the water trails movement. As water trails directors, planners, volunteers, funders and suppliers you can do your job best when you know where to look for resources, and RMS is of those resources!
The RMS Water Trails Working Group Welcomes You!
In 2024, RMS surveyed water trail managers to assess needs and identify individuals willing to share expertise. Now, dozens of water trail managers are engaged in a national water trails working group, from which future discussions have been planned to facilitate the sharing of information and resources. Find upcoming events in the
RMS Calendar
, and reach out to us via email  (rms(at)river-management.org) to get involved.
Join us for Our 2026 Water Trails Series
Our 2026 River Management Roundtable series includes a set of sessions designed specifically to support water trail managers. Topics were identified through a survey of water trail managers and are being developed in response to the priorities and challenges they shared. Together, these sessions form a connected series focused on practical, timely issues in river and water trail management, and will help inform ongoing collaboration through the RMS Water Trails Working Group. Anyone interested in these topics is encouraged to attend.
Jan. 13:
Easements and Public River Access
March 10:
Dam Removal and Mitigation—Trends and New Norms
May 12:
Recreational and Environmental Dam Releases
July 14:
Dam Awareness, Law Enforcement, Rescue Operations
Sep. 8:
River and Water Trail Accessibility
Nov. 10:
Managing Complex Water Trail Networks
What is a National Water Trail?
The National Water Trails System is a network of water trails open to the public to explore and enjoy. The system also serves as a community of water resource managers that benefit from information sharing and collaboration. National Water Trails are a sub-set of the
National Recreation Trails
Program
. National Water Trails have been established to protect and restore America’s rivers, shorelines, and waterways; conserve natural areas along waterways; and increase access to outdoor recreation on shorelines and waterways. The Trails are a distinctive national network of exemplary water trails that are cooperatively supported and sustained.
- National Water Trails System,
National Park Service
Public Access Guide for Landowners and Water Trails and River Managers
This is an easy-to-understand guide on a serious topic that often draws questions from water trails directors, managers and volunteers. It is written in plain English and offered in two formats, as a
Report
and
Slideshow Presentation
(click the link to download or scroll below).
RMS is enthusiastically appreciative of the effort by many on this project, particularly RMS intern Jack Henderson, and both Corita Waters and Lelia Mellen, National Park Service. Additional acknowledgements are noted in the documents.
Prepare to Launch! Guidelines For Assessing, Designing & Building Access Sites For Carry-In Watercraft
Prepare to Launch! is a resource designed by RMS,
National Park Service Rivers, Trails and the Conservation Assistance (RTCA) Program
to help facility and trail planners and park and recreation project leaders plan and build or update an access site tailored to the needs of canoeists, kayakers, tubers, stand-up paddlers, or small craft sailors. It guides a reader through the development process from conception to design creation, and provides a variety of launch construction options. Here's a
link on this site
to various options for seeing, learning and downloading the Prepare to Launch resources.
Making an Economic Case for Water Trails
In 2015, RMS conducted a review of public studies conducted to measure the economic impact of water trails. Interestingly, there were not many to be found!  There are dozens of articles written and presentations presented selling the concept of water trails, river trails, blue trails, blueways and greenways. We're not sure if these are meant to be as different as they sound: they are all waterways connected and collaboratively managed by cooperating communities, jurisdictions and local business interests.
Review the
Making an Economic Argument for Water Trails
report.
The
video presentation
(below) summarizing the review of economic studies conducted for water trails. The presenter is Natalie Warren, RMS intern, who presented her findings at the 2015 National Water Trails Forum. The following documents are referenced in the summary:
Northern Forest Canoe Trail: Economic Impacts and Implications for Sustainable Community Development
Huron River Water Trail: Economic Impact Analysis
2012 Pennsylvania Recreational Water Trails Economic Impact Study
North Carolina State Trails Program Tourism Study
Federal Outdoor Recreation Trends: Effects on Economic Opportunities
Other Water Trails Resources
RMS members:
Email RMS
a link to your water trail guide!
National Rivers Project
website: Use the explorer map's water trail filter to find water trails across the US. Don't see yours? Email james(at)river-management.org to add it to this growing resource!
Recorded Webinars on
RMS Water Trails YouTube Playlist
RMS Members' River and
Water Trail Map Examples
National Water Trails
Best Management Practices
Toolbox
National Park Service
Water Trail Tools
American Canoe Association
Recommended Water Trail Directory
Northern Forest Canoe Trails Interactive Water Trails
Trip Planner Map
Georgia River Network
Water Trails Toolkit
French Broad Paddle Trail Website
Water Trails Videos
Paddle Forward: the Mississippi River
Young adults, early career professional are discovering the congruence and overlaps between pursuing a love of rivers and creating a professional path. This program of the Wild River Academy (formed as a result of a canoe trip down the length of the Mississippi River) is creating space in the lives of young adults to enjoy paddling, yes...and to discover the complexity involved in the management of our precious, mighty rivers.
Watch the video
2015 National Water Trails Forum
Learn how water trails organizations valued the networking, training and sharing they experienced at this first- ever National Water Trails Forum.
Watch the Video
Member Login
Join
Renew
Donate
Contact
Store
Upcoming Events
Wed Apr 29, 2026
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Management at Hydropower Facilities
Category: Events
Wed Apr 29, 2026
Wild and Scenic Rivers 101
Category: Events
Fri May 1, 2026
RMS Journal submission deadline (Southeast)
Category: RMS Journal
Wed May 6, 2026
Section 7 Determinations
Category: Events
Tue May 12, 2026
Recreational River Releases—How, Why
Category: Events
View Full Calendar
River Management Society
P.O. Box 5750
Takoma Park, Maryland (MD) 20913-5750
(301) 585-4677
[email protected]
© Copyright 2017-2026, River Management Society
MemberClicks