Celebrate National Public Lands Day by learning about one of America’s leading protectors of outdoor spaces
Public lands are the foundation of outdoor exploration. Every time you lace up your shoes, hop onto a bike, or take a casual stroll on your favorite neighborhood trail, you’re likely setting out on public lands.
These parks, trails, and green spaces don’t exist by chance. They’re protected and cared for by organizations like Trust for Public Land (TPL), which has spent more than 50 years working to ensure everyone in the US has access to the outdoors.
TPL’s mission is simple: bring more parks to more people. Since their founding in 1972, they’ve helped build, conserve, or fund over 3,100 miles of trails, including many trails on the AllTrails platform. That’s enough to cover the entire width of the US, and then some.
We’re proud to support TPL all year long as one of our 1% for the Planet partners. This National Public Lands Day, celebrated annually on September 27, we’re shining a light on their important work. These two examples showcase the breadth and depth of Trust for Public Land’s work.
Permanently protecting an iconic Utahn destination
With soaring sandstone cliffs, mystical slot canyons, and cascading waterfalls, Zion National Park draws more than 5 million visitors a year.
Almost every acre of this park is a showcase of nature’s remarkable beauty, but the deep slot canyons sculpted by the Virgin River, known as the Zion Narrows, are unforgettable. But accessing them wasn’t always guaranteed. The trailhead to access them narrowly (see what we did there) avoided becoming a housing development in 2013, when Trust for Public Land advocated for and secured their permanent protection. TPL’s work extends to the rest of the park too; the famed Tabernacle Dome, Firepit Knoll, and Orderville Gulch, are all on their roster of spaces rescued from potential development.
Creating new green space in the heart of Chicago
Public lands aren’t just in far-off wilderness areas; they can be right in the heart of a city.
The “606”, as locals call it, is a 3-mile elevated path built into a former rail line. It brings much-needed outdoor space to Chicago’s urban core.
TPL anchored a public-private partnership that funded and developed the rail line into a park in 2015. Car-free avenues like The 606 (officially named the Bloomingdale Trail) bring nature experiences and the benefits of the outdoors to people in urban centers. It’s now a beloved fixture used daily by residents and visitors to take a more scenic route and find respite from city life.
Take action this National Public Lands Day
National Public Lands Day is about appreciating the places that make life outside so meaningful.
Want to support Trust for Public Land?
Want to explore more of your public lands?
About AllTrails
AllTrails is the world’s most popular and trusted platform for outdoor exploration. We connect people to the outdoors, help them discover new places, and elevate their experiences on the trail. With the most comprehensive collection of trails in the world, AllTrails supports inclusive access to nature for a global community of millions of trailgoers. Download AllTrails in the Apple App Store, Google Play Store or visit AllTrails.com to learn more.
