Nature Trails and Mixed Routes - Tourism and Trails: Cultural, Ecological and Management Issues - page 60

3 Nature Trails and Mixed Routes

Introduction

This chapter continues the discussion of route and trail types and
resources. The focus here is nature trails (also referred to in this topic as
ecotrails and environmental trails) and mixed natural and cultural routes.
A number of sub-typologies are established to help explore the vast phe-
nomenon of nature trails, including how they are traversed, their settings, as
well as their typological characteristics. Attention is given to the formal
establishment of trails, recognizing that nature trails have existed for millen-
nia. A deep description of all types of nature trails is not possible, so the
focus here is geared toward wilderness tracks, winter tracks (snowmobile
and ski), water trails, geology trails and forest canopy walks, and where time
involved is taken into consideration, long-distance, multi-day nature trails.
The second section of the chapter addresses routes that can be classed as
a mix of cultural and natural, for their resources, contexts and uses overlap
both realms equally. The argument that all landscapes are cultural has been
well debated in the literature (see Frost & Hall, 2009), and that nature has
been modified by human interaction over time. Mixed routes are taken here
to describe a trail typology where the lines between natural and cultural
heritage are somewhat indistinct, including bicycle trails (within both built
and wilderness settings), borderland greenways and greenbelts, scenic
byways, coastal drives and rails-to-trails lines. The taxonomies presented for
both nature trails and mixed routes, are matched against the models that
were presented in Chapter 2 - both the conceptual model (Figure 2.1) and the
experience scenario model (Figure 2.14) to see the extent of their generaliz-
ability for all sorts of trails and routes.

Nature Trails

Nature trails have existed for millennia and are one of the most impor-
tant resources for recreation and tourism in outdoor areas today. Parks,

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