COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
A water trail is a network of recreation and educational opportunities. Hiking trails, bikeways, greenways, museums, historic sites, parks, and preserves are connected by water trails creating frontiers for exploration, discovery, and enrichment. The connections build a sense of place and bind citizens in a love for their community. When trail users take advantage of adjacent towns and amenities, they also create economic benefits for the communities.
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Communities like Franklin, PA are making connections between land and water trails in order to increase recreational tourism in their communities. The Wild and Scenic Allegheny River Water Trail is accessible from many land trails such as the Samuel Justus Trail and the Allegheny River Trail. Recreational tourism is a fast-growing sector in the Commonwealth.