ABSTRACT
The West Virginia Trail Inventory project began in 2010, when the first phase funded the West Virginia Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technical Center to develop a State Trail Data Model. The trail inventory process involves collecting publicly accessible recreational trails in the field using Global Positioning Systems handheld units, processing the trail data into a standardized trail geodatabase with GIS software, and then validating and publishing the trail information. High priority trail collection efforts focus on trails located on state and county public lands, nature conservancy lands, designated “blue-water” trails, and motorized trail systems. In 2016, the US Geological Survey consumed the West Virginia Trail Inventory for The National Map. After United States Geological Survey performed trail analytics, the federal agency commented that the data quality of the West Virginia trails was among the best when compared to other states.
