Domestically and internationally multi-use trail development has experienced rapid growth as a driver of community economic transition as a stage in the evolution of resource-dependent settlements. Trails are an economic catalyst as tourist attractions and contribute to the quality of life for rural communities and local residents. In recent years trails surround a variety of themes such as culinary arts, wildlife observation, arts, crafts, and heritage. In Central Appalachia recreational trails refers to paths for specific uses such as hiking, cycling, horseback, and water travel. This presentation first, summarizes the Appalachian research literature on the factors that contribute to the success of multi-state, multi-use trails as rural tourism attractions from a community development perspective. The presentation highlight features that support what a successful trail might be in Central Appalachia including new businesses, expanded businesses, job growth, and creation. The City of Berea Trail Town, certified in 2015 is offered as a community development destination. Second, applying ethnographic face-to-face observations and engagement (user-centered empathy design principles), personas were proposed to better understand customers user segments uncovered on TransAmerican cross-county USBR 76 from Yorktown VA to Astoria OR over six years. Third, using the Underground Railroad Route as a prototype, the presentation describes how the Berea College EPG Program students created a north-south USBR 21 from Atlanta GA, through Tennessee, Kentucky and onto Ohio. Finally, in partnership with the National Park Service and the Friends of the Boone Trace, Daniel Boone Trace Trail of 1775 from Cumberland Gap to Maysville Kentucky was designed to traverse through 5 counties and 11 municipal governments. After a one-year community development planning process in five counties and eleven municipal governments, USBR 21 is in the final stage of review with the Kentucky DOT and AHHSHTO. This presentation was for the Community Development Society's Annual International Conference on July 22nd-25th, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan.

1. Peter H. Hackbert
Community Development Society’s
Annual International Conference
July 22‐25, 2018
Detroit, Michigan
PH – Multi‐State, Multi‐use Trail System as
Tools for Community Economic Development.

2. What I am reporting
To create a multi‐state, multi‐modal trail most
closely approximating the original Boone Trace
(BT) which can be travelled by motor vehicle,
bicycle or hiked (exclusive of ATVs) with potential
equestrian usage where appropriate as a tool for
economic development.

3. Appalachian Community Economic
Development Model

4. EPG’s Small Rural Appalachian Community
Economic Development Model

5. PH ‐ The EPG Model
The Berea College Entrepreneurial Leadership EPG Method
Appalachian context
Agile development

6. Table 1; Travel Economic Impact Model for Central Appalachia States
Traveler
Spending Payroll Jobs
Tax
Receipts
Travel Industry
Employment Rank
Kentucky $9.0B $2.1B 193,900 $1.5B 6
North Carolina $22.8B $5.5B 220,789 $3.5B 6
Ohio $19B $4.6B 185,600 $3.1B 10
Virginia $23.7B $5.4B 227,600 $3.2B 5
Tennessee $18.4B $3.7B 157,400 $3.0B 6
West Virginia $3.0B $547M 27,770 $3M 7
Travel Economic Impact Model for Central
Appalachian States

7. PH ‐ Key 2009 Question
Can Social Media be a tool to
develop an alternative
economy in Appalachian
communities?
11/29/2018 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 7

8. PH ‐ 2009 Digital device to advance
tourism
Berea College students
demonstrated the “cell
phone prototypes to
Chambers of Commerce,
Tourism Commissions in
Central and Eastern KY to
reviews and insights to
continue the experiments
and prototypes.

9. Chambers of Commerce members and Tourism
Commissions in Eastern KY provided insights to
expands the experiments and prototypes.
Berea College students
Chambers of Commerce
members and Tourism
Commissions in Eastern
KY provided insights to
expands the experiments
and prototypes.

10. “Uneven Ground”
UK Professor of
History: Ronald Eller
www.google.com/images
11/29/2018 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 10

11. …growing popularity of ecotourism and heritage
tourism…contained the potentialfor building
an alternative economy, one that promised greater
monetary returns for local residents, the preservation
of rural traditions, and the protection of sensitive
natural resources.
‐ Ronald D. Eller, Uneven Ground, The University of
Kentucky Press, 2008: 256.
11/29/2018 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 11

12. We knew that 115 million
Americans live within a day’s driving
distance
11/29/2018 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 12

13. PH ‐ Kentucky Blue Grass Cycling Tour ‐
$379.00 per day
$379 per day

14. PH ‐ Woman tours ‐ $478.00 per day
Date: 10/13/17 ‐ 10/18/17
Meet: Lexington, KY
Tour Price: $2390
Single Upgrade: $700
$479 per day

15. The vision for eastern Kentucky
…be recognized as one of the great destinations with a
celebration of authentic Appalachian heritage and life;
innovative and quality trail systems; world‐class adventure
recreation venues; authentic frontier culture and art
amenities; a rich blend of retail, local restaurants,
accommodations and businesses supporting sustainable
tourism economy; and special event activities – all in a
setting of rugged Appalachia that offers both active and
passive recreation.

16. The vision for eastern Kentucky
…be recognized as one of the great destinations with a
celebration of authentic Appalachian heritage and life;
innovative and quality trail systems; world‐class adventure
recreation venues; authentic frontier culture and art
amenities; a rich blend of retail, local restaurants,
accommodations and businesses supporting sustainable
tourism economy; and special event activities – all in a
setting of rugged Appalachia that offers both active and
passive recreation.

17. North Carolina Small Town Program
Populations
1,602
357
175
1,764
747
1,081
11/29/2018 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 17

18. Western North Carolina Results
Western North Carolina Results
Facades Redone
Buildings Renovations
Net Increase in
Businesses
Volunteers Hours
$ Raised Locally
Private / Public
Investment
69
103
51
103,641
$ 182,000
$ 13.9M

19. Small Business Using Social Media
in North Carolina
The Blue Ridge Soap Shed

20. Customer Discovery in North Carolina
We count the number of customer discovery
interviews

21. 160 Personas developed from 2011 ‐ 2014
160 Traveler Personas: “How
to Spend 36 hours in…”
11/29/2018 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 21

22. The vision for eastern Kentucky
…be recognized as one of the great destinations with a
celebration of authentic Appalachian heritage and life;
innovative and quality trail systems; world‐class adventure
recreation venues; authentic frontier culture and art
amenities; a rich blend of retail, local restaurants,
accommodations and businesses supporting sustainable
tourism economy; and special event activities – all in a
setting of rugged Appalachia that offers both active and
passive recreation.

23. Appalachian Trail

24. Sheltowee Trace National Recreational
Trial from Tennessee to Kentucky

25. June 2, 2015 "Entreprelachian" Will Bowling
Interest of The Public Good

26. from which states with varying trail lengths
provided six figures in sales, created new jobs, and
prompted overnight travelers to spend their
money. Trail system increase the patrons that
arrive by foot and cycle.
Central Appalachia Cycling Trail
Systems: A Review of the
Literature
1
2
3
4
5
6

27. Deep Dive into the Great Allegheny Passage

28. Small towns along the GAP
6 Trail Town Studies/Surveys 1998‐2015
Estimated Trail Usage: 940,000 (2013)
Estimated Overall Direct Economic Impact: $50 Million (2012)
Average Day User Spends: $18 per day (2014)
Average Overnight Guest Spends: $124 per night (2014)
Sources: 2007‐2008 The Great Allegheny Passage Economic Impact Study; 2012 Trail Town Business Survey Report for
The Progress Fund May, 2012; 2013 Analysis of Trail Usage Patterns along the Great Allegheny Passage, The Progress
Fund; 2013 User Survey and Economic Impact Analysis, Erie to Pittsburgh Trail (Between Titusville and Parker, PA. The
Progress Fund; 2016 Trail User Sample Survey Highlight Report Main Line Canal & Trans‐Allegheny Trails Systems, The
Progress Fund

29. Small towns along the GAP
Business Activity Impact of the GAP, 2007‐2015
137 new trail‐related businesses opened in Trail Towns since
2007.
There net gain of 65 new businesses (72 business closings)
270+ net new jobs were created
25 businesses expanded operations; 15 changed hands
Estimated Sales Related to Trail Traffic: 2008: 25%, 2012: 30%,
2013: 34%, 2014: 40%
Sources: 2007‐2008 The Great Allegheny Passage Economic Impact Study; 2012 Trail Town Business Survey Report for
The Progress Fund May, 2012; 2013 Analysis of Trail Usage Patterns along the Great Allegheny Passage, The Progress
Fund; 2013 User Survey and Economic Impact Analysis, Erie to Pittsburgh Trail (Between Titusville and Parker, PA. The
Progress Fund; 2016 Trail User Sample Survey Highlight Report Main Line Canal & Trans‐Allegheny Trails Systems, The
Progress Fund

30. PH ‐ The TransAmerican Bike Route from
Yorktown VA to Astoria, Oregon,

32. PH ‐ USBR 76 Cyclists intercepted at Coffee shop

33. November 29, 2018 EPG Cohort 12 Final Portfolio by Minashsha Zareel Lamisa 33
EPG Cohort 12 Members with TransAmerican Trail Bikers “The Renegades”, from US, and Sebastien and Wouter, from Belgium. 3 June 2015.
Selfie with the European TransAmerican Cyclists .
PH ‐ International cyclists visit EPG

34. PH ‐ Cyclists provide instruction
Conversing with Transamerica Cyclist Matt Krajewski.

35. The vision for eastern Kentucky
…be recognized as one of the great destinations with a
celebration of authentic Appalachian heritage and life;
innovative and quality trail systems; world‐class adventure
recreation venues; authentic frontier culture and art
amenities; a rich blend of retail, local restaurants,
accommodations and businesses supporting sustainable
tourism economy; and special event activities – all in a
setting of rugged Appalachia that offers both active and
passive recreation.

36. Review of the Literature
Agritourism
Brown, D. O., & Swanson, J. R. (2014). Agritourism activity participation motivation in Kentucky. International Journal
of Hospitality and Event Management, 1(2), 135‐146.
Trail riding
Hackbert, P. H., & Lin, X. (2009). Equestrian trail riding: An emerging economic contributor to the local rural
Appalachian economy. Journal of Business Case Studies, 5(6), 47‐58.
Rock Climbing
Maples, J. N., Sharp, R. L., Clark, B. G., Gerlaugh, K., & Gillespie, B. (2017). Climbing out of Poverty: The Economic
Impact of Rock Climbing in and around Eastern Kentucky's Red River Gorge. Journal of Appalachian Studies, 23(1), 53‐
71.
Trail Running
Maples, J. N., Bradley, M., & McSpirit, S. (2015). Economic impact study of Cloudsplitter 100 footrace event. Report
delivered to Susan Howell (event organizer), Elkhorn City, KY.[Available from authors].
Kayaking
McSpirit, S., Sharp, R. L., Bradley, M., Beavens, M., Phillips, M., Bogard, D., ... & Barton, S. (2014). Prospects and
potential for tourism/adventure tourism economy in Elkhorn City, KY: Challenges and opportunities. Report delivered
to the Elkhorn City Heritage Council and Breaks Interstate Park, Elkhorn City, KY.[Available from authors].

37. PH – 72 Personas developed from 2011 ‐
2014
11/29/2018 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 37
160 Traveler Personas: “How
to Spend 36 hours in…”

38. PH ‐ "The traveler/tourist persona
profile gives you a chance to truly
empathizewith target market
segments, stepping out of the role as someone
who wants to promote a product and see, through
your travelers' eyes…”
Peter H. Hackbert
11/29/2018 Peter H. Hackbert, Berea College 38

39. Estimated Economic Impact for small business
owners of trail events

40. The vision for eastern Kentucky
…be recognized as one of the great destinations with a
celebration of authentic Appalachian heritage and life;
innovative and quality trail systems; world‐class adventure
recreation venues; authentic frontier culture and art
amenities; a rich blend of retail, local restaurants,
accommodations and businesses supporting sustainable
tourism economy; and special event activities – all in a
setting of rugged Appalachia that offers both active and
passive recreation.

41. PH ‐ Wilderness Road opened the Kentucky
frontier in the late 1700s

42. PH ‐ Lewis and Clark traveled on the Boone
Trace and Wilderness Trail

43. The vision for eastern Kentucky
…be recognized as one of the great destinations with a
celebration of authentic Appalachian heritage and life;
innovative and quality trail systems; world‐class adventure
recreation venues; authentic frontier culture and art
amenities; a rich blend of retail, local restaurants,
accommodations and businesses supporting sustainable
tourism economy; and special event activities – all in a
setting of rugged Appalachia that offers both active and
passive recreation.

44. PH ‐ Fall 2012 EPG was asked to serve as a group
to trial‐run the proposed Livingston KY Trail Town

45. PH ‐ Kentucky Trail Town Program

48. PH ‐ EPG students as adventure tourists on
the Virginia Creeper Trail
Abingdon/Damascus Case Study

49. PH ‐ Virginia Creeper Trail,

50. PH ‐ Damascus City,
VA. Revenues 1978:
$90,350

51. PH ‐ Damascus VA 2016 City RevenuesDamascus City Revenues
2016: $1,177,600

52. PH ‐ EPG students gain business insights from
small business entrepreneurs in Damascus
Most Significant Event
Entrepreneurship for the Public Good Program. Cohort 12. Guinevere Beirne “Personal Observations.”
Damascus, Va. May 2015.
Meeting home grown expanding and
returning Damascus Small Business Owners

53. EPG customer discovery with Virginia Creeper
Trail Bike Shuttle & Rental Owner

54. How much did your party spend WHILE IN Abingdon VA?
Overnight Day‐Trip
Provide TOTAL costs for your stay, not daily
Lodging $268.46 $0.00
Food/Meals $171.69 $46.04
Shopping $129.47 $68.35
Attractions/Events $94.69 $71.78
Auto Fuel $71.63 $26.31
Average Trip Spending: $735.94 $212.48
Average Daily Spending: $337.58 $212.48
How destination visitors get to Abingdon?
Drive destination 3‐5 hours in car.
How much do they spend?

56. PH ‐ How did we test these
assumptions?
Conversations with Kentucky Trail Town Small
Business Owners

57. Testing the economic model in Hindman KY
integrating arts, music, crafts and cycling
7/2/2015 My EPG experience Adriana Williams

58. What are the segments on local economic impact of tourism and leisure
cycling, spending patterns, stays and non‐stays, trail length, duration,
group size, and market size?

59. Source: Weed, M. Bull, C. Brown BULL, Dowse, S., Lovell, J. Mansfield, L & I. Wellard, (2015). A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of the Potential Local
Economic Impact of Tourism and Leisure Cycling and the Development of Evidence‐based Market Segmentation. Tourism Review International, Vol. 18, pp. 37–55

61. PH ‐ Identifying our routes, trails and loops.

62. PH ‐ Trail Town Certification December 11, 2015

63. Walter Board – the Role of the Community
Partners in 4 minutes

64. Daniel Boone Splash and Dash June 2016

65. Community Partner in 2016

66. The vision for eastern Kentucky
…be recognized as one of the great destinations with a
celebration of authentic Appalachian heritage and life;
innovative and quality trail systems; world‐class adventure
recreation venues; authentic frontier culture and art
amenities; a rich blend of retail, local restaurants,
accommodations and businesses supporting sustainable
tourism economy; and special event activities – all in a
setting of rugged Appalachia that offers both active and
passive recreation.

67. What I am reporting
To create a multi‐modal trail most closely
approximating the original Boone Trace (BT)
which can be travelled by motor vehicle, bicycle
or hiked (exclusive of ATVs) with potential
equestrian usage where appropriate as a tool for
economic development.

68. PH ‐ Daniel Boone Trace in 1775
CUMBERLAND GAP
THE NARROWS
FLAT LICK
HAZEL PATCH
SKAGG’S TRACE
DANVILLE
FORT
BOONESBOROUGH
Daniel Boone
Trace Trail, 1775

69. Community Partners
2016
10 Kentucky Cities and 5 Counties

70. What we accomplished
• Walkability Studies for five counties
• Digital driving route map with 51 points of interest along the way created
(internet required).
• PDF map for mobile devices.
• Local maps of Boone Trace through five counties
• Social media strategy (Facebook Page , and Flip Board) created.
• Supervised hike on National Trail Day of the American Hiking Society 2017.
• Secured Resolutions from both the Kentucky state Senate (SR 135) and House of
Representatives (HB 39).
• Secured resolutions from the 10 cities and 5 counties along Boone Trace to
support applications to both the state Bicycle‐Pedestrian Program and Scenic
Byway Programs.
• USBR 21 Application to American Association of State Highway Transportation

71. What we accomplished

72. What we accomplished

73. PH ‐ Daniel Boone Marker at
Boone Gap
DAR marker at Boone Gap in southern Madison County

76. Kentucky Pedestrian and Cycling Comfort Index

77. BL‐ Bell County Accomplishments 2017

78. What’s next?
USBR Trail Town Certified Network of Trail Towns
USBR 76 Trail Town Network
USBR 21 Trail Town Network
USBR Trail Town Certified Network of Trail Towns Standards
Basic amenities for trail users
New business and expansion
Knowledge of the trail and area
USBR Trail Town Certified Network of Trail Towns Scalability
Signs, window decals or other badges to show off the distinction
Spotlights in trail newsletters, guides, social media and other promotions
Networking and training opportunities.

80. Unintended Consequences

81. AK ‐ Preliminary Avoided Health Care
Costs ‐ Cyclists
$377

82. AK ‐ Preliminary Avoided Health Care
Costs ‐ Walkers
$2,032

83. Preliminary Avoided Health Care Costs ‐
Runners
$ 405

84. AK ‐ Preliminary Avoided Health Care
Costs – All modes
$ 2,814

85. PH ‐ EPG small Rural Appalachian Community
Economic Development Model
• health