2023 Regional Trails System Plan

Metro’s Greenspaces program -- now known as Metro Parks and Nature -- began in 1988, and four years later, one of its early achievements was the completion of this map and the accompanying Metropolitan Greenspaces Master Plan, which illustrated an integrated vision of regional trails and natural areas.

By 2002, to reflect newly planned and built trails, Metro updated the original Metropolitan Greenspaces. Unlike the 1992 map, the 2002 version focusses exclusively on regional trails.

The next update, in 2008 came on the heels of Metro's 2006 Natural Areas Bond Measure and coincided with the launch of the bi-state network of parks, trails and natural areas known as The Intertwine.

The 2014 update featured a simpler look and feel while adding more precision by breaking down the previous "proposed" trail category into two new categories, "planned" and "conceptual."

The 2018 update took on the look and feel that was carried forward in the 2023 version. The projects identified on the 2018 version informed the development of Metro's 2019 Parks and Nature Bond Measure.

Sixty-seven miles of trail changed in some way between the 2018 version of the map and the 2023 update. Highlighted here, these changes include:

• newly built trails that opened since 2018,
• segments that were previously conceptual and are now planned,
• and newly proposed segments, shown as conceptual, where previously there had been nothing.

This map highlights 14 miles of regional trail that opened between 2018 and 2023.

The previous map showed regional trails that have been built since 2018. This map shows the other changes from the 2023 map, broken down into three categories.

• 2.3 miles of regional trail are under construction,
• 28 miles of regional trail are newly planned,
• 19 miles of regional trail are newly added to the map as "conceptual."

Of the 794 miles of land-based trails shown on Metro's current regional trails system plan map, 42% are existing, 22% are planned, and 37% are conceptual.

The 2023 map includes 331 miles of built regional trails within Metro area. These trails connect neighborhoods, schools, parks and jobs; provide access to nature; and present opportunities to hike, bike, walk, run and roll.

There are 175 miles of planned trails shown on the 2023 map. While these trails are not yet built, city staff have determined the exact route the trail will follow through a planning process that includes technical analysis and community engagement.

286 miles of regional trails shown on the map are considered "conceptual", which, as the name suggests, represent long-range desires but haven't yet gone through more detailed planning exercises.

Water trails are stretches of rivers and streams that are ideally suited for non-motorized travel. They offer opportunities to experience the region’s rivers and natural areas from an on-the-water perspective. Water trail development provides access points to launch and land canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, row boats and other non-motorized watercraft. The map includes 172 miles of water trails along six Metro-area waterways.