2027 California Trails & Greenways

California Trails & Greenways 2027 Theme: Beach to Backcountry: Trails That Connect Us

From California’s coastline to its inland mountains, trails connect some of our most treasured landscapes, communities, and recreational experiences. They link beaches and bluffs, urban neighborhoods, foothills, oak woodlands, chaparral, and backcountry public lands, creating opportunities to explore, discover, and experience the natural and cultural resources that make California unique. But trails connect more than places; they bring people together, strengthen relationships between communities and public lands, and provide opportunities for recreation, transportation, education, and stewardship.

Creating and sustaining these connections takes collaboration. Public agencies, nonprofit organizations, Tribal governments, landowners, recreation groups, and local communities all play important roles in planning, developing, maintaining, and protecting California’s trail systems. As recreational needs and landscapes evolve, we must find new ways to bridge jurisdictional boundaries, expand equitable access, accommodate diverse recreational experiences, and respond to challenges such as climate change and increasing demands on natural resources.

Beach to Backcountry: Trails That Connect Us celebrates the landscapes, people, and partnerships that make California’s trail systems possible. Join trail professionals, advocates, land managers, and recreation enthusiasts in Santa Barbara to share knowledge, explore innovative approaches, strengthen partnerships, and discover new opportunities to connect people and places. Together, we can build a more accessible, resilient, and sustainable future for California’s trails.

About California Trails & Greenways

California Trails & Greenways provides high-quality education and networking opportunities for urban, rural, and backcountry trail professionals. Join leading trail experts for training and discussions on the latest advances in trail design, construction, maintenance, interpretation, volunteerism, and management. Explore new, collaborative opportunities and engage in productive, meaningful, and inspiring dialogue.

 California Trails & Greenways provides opportunities to:

• Network with and talk directly to California’s leading trail experts
• Collaborate with and find new partners to build support for trail endeavors
• Learn a full range of trail management, design, and construction topics in high-quality, innovative sessions
• Experience hands-on learning through day-long field workshops
• Explore exhibits featuring innovative trail-related products and services
• Strengthen your ability to effectively design, build, manage, and promote California’s trails
• Be inspired through keynote and guest speakers and innovative trail projects throughout the state

All activities are designed to increase the knowledge of trail, recreation, and wild land management to improve recreational and heritage trail systems and programs throughout California.

This training by California State Parks and the California Trails Conference Foundation helps ensure effective trail stewardship for generations to come.

California Trails Conference Foundation

The California Trails Conference Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit organization that assists with the planning and operation of California Trails & Greenways, and serves as the event’s fiscal agent. All funds raised by the California Trails Conference Foundation are applied directly to event costs.