Airing today on public televisions nationwide (check local listings), streaming on PBS.org and the PBS App, is the new documentary From Rails to Trails based on Peter Harnik’s 2021 book, From Rails to Trails: The Making of America’s Active Transportation Network.

Today, the United States is home to more than 26,000 miles of rail-trails—multi-use public paths built on former railroad corridors. How this amazing network came about is a story of massive economic changes, breathtaking imagination, endless dedication, and tough political battles. From Rails to Trails, distributed by American Public Television, captures the 60-year struggle—and transformative triumph—of one of America’s most unlikely grassroots movements.

Narrated by Edward Norton, From Rails to Trails explores how community activists, visionary leaders, and passionate citizens fought to turn defunct railways into vibrant spaces for walking, biking, and recreation. From small-town showdowns to U.S. Supreme Court cases, the documentary unveils the legal, political, and cultural forces that shaped the rails-to-trails movement, such as:

• Illinois Prairie Path (Suburban Chicago) – In the early 1960s, renowned Illinois naturalist May Watts proposed the idea of preserving abandoned railroads for public use, inspired by footpaths she had seen in Britain. Her unlikely idea not only developed into this trail but also sparked a national movement.
• Burke-Gilman Trail (Seattle) – Seattle became a powerhouse city because of the railroad. Today, the rail-trail built on its former route is considered one of the most successful in the country, a catalyst for recreation and commerce.
• Atlanta Beltline (Georgia) – Widely regarded as one of the largest and most ambitious urban redevelopment programs in the United States, the trail has transformed the city into a beacon of equitable, inclusive, and sustainable city living.
• The West Rail Trail (Brownsville, Tex.) – When faced with the construction of a proposed toll road for cars, the Brownsville community rallied to build a rail-trail instead. Brownsville is now one of the most bike- and pedestrian-friendly cities in Texas, with the trail helping to encourage a healthy lifestyle in a historically underserved community.
• The High Line (New York City) – Many people don’t realize this world-famous pedestrian trail is built on an elevated railroad track from the 1930s. Abandoned and facing demolition some 50 years later, two neighborhood residents teamed up to spark a movement that turned the tracks into a linear park. Today, the trail represents the pinnacle of successful adaptive reuse: transforming obsolete industrial infrastructure into a vibrant public space.
• The Washington and Old Dominion Trail (Washington, DC) – This was the trail that introduced the movement to decision-makers in Congress, many of whom used the trail personally and came to realize the importance of building rail-trails across the country.
• The Great American Rail-Trail (multi-state) – The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is working to connect 3,700 miles of rail-trails into a coast-to-coast route, from Washington, DC, to Washington State. The trail, which is halfway completed, will serve tens of millions of Americans.

From Rails to Trails also visits Queens in NYC, where multiple government and nonprofit organizations are advocating for turning abandoned Long Island Railroad tracks into a linear park similar to The High Line. Last used 63 years ago, the proposed QueensWay park has divided New Yorkers, as some residents hope the city will use the tracks to restore train and subway service to the cut-off community.

Directed and produced by Dan Protess and executive produced by Harnik, From Rails to Trails navigates the complex legal and political landscape that shaped the movement, from contentious property rights disputes to the landmark “railbanking” legislation passed by Congress in 1983, which preserved abandoned rail corridors for future rail use while allowing them to be repurposed as trails.

Along the way, the documentary traces both the fierce opposition and ingenious solutions that propelled the movement forward. Interwoven throughout are a range of complex issues—resource and energy conservation, public health and fitness, environmental protection, urban transportation planning, rural economic development, the tension between public and private rights, and the power of citizen action in shaping government policy.

Viewers will hear from influential figures, visionaries, activists, and authorities such as Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson, and more.

“Having spent my career advocating for the rails-to-trails movement, I’ve seen firsthand how abandoned rail lines – once scars across the landscape – have become lifelines for communities,” said Harnik. “From the unlikely launch of the movement to today’s coast-to-coast vision, From Rails to Trails captures the grit, imagination, and passion that made it all possible.”

Dan Protess added, “I use my local rail-trail twice a day: for a morning run, and an after-dinner walk with family. Working on this program, I came to realize that the green space that is so integral to my life didn’t just happen by accident—people had to fight hard to make it a reality.”

From Rails to Trails offers a captivating look at how America’s forgotten railroad tracks found a new purpose, connecting communities and enriching lives, one mile at a time.

About the Creators:

Dan Protess

Dan Protess brings 30 years of experience as a producer and director, creating more than 100 hours of film and nonfiction TV productions that have appeared on PBS, NewsHour, Nightline, Apple TV, Prime Video, and at screenings across the country. His most recent film, In Their Hands, pulls back the curtain on the politics of parole through the story of one incarcerated man’s fight for freedom. Dan is also currently the executive producer of Firsthand, a social issue documentary series he created for WTTW Chicago in 2019. His other recent work includes the Emmy-winning weekly history series Chicago Stories, which he oversaw as executive producer through two seasons, and the national primetime series 10 that Changed America, which was seen by millions of Americans through its three-season run on PBS. Dan founded Protess Communications in 2022 to produce documentaries and long-form journalism about pressing social issues, and to help nonprofit and corporate clients build deeper connections with their stakeholders through thoughtful storytelling.

Peter Harnik

As both political organizer and historian, Peter Harnik is the nation’s leading interpreter and presenter of the rails-to-trails movement. Harnik co-founded both the national Rails to Trails Conservancy and the Washington-area Coalition for the Capital Crescent Trail, and he has written two books on the topic. He is also co-founder of the Center for City Park Excellence at the Trust for Public Land and the author of two books on urban parks. Over 35 years, Harnik has personally visited, experienced and studied the creation of more than 200 rail-trails in 45 states.