Trails K12 builds professionally designed trails on school campuses to give students access to outdoor learning environments. We equip educators and empower students to incorporate nature into their academic experiences. Trails K12 enhances learning, promotes physical and mental well-being, and encourages a lasting appreciation for the outdoors.

With a Trails K12 path, your school becomes the destination. Educational presentations, guest artists, and demonstrations —these trails give educators a flexible space to host unforgettable outdoor experiences just steps from the classroom.

No bus. No travel costs. Just real learning in the woods behind the school.

School trails spark creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. Yes, they support science and reading—but they also make room for the unexpected: a pop-up performance, a sketching session under the trees, a quiet walk that leads to a big idea.

Once you have a trail, it’s not just a path through the woods. It’s a launchpad for the kind of learning that sticks—with space for teachers, artists, and students to imagine what’s possible.

Start by connecting Trails K12 to your school’s core goals: academic achievement, student engagement, and wellness. Emphasize that these trails are not just for PE or science—they support every subject by giving teachers an easy way to take learning outside. Let them know that these are professionally designed and built trails and do not require much maintenance - and that the Trails K12 crew will lead annual clean up of the trail. Invite Resilient Trails Network to talk with your administrators!

As of 2025, a professionally designed and constructed Trails K12 trail typically costs around $20,000, depending on length and features. This includes a 20% discount provided to schools by Resilient Trails Network.

Additional features include: trailhead gateway ~$1,000; educational learning stations: ~$2,000 each

Schools can build their trail “cafeteria style,” selecting only the elements that work for their site, goals, and budget. We’re happy to help you scope a trail that’s right for your campus.

Trails K12 was launched in 2020 by the Rockingham County Education Foundation and RoundRock Design in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. What began as a local effort to create safe, outdoor learning spaces quickly grew into a long-term vision for transforming education.

To ensure Trails K12 could grow beyond the boundaries of Rockingham County, the Education Foundation entrusted the initiative to the Resilient Trails Network. RTN now leads the program, helping schools across the region build trails that connect learning to the natural world—right on campus.