2025
International Trails Summit
Madison, Wisconsin
Core Conference: April 15-17, 2025
Pre-Summit Workshops (optional): April 12-14, 2025
Allied Meetings + Field Trips (optional): April 14, 2025
Post-Summit Workshops (optional): April 18, 2025
NOTE: Conference Sessions are summarized below. A hyperlink indicates that the speaker has shared their presentation for publication on the ITS website.
Plenary Session
Professional TrailBuilders Association and American Trails Update
Aaryn Kay, Executive Director, Professional TrailBuilders Association
Mike Passo, Executive Director, American Trails
Wisconsin Welcome
Cassie Mordini, Director , Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation
Joleen Stinson, Director, Dane County Parks
Award Ceremony: Recognizing excellence and leadership in the Trails Community
Keynote Speakers
Tuesday’s (4/15) plenary session brought our whole group together for the welcome, keynote, shorter single-topic presentations, and awards. The intent is that all attendees start off the conference with the same foundation on which to build the rest of their conference experience (concurrent sessions, trail talks, networking, and offsite day.)
Keynote: James Edward Mills
American Trails and the Professional TrailBuilders Association are excited to announce the keynote speaker for the 2025 International Trails Summit is James Edward Mills. As a freelance journalist and independent media producer with a career spanning more than 20 years, he specializes in sharing stories about outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, acts of charitable giving, and sustainable living practices.
James is the author of The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors, which was named by Outside Magazine as one of the 10 “Outdoor Books that Shaped the Last Decade.” James is also the co-writer/co-producer of the documentary film “An American Ascent.”
James is the Founder/CEO/Executive Producer of the Joy Trip Project, a news gathering and reporting organization that covers the business, art, and culture of the outdoor recreation industry.
Plenary: Charting the Trail Ahead: Strategy, Advocacy, Funding, and the Future
Tuesday, 4/15, 11:05 AM-12:00 PM
ORR: The Outdoor Recreation Economy; Recent wins and headwinds; and the Path Forward (Chris Perkins, Vice President of Programs with the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable)
RTP Full Funding Act
Rails to Trails Conservancy National Update (Marianne Fowler Senior Strategist for Policy Advocacy and American Trails Vice Chair Rails to Trails Conservancy)
The Trail Skills Project and Trail Competencies (Aaryn Kay, Executive Director, PTBA)
American Trails and PTBA: Looking Forward (Aaryn Kay, Executive Director, PTBA & Mike Passo, Executive Director, American Trails)
Tuesday, April 15
1:30pm - 2:30pm
Tuesday, April 15
3:00pm - 4:00pm
Tuesday, April 15
4:00pm - 6:00pm
Wednesday, April 16
9:00am - 10:00am
Wednesday, April 16
10:30am - 11:30am
Wednesday, April 16
1:30pm - 2:30pm
Wednesday, April 16
3:00pm - 4:00pm
Wednesday, April 16
4:00pm - 5:00pm
Wednesday, April 16
6:30pm - 8:30am
Thursday, April 17
9:00am - 10:00am
Thursday, April 17
10:30am - 11:30am
Thursday, April 17
11:30am - 4:30pm
Thank you 2025 Sponsors & Exhibitors!
Summit Sponsor ($15,000)
Tahoe Sponsor
($10,000)
Exhibitors
Supporters
($4,000)
Sierra Sponsor
($6,000)
2025 Workshops
PTBA offers pre- and post-conference workshops as an optional way for participants to extend their learning. Workshops are hands-on, small group learning opportunities. They are add-ons and not included in conference registration.
Film Festival - Wednesday 4/16
Free for ITS attendees! 6:30pm-8:30pm in the Lecture Hall at Monona Terrace Convention Center
The World Trails Film Festival is made by and for trail-loving communities worldwide and is excited to be held in conjunction with the International Trails Summit for a second time. The Film Festival will showcase a variety of films with each one coming from a different country. Themes of the films include: mental health, hand-made trails, having hope in the face of challenges, and the power of walking. The films are being finalized and a list will be shared once confirmed.
Doors open at 6:00pm. No host bar and free popcorn! List of films to be shown coming soon!
About: The World Trails Film Festival is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit arts service organization. To learn more, visit https://trails.film.
Offsite Day
Thursday 4/17, 11:30 am - 4:30 pm
Babcock County Park
The Offsite Day is the ending to the summit (prior to the takeover night at a local brewery) and is an opportunity for attendees to get outside, check out trails, and will include demonstrations via exhibitors who will also have tables, as well as a handful of one-hour education sessions slotted in two separate time blocks. Attendees will have the opportunity to “play in the dirt” via the dirt demo (aka excavators, mini dozers, etc.) and will get the chance to ride in a Ford Bronco in the dirt area.
Takeover Night - Thursday 4/17
Thanks to Great Dane Brewing & Co. for hosting the Takeover night to close out the Summit on Thursday 4/17!
Attendees and the general public can join us for this no-host evening for drinks and delicious food within walking distance from Monona Terrace Convention Center. Great Dane is graciously donating $1 to ITS for every beer purchased between 5:00pm-10:00pm!
NICA Trail Day
Thursday 4/17, 11:30 am - 4:30 pm
Babcock County Park
NICA Youth ages 12-18 are invited to attend the International Trails Summit’s Offsite Day and Dirt Demonstration.
