Site Selection

The International Trails Summit is a joint event hosted by American Trails and the Professional TrailBuilders Association (PTBA) and presented every other year.

Below, we outline what we look for in a site in detail, but in general:

  • Conference space that can host 800+ people, 60+ exhibitors, a plenary session, and 8-10 breakout sessions

  • A site for the Off-Site Day that can support 400+ people, food trucks, educational activities, demonstrations (bridges, a-MTB, etc) and the Dirt Demo (1/2 - 2 acre site where 15+ machines can dig in the dirt)

  • Field trip opportunities within 1 hour (pre-Summit)

  • Field site for workshops which may include stonework, bridges, boardwalks, mechanized equipment operation, rigging, trail design and assessment.

  • Option for a takeover night at a local brewery or venue

  • An engaged and active local planning committee

More details below.

Meeting Space

  • 800+ people for the core conference (3 days)

  • 10 meeting rooms for concurrent sessions

  • Exhibitor area for 60-80 exhibitors (10x10 booths)

  • Plenary space that fits all attendees (needed ½ day only)

  • Pre- and post-Summit options for smaller groups (allied meetings, workshops)

  • Appropriate room for a film festival (one night, 300-400 attendees)

Hotel Space

  • Multiple options at multiple rates

  • Need 140 rooms available (20% estimated attendance) at Federal Per Diem

  • Proximity within 20 minutes of meeting space

Off-Site Day

  • A dirt/grass area with 1/2 -2 acres of space that can be disturbed by small machinery as part of the Dirt Demo (i.e. mini-excavators, mini-dozers, track haulers, etc)

  • Space for 300-500 attendees

  • Room for 10+ food trucks to set up

  • Space for 5-10 educational sessions (i.e. drone demonstration, how to use a clinometer, ergonomic use of hand tools, etc)

  • Covered shelter space in case of rain and/or the option to set up an event tent

  • Trails to explore - hiking/running, mountain biking, horse riding, or atv riding

  • Within 15-20 minutes of conference location

2025 Dirt demo in Madison held on a 2 acre spoil pile and included 17 pieces of equipment and a bike track.

2023 Dirt demo in Reno held on a 1 acre old horse corral

Field Trip Opportunities

Typically, we offer pre-Summit field trips on the Monday before the Summit starts. Field trips are an optional add-on for attendees who want to get to know the area as part of their Summit experience.

Past Field trips include:

  • Mountain biking

  • Equestrian rides

  • ATV rides

  • Canoe and kayak trips

  • Greenway bike rides

  • Walking tours of downtown trail features

Site/s for pre- and post-Summit Workshops

  • Local land manager/trail partners to help match workshops with potential field sites and projects

  • Ideal: park spaces that can host the classroom sessions as well as the field sessions

Past Workshops

  • Stone splitting

  • Rigging for Trailwork

  • Stonework for Trails

  • Introduction to Mechanized Equipment

  • Mini excavator operation

  • Trail assessment

  • Trail Design 

  • GIS for Trails

Proximity to trails, restaurants, and local fun

  • In close proximity to both natural and hard surface trails

  • Multiple hotel options nearby meeting space

  • Lots of restaurant options for attendees to experience and support the local culture

  • Fairly easy to get to via plane or car

  • Walkable/Bikeable is a huge bonus

Takeover Night

A local brewery or restaurant that can host 300 people on the last night of the Summit. Takeover night is a no-host event; however, many times the local brewery will donate $1/beer or provide some other support .

Engaged and Active Local Planning Committee

Planning committees are the heart of the Summit - and having diverse organizations engaged is key to success. We typically meet once a month for 10-12 months prior to the Summit. The planning committee:

  • Supports site location for field trips, workshops, and the off-site day

  • Engage in the evaluation of the proposed sessions

  • Connect and invite high profile attendees

  • Help identify local/regional keynote speakers