Shippensburg University, in partnership with the Cumberland Valley Rails-to-Trails Council, completed a detailed trail count and trail user survey of the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail. The University utilized infrared electronic counters strategically positioned along the completed 11-mile stretch of the rail trail to create a rigorous estimate of the number of trail users. The study also was designed to identify use patterns. To supplement this data, a survey was created and distributed both in a printed format and electrically. Data obtained from this survey was utilized to create estimates for the economic impact of the trail within the community. Importantly, this project has demonstrated a potential methodology for implementing similar estimates of recreational use on trails throughout the South Mountain region. Read the report here.