Travel to, and use of, twenty-one Michigan trails.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined trail use among 857 trail users on 21 trails in Michigan from 2008 to 2011 using a valid and reliable intercept survey.


RESULTS
Most of the 857 participants traveled to the trail from their home (92.6%), lived within 15 min of the trails (74.8%), and used active transport to travel to the trails 69.7%. The odds of active transport to the trails were greater among those who had not graduated high school (OR=3.49; 95% CI=1.02, 11.99) and high school graduates (OR=7.432; 95% CI=2.02, 27.30) compared to college graduates. Whites and adults also had greater odds of active transport than non-Whites (OR=3.160, 95% CI: 1.65, 6.05), and older adults (OR=1.75; 95% CI: 1.20, 2.54). The majority of respondents (89.7%) reported using trails for recreational purposes. A significantly greater proportion of females (73.3%) compared to males (64.7%) reported using the trail with others.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings from this study might enable health and parks and recreation professionals to better promote physical activity on trails.
Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Science, Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park Ave, Fairfield, CT 0825, USA. pricea5@sacredheart.edu
Anna E
AE
Price
Julian A
JA
Reed
Lisa
L
Grost
Christina
C
Harvey
Karah
K
Mantinan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011633:Public Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D014186:Transportation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult