Developing Interpretive Trails

The following guide looks at the development of interpretive walking trails, interpretive hiking trails, interpretive cycling trails & interpretive driving trails

Developing Interpretive Trails

HDC has a vast amount of experience in providing interpretive assessment, planning and design services for the development of interpretive walking trails, interpretive hiking trails, interpretive cycling trails & interpretive driving trails. We have worked all over the world on many hundreds of interpretive trail projects; Please visit our projects page to find out more!

Planning for Interpretive Trails

The last few years has seen a boom in walking and cycling as more and more people get off the sofa and get active! Traditional package beach holidays are in decline and the last few years has seen a massive growth in activity holidays right around the globe. In response to this demand we have seen a growth in the development of thematic walking, cycling, hiking and driving interpretive trails.

The following is the HDC process for developing interpretive trail master plans.

In developing an interpretive trail master plan for any thematic interpretive trail, the following areas are essential to the successful communication of the "story" to the visitors.

Conduct an interpretive story inventory along the total route (historic sites, industrial sites, natural sites and features, historic events, current sites/events of interest, view sheds, perceptually exciting areas (visitor perceptual psychology), etc.

Develop a main interpretive theme, sub-theme and story line for the trail. This might include developing a variety of themed self-guiding tours based on visitor interests such as: railroad heritage stops, historic landscapes, geology tours, industrial heritage tours, watchable wildlife tours, natural history from the car window tour stops, etc.

Develop very specific learning, behavioural, and emotional objectives that the trail experience is to accomplish.

Develop specific interpretive objectives for each individual trail including the trail head and trail end.

Analysis the audience or market. Who are the current or potential trail users or potential tourists? What kinds of heritage topics would they most be interested in? What are their travel destinations? Why would they want to walk / cucle/ ride / drive this trail? In any heritage tourism marketing you only market one thing; "BENEFITS". What are the specific benefits that a byway visitor would get from doing the trail?

Determine the most cost effective interpretive media for the trail: Interpretive Panels (number, size, locations); self-guiding booklets; self-guiding cassette tapes, dial-up mobile phone interpretation; step-on guides for tour busses, etc.

Develop an implementation strategy for the trail interpretation. This would include costs of media, development and installation times, maintenance or distribution considerations, etc.

Evaluation – it is important to pre-test any/all interpretive media (panels, self-guiding booklets, etc.) to make sure that the interpretive objectives are met, and that the visitors can easily understand, relate to, and remember the information being presented to them by the media in question.

A Scenic byway with out interpretation is just "another pretty road"!

At first this may sound dramatic that the success of a scenic byway depends on the amount of and quality of heritage interpretation associated with it. But that statement is in fact TRUE!

To byway users, especially those who have driven the route "before" it was designated a scenic byway, it’s just a road to get to and from someplace. For potential heritage tourists, it just might be a scenic route – but they will see lots of those on their trips. So what makes this scenic byway so special? That’s the job and role of the byway interpretive plan, and byway interpretive media and services.

It is the interpretive communications strategy that will help each visitor understand the unique and special stories associated with each unique byway. Interpretation reveals the story of the people, places and events that have occurred, or are occurring along the byway, and help guide visitors through a living museum of regional natural and cultural heritage.

An interpretive communications strategy changes a byway from being a transport route into a visitor experience. It gives the byway a totally unique character, personality and life and it encourages visitors to use local facilities and services which has a direct impact on the local economy. Without interpretation, it’s just a road!

10 reasons your byway needs interpretation to be successful

Of course this depends on how you define "success". At HDC we define success based, in part, on how well the educational and tourism development objectives are accomplished. Here are our "ten reasons"(not in any particular order of importance!) why you need interpretation:

Regional residents/byway users will gain a greater appreciation and pride in their own local heritage.
Regional residents may be inspired to take a more active role in the stewardship of local natural and heritage sites and features.
Regional residents may take on a individual pride in the byway resource (have a sense of community ownership in the byway).
The byway interpretation serves as a "heritage tourism" draw or enhancement to bring other visitors to the communities, sites or attractions located along the byway. This may have direct positive economic impact to these communities or heritage sites.
Visitors will use the byway in a safer and more responsible manner.
Visitors will have a positive educational as well as recreational experience, learning more about the natural and cultural history of the region(s) they are passing through.
The byway interpretation of local natural or cultural history may inspire visitors to visit other nearby heritage sites – helping regional heritage tourism grow.
Byway interpretation can increase repeat use of the route for recreation/scenic driving.
Having a variety of interpretive themes and topics of interest can increase the marketability or use of the byway by more diverse target market groups.
Interpretation can present information at a variety of experience and educational levels, helping to expand the marketability of the byway and its associated attractions.

These are a few of the desired outcomes for a "successful" scenic byway interpretive program or plan. These outcomes will not happen without "interpretation"!

Do you need help developing a trail? Then contact us at HDC and find out we can help!

Visit our projects list!

Find out about HDC heritage interpretation services: what is heritage interpretation?; why do you need heritage interpretation?; what are the benefits of heritage interpretation?; what are interpretive planning themes & objectives?; who was Freeman Tilden?; heritage interpretation planning; heritage interpretation design; heritage interpretation panel & exhibit fabrication; heritage interpretation training; developing tourist trails; request for proposal guidance notes; exhibit request for proposal template; interpretive planning request for proposal template; panel request for proposal template
Find out about HDC tourism development: tourism strategy & policy; tourism training; developing tourism partnerships; cemetery tourism; birdwatching tourism; fishing tourism; watchable wildlife tourism
Find out about HDC tourism marketing: exhibition services; travel trade marketing; public relations and awareness; tourism brochure design; tourism research; tourism facts

Contact us to see how we can help you!

Heritage Destination Consulting Ltd.
heritage interpretation & tourism consultants
www.heritagedestination.com
www.heritagedestination.co.uk

Developing Interpretive Trails