Banks-Vernonia Trail is Oregon's first rails-to-trail conversion
Michael Calhoun is a lifelong resident of Vernonia, Oregon, and Board Chair of the Columbia Soil & Water Conservation District. On this Big Blend Radio "Parks & Travel" Podcast episode, timed to National Park Week 2026, Michael joins host Lisa Smith to share how his hometown turned an abandoned logging railroad into the Banks-Vernonia Trail — Oregon's first rails-to-trail conversion, and now a certified National Recreation Trail through the National Park Service.
Michael talks about growing up in a community shaped by the timber industry, the local debate that surrounded turning an old rail line into a public trail, and how that decision revitalized Vernonia decades later. He and Lisa dig into the balance between resource extraction and conservation, why community-led certifications like National Recreation Trail status can help protect public lands from development pressure, and how Vernonia is now pursuing Dark Sky community status to protect migrating birds and pollinators.
This conversation offers real, practical advice for any community sitting on an overlooked trail, railroad corridor, or public land asset — and why stacking certifications and designations can build long-term resilience.
Watch the episode below or download/listen to the audio version on Podbean: