Educational 10 November 2025
The soft whir of an e-bike. The zip of a scooter passing a dog walker. A parent pedaling a child to school, a deliver “driver” between stops, an office worker trying to get her steps in.
Across North America, multi-use trails have evolved from the weekend escapes they were originally designed as into key connectors in urban transportation networks—smooth ribbons of pavement connecting neighhorhoods, city centers, and everything in between.
Essential as they’ve become, most of these trails weren’t built with round-the-clock use in mind. And as networks expand and usage climbs, a question many cities are now facing is: what happens after dark?
Lighting can make or break a trail’s accessibility. Without it, paths can feel unsafe or unusable after dark, discouraging early-morning and evening commutes, cutting off recreation, and nudging people back into their cars. A well-lit trail, on the other hand, improves visibility, extends hours of use, and enhances both the perception and reality of safety.
But bringing power to a trail is rarely simple. Many routes wind through wooded areas, along waterfronts, or across protected land, where trenching is expensive, disruptive, and in some cases, downright impossible. Even in urban areas, connecting to the grid can mean tearing through sidewalks, roads, or utility lines, adding expense, delays, and risk.
And when you finally reach power? Those lights are still being tied into an electrical network that’s strained and susceptible to outages. (Not to mention, the ongoing and rising cost of electricity itself.)
Solar lighting says “no thanks” to all of that. Each light operates independently, drawing all the energy it needs from the sun, so there’s no trenching, wiring, or grid connection required. Installation is fast and low-impact, with no torn-up pavement, utility “whoopsies,” or weeks-long closures. Multiple systems can be installed in a few hours, keeping trails open and people moving.
Once in place, the advantages keep coming. With no grid connection, there are no monthly power bills to pay, no copper wire to steal, and far fewer maintenance demands. Each system runs on clean, renewable energy, reducing grid load while keeping trails illuminated—even during outages. And because every light operates autonomously, a single failure doesn’t take the rest down with it.
It’s a simple, resilient solution designed to keep people safe, active, and connected—without the cost or complications of conventional lighting.
Solar lighting has come a long way in both capability and design. Today’s systems can deliver consistent, dusk-to-dawn illumination year-round—even in northern climates or through extended cloudy periods.*
For multi-use trail applications, Sol’s EverGen 3and UP2 systems are particularly well-suited. They combine robust solar collection with intelligent controls like motion sensing to optimize energy use and ensure light where and when it’s needed. Proven everywhere from coastal California to the rainforests of British Columbia, these systems show how thoughtful engineering make reliable solar lighting possible in almost any environment.
As cities rethink how people move, multi-use trails are becoming essential links in safer, more sustainable transportation networks. Lighting them with solar isn’t just about saving money or simplifying installation, it’s about building infrastructure that supports connectivity, accessibility, and resilience.
It means trails that stay open after the sun goes down, installation that preserves natural landscapes, and lighting that cities can count on—no matter what.
* Performance will vary by system design and solar availability. Contact our team to ensure your system is optimized for your location.
