Protecting the Places You Love to Hike
Advocate for Hiking Access + Improve Trails
We envision a world where everyone feels welcome in the American hiking community and has permanent access to meaningful hiking, including urban, frontcountry, and backcountry opportunities.
Advocate
American Hiking works with Congress, federal agencies, and partners on policy issues and legislation to ensure funding for trails, preservation of public lands, and protection of the hiking experience.
NextGen Trail Leaders are rising stars in the outdoor community and the voice of young hikers who take part in a yearlong program of advocacy and stewardship to protect public lands.
Each year American Hiking brings together five early to early-mid career leaders in the outdoor community with a diversity of identities from across the country. American Hiking provides these Leaders with training, mentorship, networking, trail stewardship opportunities, and professional development and gear stipends. Through this partnership, NextGen Trail Leaders build and refine their advocacy and outdoor leadership experience and skills, speaking out to elected officials, serving as ambassadors to the hiking community, building a nationwide stewardship movement, and championing conservation, equity, and inclusion.
Ryan Nelson
Volunteer
Trails don't maintain themselves. Individuals of any age and experience level can become trail stewards. Give back to the trails you love, meet new people, and enjoy the experience!
2022 Volunteer Vacation Registration is Open
Work hard, get dirty, dig deep...and feel immensely rewarded.
Explore
Feel confident when you set out on your next trail adventure. Check out our free hiking resources like tips for hiking with families, gear checklists, finding the best trail for you, and more.
Latest Stories and Updates
Environmental Coalition Letter of Support for Increased FY23 Funding
On behalf of our tens of millions of members and supporters across the country, we respectfully
request that you support significantly increased funding for environmental agencies and
programs in the FY23 omnibus.
American Hiking Joins Coalition in Support of Increase in FY24 Recreation Funding
Coalition Letter to Congress and OMB to to urge support for robust funding increases to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Forest Service (USFS), and Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recreation budget line items in FY24 and subsequent budget years to offset the continuing and increasing deficit in these accounts.
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Support Letter for Continental Divide Trail Completion Act (S. 4995)
We are thrilled to share our excitement and support for the opportunity to complete the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). The hiking community thanks you for your leadership on the Continental Divide Trail Completion Act and encourages all Senators to act today to protect the major watershed of the North American Continent and a crown jewel for millions of hikers, recreation users, and gateway community residents.
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Donor Feature: Bob and Dee Leggett
It all started with an ad in Backpacker magazine. Bob and Dee Leggett were avid hikers and backpackers-“the whole world was getting into backpacking at…
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