40 Years of Trail & Hiking Advocacy

By: Gregory Miller, President of American Hiking Society

The trails landscape encountered by American Hiking Society (AHS) in 1976 was vastly different than it is today. Through 40 years of meaningful hiking and trails advocacy and leadership, AHS elevated hiking trails protection and helped unify hiking, recreation and conservation actions across America. We hosted 19 Hike the Hill® trail advocacy events in Washington, D.C., and supported important legislation, whether for natural areas, trail stewardship, funding for forests and parks, or direct funding for trails. Our 40th coincides with the Centennial of the National Park System and we proudly raise our banner to promote hiking as the premier nature-based activity that enables us to connect with nature and ourselves—through our allegiance to trails and to the land.

American Hiking is the only national voice for hikers—your voice— to support trails and promote the hiking experience. Our advocacy work today and our ambitious plans for the future will continue to excite, engage and educate decision-makers and the general public to support the sustainability of trails and quality hiking experiences. Whether you seek a nearby urban hiking trail or a backcountry path at one of our cherished national parks, AHS is ‘built to last’ and will continue to activate hikers of all walks of life to ensure that hiking trails and natural places are preserved for future generations.

I promise that AHS will continue to protect and preserve our nation’s trails and the places you hike so that they may always retain their ability to inspire, to awe, and to fi re our collective imaginations. To succeed, we have to instill in others, at all levels of society, the passion we feel towards hiking—a passion that began 40 years ago at American Hiking. As we continue our journey, I hope that we can count on you.