Coming Back to Pay it Forward

By: Mark Ray Fifteen years ago, the movie Pay It Forward popularized the idea that the best way to repay a favor is to do a favor for someone else—to…

Read More

#HikingMakesMe – Liz Thomas

American Hiking Society Ambassador, Liz Thomas, responds to our #HikingMakesMe interview.  My name is Liz Thomas, but my friends call me Snorkel because that is my trail name. When I…

Read More

How Trails Get Their Names

The names of hiking trails are often straightforward and self-explanatory — they are chosen for a point of interest, or perhaps a trail leader or volunteer who helped blaze the…

Read More

Hiking the Unfinished Trail

Hike 3,100 miles from Canada to Mexico along the grizzly-bear infested Continental Divide Trail? No way. The few hikers I met who had walked the Divide called it a “trail in…

Read More

Women Going the Distance

When I was 18, I announced to my parents that I wanted to hike 2,000 miles along the Appalachian Mountains. My parents thought I was crazy and couldn’t understand why a girl…

Read More

Hiking A Mountain of Hope

Stories of how outdoor recreation can lead to a lifetime of well-being. Hiking is the best nature-based activity that can lead to a lifetime of fitness and well-being. You’ll hear me say this…

Read More