American Hiking Society Announces its 22nd Annual National Trails Day
Silver Spring, MD – Across America, people of all ages are getting ready to celebrate the great outdoors at this year’s National Trails Day®— America’s largest annual single-day trails and outdoor celebration. Organized by American Hiking Society, the national nonprofit organization serving as the national voice for hikers, the 22nd annual National Trails Day is set to kick off this year on Saturday, June 7. Hundreds of thousands of hikers, cyclists, paddlers, horseback riders, and volunteers from every state will participate in a wide variety of outdoor activities on land and water trails at more than 2,000 nationally sanctioned events across the land.
Every year for more than two decades on the first Saturday of June, hiking clubs, agencies, businesses and non-profits organize free, public events to introduce Americans to fun outdoor activities like hiking, cycling, horseback riding and canoeing. Trail stewardship projects are also in abundance, giving volunteers an opportunity to renovate degraded trails, improve trail facilities, and restore natural habitats at their favorite parks and forests.
In 2013, activities at thousands of sites attracted more than 130,000 Americans to get outside, have fun, volunteer and celebrate the great outdoors. This year, events are slated for all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Canada, in what is sure to be another engaging celebration of America’s trails. American Hiking Society’s partnerships with federal land management agencies and America’s State Parks ensure there will be fantastic recreation opportunities on many of our nation’s prized public lands. Numerous state park systems, including those of Virginia, Missouri, Tennessee, Connecticut, and North Dakota, have organized events at each of their state parks.
“Our nation’s trails offer Americans from all walks of life boundless opportunities to enjoy nature, renew themselves, and establish a lifetime of fitness” notes Gregory Miller, President of American Hiking Society. “From city dwellers and suburban families to rural and country residents, children to senior citizens, trails offer every American a healthy, enjoyable way to spend time outside.”
National Trails Day events are hosted by local and statewide trail clubs, city, state and federal public agencies, community groups and outdoor minded businesses. Choose to participate in one of the thousands of fun trail events happening on June 7 by visiting nationaltrailsday.org.
“We’ve seen significant increases each year in National Trails Day participation, coupled with the growing number of Americans who enjoy outdoor recreation activities,” offers Miller. “This affirms the importance of and need for local trails, parks and open spaces and we urge all Americans to support cooperative efforts to expand, sustain and preserve our trails and natural areas.”
National Trails Day 2014 is also part of Great Outdoors Month, a month-long effort in June to get Americans outside. Great Outdoors Month is coordinated through a coalition of recreation and environmental organizations including American Hiking Society, American Recreation Coalition, National Wildlife Federation, The Corps Network among others. Bolstered by proclamations issued by the President and all fifty state governors, Great Outdoors Month celebrates everything great about America’s abundant outdoor recreation resources while highlighting Americans’ passion for the outdoors and calling for a rededication to conservation efforts and volunteerism.
National Trails Day is made possible by the generous support of Corporate Sponsors–Adventure Medical Kits, Columbia, Gregory Packs, Tilley Endurables, The North Face, Brooks-Range Mountaineering and Save The Redwoods League as well as Supporters – America’s State Parks, American Park Network, Backpacker magazine, ParksByNature Network, Boy Scouts of America, REI, and Student Conservation Association, and Federal Partners – National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Federal Highway Administration, and U.S. Forest Service.
To learn more about National Trails Day 2014, please visit americanhiking.org or contact John Michels, Director of Communications and Trail Programs, at 301.565.6704 x208.
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About American Hiking Society
Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national, recreation-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s hiking trails, their surrounding natural areas and the hiking experience. To learn more about American Hiking Society and its mission and programs, please visit americanhiking.org or call (301) 565-6704.
American Hiking’s National Trails Day® is made possible by the generous support of Corporate Sponsors–Adventure Medical Kits, Columbia, Gregory Packs, Tilley Endurables, The North Face, Brooks-Range Mountaineering and Save The Redwoods League as well as Supporters – America’s State Parks, American Park Network, Backpacker magazine, ParksByNature Network, Boy Scouts of America, REI, and Student Conservation Association, and Federal Partners – National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Federal Highway Administration, and U.S. Forest Service.
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