Headline News
National Trails Day Celebrates the Outdoors with Trail Work, Workshops and Recreation
The American Hiking Society holds its 15th annual National Trails Day®, the largest annual single-day trails and outdoor celebration in the country, on Saturday, June 2, 2007. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to get outside and attend more than 1,000 events taking place in local, state and national parks, forests and other public lands from coast to coast.
National Trails Day continues to inspire the public to flock to their favorite trails to discover, learn about and celebrate trails while participating in educational exhibits, trail dedications, gear demonstrations, instructional workshops and trail work projects.
National Trails Day evolved from the report of President Ronald Reagan's President's Commission on Americans Outdoors. In 1987, the report recommended that all Americans be able to go out their front doors and within 15 minutes, be on trails that wind through their cities, towns or villages and bring them back without retracing steps. The recommendation, dubbed Trails for All Americans, became the impetus behind several public and private parties joining American Hiking Society in launching National Trails Day in 1993. National Trails Days was started to both increase the awareness of community trails but also provide a helping hand for the hundreds of volunteer trail clubs that build and maintain the nation's trails.
With 1,210 registered events in 2006, the awareness of trails was brought to thousands of people through dedications, hikes, nature walks, bikes, paddles, horse rides, trail maintenance trips and other activities. Event hosts include local hiking clubs, federal agencies, municipal parks, retailers, land trusts and many other businesses and organizations.
Events take place in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. The events provide a perfect opportunity to thank volunteers, land managing agencies, and outdoor-minded businesses for their support in developing and maintaining trails. To find a National Trails Day event near you, visit www.AmericanHiking.org.
American Hiking Society urges everyone to get on the trail and make every day National Trails Day because of the many benefits trails provide to individuals, communities and the environment.
Individual benefits: National Trails Day promotes the health benefits of trail use, especially hiking. Hiking gets your heart pumping, lungs expanding and muscles working. It helps relieve stress and contributes to weight loss, controlling high blood pressure, and preventing serious ailments such as heart disease and diabetes.
“Celebrating National Trails Day is an excellent way to promote healthy lifestyles and connect with nature,” said Gregory Miller, President of American Hiking Society. “Trails are life-enriching places, and hiking is the best nature-based recreational activity for a lifetime of health and fitness.”
Community benefits: National Trails Day fosters community-building. It brings together people from all ages and backgrounds, including toddlers just learning how to walk, Girl Scouts earning a badge for their participation, and seasoned hikers who have logged many miles. It’s a time to get outside and get to know your neighbors. It also provides local governments and trail clubs with much-needed volunteer sweat equity hours to restore and maintain trails. Last year volunteers spent more than 135,000 hours establishing, maintaining and cleaning-up nearly 1,700 miles of trail—labor worth an estimated $2.5 million.
Environmental benefits: National Trails Day raises public awareness about the many environmental benefits of trails. Trails serve as conservation corridors, help protect plants and wildlife, and serve as outdoor classrooms for nature study and environmental education. Connecting with nature on a trail instills conservation values and inspires the public to take action to protect our natural heritage.
American Hiking Society also is holding a 2007 National Trails Day Photo Contest. The contest is open to all ages; entrants must attend any of the numerous 2007 National Trails Day events nationwide. Categories include Outdoor Recreation, Stewardship, and Youth on the Trail. To learn more about the photo contest, visit www.AmericanHiking.org.
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, the surrounding natural areas, and the hiking experience itself. To learn more about American Hiking Society and its programs, including National Trails Day®, visit www.AmericanHiking.org or call (301) 565-6704.