Thousands of Americans to Hit the Trail this National Trails Day

April 19, 2017

Silver Spring, MD – Thousands of events will have hundreds of thousands of Americans outdoors and having fun on American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day^® this Saturday, June 3, 2017.

Every trail beckons adventure and has a story to share with any person willing to discover it, and American Hiking Society works to make sure that everyone has a chance to enjoy just such an adventure. National Trails Day connects people who may not think of themselves as “outdoorsy” but still want to try something new or hike somewhere new with opportunities right in their neck of the woods – or city!

Each year, on the first Saturday of June, American Hiking Society and the trails community invite Americans of all ages and abilities to find their own adventure on a local trail at one of the thousands of events hosted throughout the country. Events include activities such as hikes, trail runs, bicycle tours, horseback rides, volunteer trail projects, activities for kids, and much more.

Last year more than 2,300 activities attracted more than 168,000 Americans to participate in National Trails Day festivities in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

“By coordinating a wide selection of trail activities on a single day, National Trails Day connects individuals looking to get outdoors with local clubs, parks, and trails. Sometimes people just need someone to show them what’s available and perhaps introduce them to a new outdoor activity such as hiking or mountain biking,” explains Peter Olsen, Interim Executive Director.  “Once people get outdoors they inevitably fall in love with these trails and the lands around them and get involved in protecting them.”

Parks, outdoor clubs and organizations, and others should register their June 3 events for free at bit.ly/NTD-HOST for inclusion in the publicly searchable database.  “Registering events for National Trails Day provides a quick and easy way for individuals to search for events in their local area,” states Olsen.

American Hiking Society encourages everyone to go take a hike – or a bike ride, horseback ride, paddle a canoe, whatever – on June 3 by finding an event near them at bit.ly/trails-day.

National Trails Day photos, graphics, and video clips are available for editorial use at: bit.ly/17ntd-promo.

American Hiking’s National Trails Day® is made possible by the generous support of Corporate Sponsors – Columbia, Therm-A-Rest, Superfeet, REI, Popular Mechanics, Osprey Packs, Save The Redwoods League, and Federal Partners – National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Federal Highway Administration, and U.S. Forest Service.

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, visit www.AmericanHiking.org  or call (301) 565-6704.

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