National Trails Day

American Hiking Society's signature trail awareness program, National Trails Day, will take place on June 5th this year.

One of the goals of National Trails Day is to inspire the public and trail enthusiasts nationwide to seek out 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.

There will be many events all across the country. The Smoky Mountain Hiking Club will utilize the day as a trail repair and construction event. They will meet in Gatlinburg at 7:30 a.m. that morning.

The Carolina Mountain Club will host a couple of hikes, including the Lakeshore Loop near Fontana Lake in the southern Smoky Mountains.

Chimney Rock State Park will be offering free guided hikes on the hour from 11am to 3pm with park education staff and rangers who will discuss the plants and wildlife at the park.

The Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club and will host a hike to Grassy Ridge Bald on Roan Mountain.

These are just a couple of examples. You can get more details on each of these, and see the complete list of events across the country, by clicking here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

National Trails Day 2010 announced

The American Hiking Society has recently announced the date for National Trails Day 2010.

On June 5th, 2010, the American Hiking Society and outdoor enthusiasts across the country will celebrate the 18th annual National Trails Day, a celebration of America's magnificent trail system and its countless supporters and volunteers. More than 1500 events will take place around the country including trail maintenance, hiking, biking, paddling, horseback riding, bird watching, running and trail celebrations.

The theme for this years' National Trails Day, Find Your Happy Place, encourages all Americans to get outside, connect with local hiking clubs, outdoor retailers, local parks and recreation departments or federal land managing agencies to experience, appreciate and celebrate the outdoor places that make us happy.

National Trails Day is a celebration of trails that evolved from the President's Commission on Americans Outdoors, sponsored by President Ronald Reagan. The 1987 report recommended that all Americans be able to go out their front doors and within fifteen minutes, be on trails that wind through their cities or towns 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.

For more information and to host an event, please click here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.