HIKING NEWS ITEM

Join This Year's National Trails Day!

TUESDAY, 28 MARCH 2006

Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. Along with it comes one of the season's most exciting events – the National Trails Day with this year's theme: “Experience Your Outdoors”.

Now on its 14th year, the National Trails Day is organized by the American Hiking Society (AHS) as the society's signature trail awareness program. The single day event which will be held on June 3 will include events like hikes, paddles, horse and bike rides and outdoor festivals. Aside from that, there will also be trail openings, dedications, volunteer trail building, maintenance projects and educational programs.

This year's theme encourages Americans, “to get outside, get active and experience the myriad opportunities for outdoor recreation that trails afford,” according to AHS president, Gregory Miller.

The National Trails Day is becoming an increasingly nationwide event. It will be hosted by various local and statewide trail clubs, city, state and federal public land and health agencies, community groups, non-profit organizations and outdoor-minded businesses.

For more information on the event and on how to participate or organize your own “Experience Your Outdoors” event, you may check out the National Trails Day website at www.nationaltrailsday.org.