Celebrating National Trails Day

Celebrating the trails that guide us into the heart of nature. Photo by Paolo Vescia
Celebrating the trails that guide us into the heart of nature. Photo by Paolo Vescia

I talk a lot about the importance of parks and wild places, the beautiful scenery and interesting wildlife they contain, but this week I’m putting the spotlight on one of my favorite features of our open spaces: trails.

My appreciation for the outdoors has always been grounded  in the trails that guide us into the heart of nature. It was no accident that my summer job in college was building trails in the mountains. I learned firsthand how much work goes into creating and maintaining them, and those summer months spent on the wilderness trails of our national forests allowed me a front row seat to the steady flow of people of all ages and walks of life who benefit from them.

In seeing how trails provide our connection to the outdoors, our respite from our daily demands, our  access to many of the country’s most amazing places and experiences, I was convinced of my choice in careers!

Save the Redwoods League is a proud supporter of American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day®, an annual celebration of America’s trail system. Over 200,000 miles of trails and the volunteers who maintain them enable us to experience and enjoy our parks and open spaces. These natural places are our national heritage, the heart and lungs of our quality of life, the pillars of our collective identity — through them, we discover adventure, knowledge, good health, inspiration and fulfillment. Trails make it all possible.

National Trails Day (NTD) is this Saturday, June 7. How about showing our trails some love this weekend by participating in an NTD event? You can join a stewardship project, or simply get out and hike, bike, ride, run or paddle (trails provide access to waterways, too!).

Hit the trails in a redwood park (use the League’s interactive Redwoods Map to find one) or find a NTD event near you. Happy trails!

Check out Deborah Zierten’s blog tomorrow for even more about National Trails Day.

Let’s keep in touch on Twitter! Follow me at @SamH4Redwoods for news and insights about redwoods and conservation.

About the author

President and Chief Enthusiast for the Outdoors (CEO) of Save the Redwoods League, Sam brings more than 25 years of experience in overseeing land conservation programs from the remote wilderness to the inner city.

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