National
Take a Hike Day
November 17, 2022
It's official "National Take a Hike" Day, and we're excited to introduce a one-of-a-kind hiking experience.
But first... What is Take a Hike Day?
Who started National Take a Hike day?
President Lyndon B. Johnson, in 1965, established the program that has doubled the number of trails in America. Official take a hike day started as a way to celebrate hiking and appreciate our amazing trails.
In 1968, the National Trails System Act was passed. The American Hiking Society originated National Take a Hike Day (or National Hiking Day) in 1976. In 2013 alone, 34 million hikers took to the trails.
How do I celebrate Take a Hike Day?
1. Decide where to hike
Look at popular trail apps and decide if you’re looking for something that is fairly easy but still has some challenges (like scrambling up some rocks), then choose something with an intermediate difficulty rating. If you want something that will be more challenging (with lots of climbing), then choose something with a difficult rating. If you want something that is very easy in terms of distance but very challenging in terms of elevation change (like walking on flat ground while climbing up hills), then choose something with a flat terrain rating2. Decide who to hike with
Some people love the solitude of hiking on their own for a piece of mind, while others use it as a social event. There is no right or wrong answer when deciding who to hike with but simply ask yourself whether you’re feeling social, want some quiet, need some exercise, or want to discover a new area and that should help your determine who should tag along. You can also join social hiking events as a way to meet new people. Park Friends is a great new way to join hiking events.3. Prepare and check the weather
You’ve likely heard how important it is to check the weather forecast before heading out on a hike, regardless of the season. This allows you to put the right HIKING CLOTHES into your pack, as well as any other gear you may need, and ultimately makes for a much better hiking experience. Prepare for the unexpected as weather can change in an instant.
4. Gear up
Firstly wear the right clothes and shoes. Use the 3-Layer approach so you can adapt to weather changes. Wear shoes that suit dry and wet weather, are sturdy so you don’t roll your ankle, and are comfortable so you don’t get blisters. For safety, make sure your phone is charged and consider taking an offline map/compass if there is no cell reception.5. Know your limits
Look at popular trail apps and decide if you’re looking for something that is fairly easy but still has some challenges (like scrambling up some rocks), then choose something with an intermediate difficulty rating. If you want something that will be more challenging (with lots of climbing), then choose something with a difficult rating. If you want something that is very easy in terms of distance but very challenging in terms of elevation change (like walking on flat ground while climbing up hills), then choose something with a flat terrain rating6. Get social
While many people hike to get away from social media, it’s great to encourage your friends and family to get out there and join you. Take photos so you can remember the joy of your experience and admire nature and share with friends and family so they want to join you on your next hike. Park Friends is a great way to enjoy Social Hiking. National Parks Community is another way to get social in national parks.Apps to help you find hiking locations
Park Friends
Park Friends is a new community that is creating a Pokemon Go style experiences for hikers (and for adults) to collect one of a kind digital collectibles while you hike.
Check it out
Hiking Trail Finder
This trail finder app allows you to search for hikes near you and filters them by difficulty, distance, elevation gain, and reviews. You can also save your favorite hikes so that you can easily browse them later on.
Outdoor Project Active Route Planner
If you’re looking for something simple but still packed full of useful features then this app may be just what you need! It lets users create their own route plan on the go using their phone’s GPS capabilities.Alltrails
Hikes are searchable based on difficulty, length, elevation gain, route type, and user rating. You can also search hikes based on tags, like trail running, dog-friendly, or wildflowers.
