In support of American Hiking Societys 19th annual National Trails Day, Mike Rowe is encouraging all Americans to hit the trail! National Trails Day is the largest trails celebration in the country, and this year, hundreds of thousands of people across the country will take part in more than 2,000 events in all 50 states, including trail maintenance projects, hiking, paddling, biking, horseback riding, bird watching, running, trail celebrations, concerts and so much more!
Im supporting National Trails Day because trails are a lot more interesting than highways, says Mike Rowe, the well- known host of Dirty Jobs. You cant go as fast, but the scenery is a lot more interesting, the air smells much better, and there arent any tolls. Walking around outdoors has kept me sane for years, (sort of) and I cant recommend it enough.
The theme for National Trails Day 2011, Made With All Natural Ingredients, encourages Americans to get outside and get healthy. Connect with local outdoor clubs, scout troops, youth organizations, businesses, community groups, and parks departments as well as federal land managing agencies to experience and appreciate the land and natural places where we can find a spread of scenery, a plateful of peace, and a heap of happiness and health. National Trails Day is also an opportunity to thank the millions of volunteers who get covered in dirt in order to give back to the trails. Without them, we wouldnt have the amazing trails we do today.
There are so many reasons, says Mike, to get off the concrete for a while. The fact that millions of people have never really experienced the woods or the mountains is borderline tragic.
When asked to elaborate on his affection for the outdoors, Mike recalled his time hiking a considerable piece of the Appalachian Trail. Those were some of the best times Ive ever had. Hiking with friends, cooking outdoors, sleeping under the stars…those experiences stick with you for years. Theyre worth doing, and theyre available to everyone.
American Hiking Societys National Trails Day is a time to enjoy our natural spaces and get healthy outdoors and on Americas expansive network of trails. Hit the trail for hike, bike, or a run. Go natural by soaking in your surroundings. Get down with the brown and get your hands dirty on a trail maintenance project. Theres nothing artificial about getting outside and giving back to trails.
Our earth is made up of natural ingredients like rivers, mountains, lakes, deserts, and plains and National Trails Day is a time to get outside and celebrate those natural surroundings. Find an event in your area at www.AmericanHiking.org. If you want to get happy, healthy, active, fit, and have some fun, National Trails Day is your recipe to success. The only ingredient missing is YOU.
Join American Hiking Society and our sponsors, Backpacker Magazine, Columbia, Eastern Mountain Sports, Fetzer, Merrell, The North Face and partners REI and American Park Network for a National Trails Day event near you. Learn more at AmericanHiking.org and mikeroweWORKS.com.
If your community organization would like to host an event or to find out more about NTD 2011, contact Heather Sable, hsable@AmericanHiking.org.
Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national, recreation-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting Americas hiking trails, their surrounding natural areas and the hiking experience.
