American Hiking Society said its 18th annual National Trails Day (NTD)  2010, the national kick-off event for Great Outdoors Month in June, was a huge success. On Saturday, June 5, tens of thousands of volunteers and trail enthusiasts in all 50 states celebrated trails by
hiking, paddling, running, walking, horseback riding, and maintaining trails.

Preliminary Highlights for NTD 2010:

  • 1,912 NTD took place across all fifty states and Puerto Rico.
  • Federal land and water management agencies hosted hundreds of NTD
    events across the nation.
  • More than 220 NTD events were planned or hosted by Troops from the Boy
    Scouts and Girl Scouts of America.
  • The YMCA of the USA, National Recreation and Parks Association and
    National Association of State Park Directors prominently promoted NTD across the nation.
  • Participants hiked or walked at least 3,500 miles and bikers rode more than 2,000 miles.
  • To coincide with NTD 2010, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and
    Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell declared June 5-6 as National Trails Day weekend. This was a 'fee free' weekend with
    no entrance fees for all National Parks, Forest and Wildlife Refuges in celebration of trails and outdoor recreation.
  • Secretary Salazar also announced the designation of 31 new National Recreation Trails in 15 states on National Trails Day.
  • The U.S. Postal Service created a special NTD postmark that is being used from June 5 – July 5 in 23 key trail gateway communities around the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and Continental Divide
    National Scenic Trails as well as in the Grand Canyon and Acadia National Parks. A great start to reach our
    all-important gateway communities that depend on trails and outdoor recreation.
  • NTD reached more than 100 million people through extensive media coverage.

“The volunteer participation and energy surrounding American Hiking Society's National Trails Day celebrations were immeasurable!” notes Gregory Miller, President of American Hiking Society. “Thousands of trail enthusiasts came out to hike, bike, paddle and provide volunteer service across all fifty states and Puerto Rico, demonstrating that Americans really do care about our Great Outdoors.”