On September 29-30, 2012, the
Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC)’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Office, located at
4 East First Street, Boiling Springs, PA, invites families to “hike their own
hike” on the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) for the 2nd Annual Family Hiking Day.
This event is free and open to the public.
Held on National Public Lands Day,
Family Hiking Day is an initiative developed by the ATC to introduce families
to the A.T. and the benefits that come from spending time outdoors. Hiking on
the A.T. is a good source of physical exercise, one that provides an
opportunity to create lasting memories and encourages long-term appreciation of
protected public lands.
Families who visit the ATC's regional
office will receive a free Adventure Packet that will aid in planning local day
hikes. The guide includes a description of local hikes, directions to A.T.
trailheads, and safety tips.
After taking a self-guided hike along
the A.T., participants who turn in their “Family Hike Wrap Up” sheet from their
Adventure Packet will be entered into a prize drawing during the closing
celebration.
The closing celebration will be held on
Sunday, Septemeber 30, 2012, from 4:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. at the ATC’s regional
office. The celebration will include family friendly entertainment, nature
activites for all ages and a visit from Smokey Bear.
“The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is
proud to host Family Hiking Day,” said Mark Wenger, executive director/CEO of
the ATC. “It’s a great opportunity to engage families with the outdoors,
promote physical exercise, and encourage people to explore their local natural
resources.”
Participants will also have the
opportunity to share their family hiking day experience for a chance to win a
REI Flash 18 reversible pack. To enter, stories and photos can be emailed to
Julie Judkins at jjudkins@appalachiantrail.org by October 8, 2012. The winning story
will be featured in A.T. Journeys, the official magazine for the Appalachian
Trail.
The ATC was founded in 1925 by
volunteers and federal officials working to build a continuous footpath along
the Appalachian Mountains. Stretching from Georgia to Maine, the A.T. is
approximately 2,180 miles in length, making it one of the longest, continuously
marked footpaths in the world. Volunteers typically donate more than
220,000 hours of their time doing trail-related work each year, and about 2 to
3 million visitors walk a portion of the A.T. each year. This year also marks
the 75th anniversary of the completion of the A.T.
