Appalachian Trail Conservancy Celebrates 2nd Annual Family Hiking Day Trail-wide

HARPERS FERRY, WV, September 13, 2012 (Press-News.org) On September 29, 2012 the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), along with it's Appalachian Trail (A.T.) Community partners and 31 Trail maintaining clubs, invites families to take a hike on the A.T. during the 2nd Annual Family Hiking Day. Held on National Public Lands Day, Family Hiking Day is a program developed by the ATC to introduce families to the A.T. and all of the benefits that come from spending time outdoors.

With studies showing that children are spending less time outdoors each year, the ATC developed this program to help get families outside and active. Hiking the A.T. is not only a good source of physical exercise, it also provides an opportunity to create lasting memories and long-term appreciation for protected public lands.

Families from Maine to Georgia are invited to enjoy the outdoors with volunteer lead hikes, a list of family friendly hikes in their local area, and trail-related games & activities. All guided hikes will be led by several A.T. maintaining clubs and A.T. Community partners.

"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.

LIST OF GUIDED HIKES (To be held on September 29, 2012):
Hike Name: Woody Gap to Dockery Lake
Location: Suches, GA
Difficulty Level: Moderate to Strenuous
Mileage: 7.5 mi
For More Information or to Register Contact: Lawson Herron, lawson14@bellsouth.net

Hike Name: Multiple Hikes from Standing Ground Indian Campground
Location: Franklin, NC
Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate
Mileage: 1 - 4 mi.
For More Information or to Register Contact: Registration from 9:30am to 10:30am at Standing Indian Campground

Hike Name: Firescald Ridge
Location: Hot Springs, NC
Difficulty Level: Moderate to Strenuous
Mileage: 7 mi.
For More Information or to Register Contact: Kayah, 828-713-0591 or kayita79@gmail.com

Hike Name: Clingmans Dome to Silers Bald
Location: Gatlinburg, TN
Difficulty Level: Moderate to Strenuous
Mileage: 8 - 9 mi., with a shorter option of 4 - 5 mi.
For More Information or to Register Contact: Doris Gove, 865-456-8198; Claudia Dean, 865-673-5822

Hike Name: Cornelius Creek
Location: Bedford, VA
Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate
Mileage: ½ to 2 mi.
For More Information or to Register Contact: Barbara Bickling, 434-384-2065

Hike Name: Bulls Bridge to Ten Mile Hill
Location: Kent, CT
Difficulty Level: Moderate to Strenuous
Mileage: 7 mi.
For More Information or to Register Contact: Janet Ainsworth, 203-530-7826 or janetkainsworth@gmail.com

Hike Name: Little Wilson Falls
Location: Elliottsville, ME
Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate
Mileage: 3 mi.
For More Information or to Register Contact: Michelle Moody, 207-319-7355 or meamc@micstan.us

Julie Judkins, community program manager for the ATC, and Angie Sheldon, education outreach coordinator for the ATC, will also be providing a lunchtime webinar at noon EST on September 12, 2012 to discuss how to plan a family hike, tips for hiking with children, safety reminders, and games & activities to enjoy while on the Trail. All are welcome to join. To register, email Julie at jjudkins@appalachiantrail.org.

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.

For more information about Family Hiking Day or resources for hiking with your family, visit http://www.appalachiantrail.org/FamilyHike.

About the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy's mission is to preserve and manage the Appalachian Trail - ensuring that its vast natural beauty and priceless cultural heritage can be shared and enjoyed today, tomorrow, and for centuries to come.

For more information, please visit http://www.appalachiantrail.org

Contact: Javier Folgar
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Tel: 304.535.2200 x117
Fax: 304.535.2667
Email: jfolgar@appalachiantrail.org
Web: http://www.appalachiantrail.org