Saturday, June 1 is National Trails Day® and it’s a great reason to get outside on the Northern Neck.
The National Park Service is sponsoring Meeting of the Trails: National Trails Day Meetup on the Potomac River 10:00 am - 3:00 pm at George Washington Birthplace National Monument (1732 Popes Creek Rd, Colonial Beach; head to the “Memorial Area,” past the monument to the right). NPS and a number of outdooor organizations will be sharing information about their work along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and encouraging the public to get involved. In addition, family-friendly activities will be part of the day.
Entrance to George Washington Birthplace National Monument is fee-free.
The tabling orgs will include:
- Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
- Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin
- Northern Neck National Heritage Area
- Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
- Potomac Riverkeeper
- Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail
- Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
If you are looking for a different kind of event to celebrate the day, read Take your First Day festivities outside. Ignore the few references to First Day events. The rest of the outdoor activities and places, such as Belle Isle State Park, are still valid.
No matter what you do, heed the American Hiking Society:
How will you leave the trails and the outdoor community better than you found them for National Trails Day? Tag @AmericanHiking and #NationalTrailsDay in your favorite trail photos or videos on Instagram for a chance to win one of four gear prize packages. Photo contest submissions must agree to the American Hiking Media Agreement.
The contest ends June 8, so start tag'n.
About National Trails Day®
In 1991, the American Hiking Society created National Trails Day® in response to a report prepared by the President’s Commission on Americans Outdoors. According to the society,
Taking place on the first Saturday in June, National Trails Day® is a day of public events aimed at advocacy and trail service. Tens of thousands of hikers, bikers, paddlers, horseback riders, trail clubs, federal and local agencies, land trusts, and businesses come together in partnership to advocate for, maintain, and clean up public lands and trails. (Source)
Of course, there’s more to the history than simply a report, starting with President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the National Trails System Act into law in 1968 and President Ronald Reagan signing Executive Order 12503 -- Presidential Commission on Outdoor Recreation Resources Review in 1985. Learn more in American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day® History Historical Timeline.