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American Trails Hikes the Hill

American Trails participated in the largest ever Hike the Hill ®, which brought 123 hikers and trail organization representatives to Washington, D.C. to advocate before Congress and the federal government for trails and public lands.

by American Trails Staff

American Trails participated in the largest ever Hike the Hill®, which brought 123 hikers and trail organization representatives to Washington, D.C. to advocate before Congress and the federal government for trails and public lands. American Trails joined the American Hiking Society and the Partnership for the National Trails System (PNTS) for a week of action and celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the National Trails System Act. Events and meetings honored the achievements of this landmark law and called on Congress and federal agencies to complete the National Scenic and Historic Trails System and other trails and to fully fund the programs that provide for the stewardship, maintenance, and expansion of trails and public lands.

In anticipation of attending Hike the Hill®, American Trails polled our key partners to determine some of the most pressing issues in the larger trails community. We brought these issues to appropriate representatives and senators throughout the week. Some of these key issues included:

• Dealing with the trail maintenance backlog on federal lands
• Promoting Public/Private partnerships to support natural resource agencies
• Restoring the “User Pay/User Benefit” ratio for the Recreational Trails Program
• Engaging more Americans in their national trails and trail communities
• Advocate for full funding of natural resource agencies

American Trails will seize upon the momentum from Hike the Hill® to continue the push for trail partnerships, development, and funding in our advocacy efforts. Stay tuned for new opportunities for members to engage.

Published April 2018

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