In 1980, a large group of passionate hikers set out on a 4,300 mile adventure called HikaNation, that would take 14 months to complete and would stretch from Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California to Washington, D.C. Organized by Jim Kern, the President of the American Hiking Society, the event was also sponsored by the American Hiking Society, the United States Department of the Interior’s Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service and Backpacker Magazine.
The goal – send a clear message that hikers and backpackers are galvanized as a group with a voice of influence to promote the newly created American Hiking Society and to raise public awareness about the importance of our trails. Today, none of this has changed. In fact, there are more hikers and backpackers than ever that are passionate about our trails and how they are preserved and made continuous from end to end, especially our 11 National Scenic Trails. Tap into your passion, join the movement and take action now. Sign the petition and like us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.