National Trails Day (NTD) is sponsored at the national level by the American Hiking Society. The following overview from the society’s website provides a general description.
“National trails Day is a celebration of America’s magnificent trail system, occurring annually on the first Saturday in June. NTD features a series of outdoor activities designed to promote and celebrate the importance of trails in the United States. Individuals, clubs and organizations from around the country host NTD events to share their love of trails with friends, family and their communities. NTD introduces thousands of Americans to a wide array of trail activities: hiking, biking, paddling, horseback riding, trail running, bird watching and more. For public and private land managers alike, NTD is a great time to showcase beautiful landscapes and special or threatened locales as thousands of people will be outside looking to participate in NTD events.
NTD evolved during the late ’80s and ’90s from a popular ethos among trail advocates, outdoor industry leaders and political bodies who wanted to unlock the vast potential in America’s National Trails System, transforming it from a collection of local paths into a true network of interconnected trails and vested trail organizations. This collective mindset hatched the idea of a singular day where the greater trail community could band together behind the NTD moniker to show their pride and dedication to the National Trails System.”
NTD is sponsored locally by the City of Albuquerque Open Space Division and the Open Space Alliance with monetary and volunteer assistance from the Friends of the Sandia Mountains. Additional support in the form of tools, vehicles and staff is provided by the Sandia Ranger District of the United States Forest Service. It is usually centered at the Elena Gallegos Open Space Park off Tramway NE. Projects are done on Open Space and adjacent Forest Service lands.
More details on NTD at www.americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/
