It's National Trail Day Folks!
Head to the Lake Champlain Region for a Challenge

By Guest Blogger: Michael Martineau

Hiking in the Adirondacks is not merely an activity for many, it's a lifestyle. Those who embrace this lifestyle are out on the trails as much as possible. They will repeat trails and mountains so many times they know if a certain tree has lost a branch, or a rock was washed away, or if a trail blaze has fallen.

They become an extension of the Adirondacks, so to speak.

With each step taken, the region is impacted; a unique footprint is left behind. I'm not talking about shoes hitting the trail or shoe prints being left behind either. I'm talking about the impact these individuals make in preserving and restoring trails.

National Trail Day (June 3rd, 2017) is a special day for outdoor enthusiasts. Personally, I classify it as a holiday. More so than I do Halloween. It's a day for me to celebrate something I absolutely love, something I believe in, something I'm passionate about preserving. This National Trail Day though is special for me. It's my first Adirondack Trail Day as a full-time resident of the region.

When thinking about what I wanted to do this year for the special holiday I was torn. There are so many awesome trails I want to explore but there are trail restorations as well.

Take the Champlain Area Trails (CATS), a beautiful system that interconnects the Champlain Region. They are hosting the Moriah Challenge, and I love a good hiking challenge.

It consists of completing four hikes in one day:
Belfry Mountain Trail (.8 miles RT)
Big Hollow/Coot Hill Trail (.5 miles RT)
Cheney Mountain Trail (1.5 miles RT)
Crowfoot Pond Trail (5 miles RT)

For those who successfully complete the challenge on National Trail Day, they receive a commemorative embroidered patch. Doesn't that sounds like a lot of fun!?

On the other hand though Adirondack Mountain Club is hosting a restoration day with projects that vary in difficulty. I love to hike, and this seems like a good way to spend some time helping keep our trails up to par.

Regardless of what I end up doing this National Trail Day in the Adirondacks, I encourage everyone to get outside on Saturday, June 3rd. Whether you go for a hike or you take part in a trail restoration project it's going to be a day of celebration, especially along the Adirondack Coast. So, enjoy everyone and happy trails!