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National

Take a Hike Day

Learning Adventure

Follow the trail into fresh air, curious discoveries, and a little writing adventure.

Curated by Laela

An illustrated style image of a hiking trail in the mountains with forest and butterflies

Take a Hike!

📌 Quick Facts📅 November 17🇺🇸 Celebrated in the US 🥾 Inspired by President LBJ’s 1965 trails initiative.

❤️ Why We Celebrate

National Take a Hike Day is an invitation to lace up your shoes, step outside, and discover where a trail might lead. Today, slow down, look around, and listen closely. You may discover that the woods have quite a lot to say.

💡 Did You Know?

The Appalachian Trail stretches nearly 2,200 miles across 14 states!

✨ Adventure Highlights

✏️ Personification 🥾 Appalachian Trail 🧭 Navigation 🎒 Hiking Essentials

Read

📖

The Hike

by Alison Farrell

The Hike by Alison Farrell follows three young explorers as they head into the woods, noticing plants, animals, and tiny details along the way. Although it’s often recommended for younger readers, the richly labeled illustrations make it especially fun to linger over with older kids too… there’s always something new to identify, from mushrooms and wildflowers to birds and other forest discoveries.

As you read, pay attention to the details the hikers notice. What might you discover if you explored a trail of your own?

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Write

✏️

Use personification to bring a hiking trail to life. Describe the woods as if the natural world has human actions, feelings, or attitudes.Perhaps the trees whisper as you pass, the wind tugs at your backpack, a creek laughs over the rocks, or the trail itself tries to convince you to keep going.

Need ideas?

Personification gives human actions, feelings, or qualities to something that isn’t human. Instead of writing “the wind was strong,” you might write “the wind pushed against me.” Instead of “the leaves moved,” perhaps “the leaves danced across the trail.” Maybe the fog creeps between the trees or an old oak watches everyone who passes.

As you describe your hike, think about the personality of the trail itself. Does it feel welcoming, mysterious, playful, grumpy, or wild?

Family Fun

🎉

Take a Hike!

Choose a nearby trail, park, or even a familiar walk around your neighborhood and head outside together.

Along the way, see whether your family can spot:

🍂 Something moving
👂 Something you hear before you see
🌳 Something with an interesting texture
👣 Evidence that an animal has been nearby
🔎 Something tiny you might normally overlook

Before heading home, have everyone choose one favorite discovery.

For a little extra fun: Ask, “If that object could talk, what would it say?”

Keep the adventure simple. Even a 10-minute walk counts.

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🌎 Adventure Trails 📌 Open the World Explorer Map

Every adventure has another path to follow. Choose a trail and see where your curiosity leads!

History Trail: The Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail began as an ambitious idea in 1921 and was completed in 1937. Since then, hikers of all ages have tackled the journey… including people as young as five and as old as 86! Explore the history of the trail and discover some of the remarkable people who have completed it.

Wonder Challenge: Follow the Appalachian Trail on a map from Georgia to Maine. Which 14 states does it pass through? Then look for the National Park Service sites along its route, including Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah National Parks. Which section would you most like to explore?

Navigation Trail: Find Your Direction

Before GPS, hikers relied on maps, landmarks, and compasses to find their way. A compass points toward magnetic north, and hikers can use it together with a map to orient themselves and follow a route. The National Park Service still recommends carrying and knowing how to use a map and compass rather than relying only on a phone.

Wonder Challenge: The sun rises generally in the east and sets generally in the west. Step outside and figure out which direction is east and which is west where you live. Then use a compass to check yourself. Can you identify north and south too?

Survival Trail: Pack the Essentials

A safe hike begins before you ever step onto the trail. Hikers prepare for changing weather, carry enough water, bring navigation tools, pack extra clothing and food, and think about what they would need if an ordinary day hike lasted longer than expected. NPS hiking guidance includes navigation, sun protection, insulation, first aid, food, water, illumination, and emergency shelter among the essentials hikers should consider.

Wonder Challenge: Imagine you can carry only five important items on a day hike. What would you choose? Compare your choices with an official hiking essentials list. Is there anything important you forgot?

Would you rather...

National Take a Hike Day infographic / lesson plan

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Printable Lesson Snapshot

Keep today’s book pick, writing prompt, family activity, and discussion ideas together in one colorful overview.

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Take a Hike Day