This program aims to unite hikers across Canada, from the Yukon to Newfoundland and Labrador, while also providing educational opportunities about hiking trails and the country’s hikers. To earn the National Hiker Award badge and Certificate, participants must complete four challenges.

1. TRAIL MAINTENANCE: Participation is required in one trail maintenance work party. Contact your local trail association and inform them that you are working towards your National Hiker Award badge and need to participate in a work party. This is a fun and rewarding experience.

2. HIKING EVENTS: You also need to help with two hiking events. This could involve serving hot chocolate at a hiking open house, setting up chairs, answering questions about hiking, or assisting with parking cars. Local parks frequently hold promotional hiking events.

3. CUMULATIVE HIKING: You are required to hike a total of 50 km. This distance can be accumulated through several hikes to reach the goal.

4. LEGACY HIKES: Previous hikes, whether from last week or five years ago, can be counted toward your total distance. The objective of the program is to demonstrate your hiking trail experience, so please provide details of these hikes, including the names of the trails. The same applies to any trail maintenance you have completed and hiking events you have attended; include the details of each activity.

In addition to completing the challenges, you must also take an online quiz. The quiz consists of multiple-choice or true/false questions covering topics such as environment, geography, history, Indigenous culture, nature, safety, trails, and weather. A sample of these topics can be found on the nationalhikingtrail.org website, in the Knowledge Base.

Background: The National Hiking Trail is a heritage trail that has been in existence for 52 years, comprising many wilderness hiking trails across Canada. We also have feeder trails that connect to the main trail, as well as prestigious trails that meet the criteria for wilderness hiking but are remote from the main trail. Hike Canada en Marche is a national organization that promotes hiking interests and the National Hiking Trail.

To further promote these interests, the National Hiker Award was created, featuring several goals and exams for each level, launched in November 2023. There are three award sections, each with multiple steps. As you progress to the Advanced Level for Elite Hikers and the Distinguished Level for Super Elite Hikers, you will face greater challenges. These include physical hiking challenges, documented trail maintenance, and an online multiple-choice exam testing your knowledge of long-distance hiking trails in Canada, historic trails, safety, first aid, weather, natural history, and Indigenous trail connections.

Each award level will involve increasingly complex questions and require more physical challenges as you advance. Although this program may be challenging, it is designed to be an enjoyable experience. If you feel ready to take on the challenge, click on this link to register for the National Hiker Award, visit https://nationalhikingtrail.org/ or contact us at na****************@***il.com.