Trails, Families, and a Natural Partnership

PORTLAND, Ore. - Feb. 13, 2015 - PRLog -- Hike it Baby, a national organization dedicated to getting families out on the trails with newborns, toddlers, and children, has partnered with the American Hiking Society to provide even more opportunities for families to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Nearly 70 Hike it Baby groups across the country will promote the 23rd annual National Trails Day by hosting free hikes for families on Saturday, June 6, 2015. American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day® is a nationally recognized trail awareness program that occurs on the first Saturday of June and and inspires the public to discover, learn about, and celebrate trails while participating in outdoor activities and trail stewardship projects.

"Through our partnership with American Hiking Society, we can get more families out onto trails than ever before," says Hike it Baby Founder, Shanti Hodges.  "American Hiking Society, protects and promotes trails and the hiking experience, while Hike it Baby gathers people together and encourages them to seek out new trails. It seemed like a natural connection."

“We are excited to partner with Hike it Baby to inspire more families to get out and active on National Trails Day®. Our nation’s trails offer Americans from all walks of life boundless opportunities to enjoy nature, renew themselves, and establish a lifetime of fitness” notes Gregory Miller, President of American Hiking Society.  “From city dwellers and suburban families to rural and country residents, children to senior citizens, trails offer every American a healthy, enjoyable way to spend time outside.”

Hike it Baby hosts free hikes for families to help minimize the effects of postpartum depression in new mothers (and fathers), create a network of like-minded individuals, help families discover new parts of their cities and county, and teach children an appreciation for nature from the newborn stage on. The organization was founded in Portland Oregon in 2013 by Shanti Hodges. Currently, there are 70 branches in the US, as well as in Canada and Australia, with nearly 10,000 members. The organization is run entirely by volunteers nationwide. For more information on Hike it Baby, please visit www.hikeitbaby.com

Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national, recreation-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s hiking trails, their surrounding natural areas, and the hiking experience. To learn more about American Hiking Society, visit www.AmericanHiking.org.

For further information on National Trails Day and the list of scheduled events, please visit www.nationaltrailsday.org.