Hey there my lovelies! I just wanted to let you all know about something my little family and I have started. This is, for many different reasons, but one of the most important is to reconnect with nature. Sometimes, I feel there is a huge disconnect with my body and my spiritual self, and the best way to get that balance back is to be out in nature.
I came across this post on social media in a hiking group and it got me very interested in what this could be. I clicked on a simple hashtag and followed the bread crumbs so to speak, and what I found was this amazing challenge to help people reconnect with the outside world around them. Its called the 52 Hike Challenge.
There is one main goal: GET OUTDOORS AND HIKE ONCE A WEEK FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR. Sounds simple enough right? What are the focus areas of this goal you might ask…
- Recharge Your Mind
- Explore Nature
- Connect With Family, Friends and Yourself!
- Boost Memory and Concentration
- Increase Energy Levels
- Burn Calories
- Increases Creativity
- Learn Healthy Habits
- Gain Mental Awareness
All of these things are what my family and I need! So I figured why not! We started planning our first hike almost instantly. I shared one of the results of that hike the other day:
https://luna-owl.com/2022/06/26/dolls-head-trail-atlanta-georgia/
Please feel free to have a look at the photos and see some of what we found along that hike.
The hikes do not have to be terribly challenging unless you want them to be, we are starting off slow, because that is what my body needs. If you are able to do more vigorous hikes then that is amazing ❤
I bet you have some more questions so let me share this with you directly from their site:
HOW IT WORKS
Sign up for the challenge
Sign up for the 52 Hike Challenge above.
Download Your Hiking Log & Educate Yourself on Hiking
Download the 52 Hike Challenge excel hiking log here.
Here is what that looks like:
You don’t have to have one but it does help with planning. You can print it out and put it on your fridge or you can continue to plan digitally whatever works best for you.
Support the challenge by ordering your stickers & patch to motivate you on your goal.
Get your Patch and stickers here.
Start planning your next trip.
Start planning all your hikes, research and mark them on your calendar!
Enjoy each visit.
The only way to start something, is to go out and do it. Enjoy each adventure and make sure to tag us on social using the hashtags #52HikeChallenge #52HikeChallenge(YEAR)
Share the challenge with your loved ones
Spread the hiking and adventure love. Tell your friends and family about your challenge and see how many people you can inspire to get outdoors too.
When does the challenge start?
NOW, so get out there with and start counting your hikes! This is a year long goal and we want you to embrace it from the date you first learned about the challenge and committed to it.
Can I do the 52 Hike Challenge if I am in another country?
YES!! The challenge can be taken anywhere in the world. To date we’ve had hikers in Canada, Egypt, Poland, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Indonesia and more!
I just found out about the challenge. Can I count previous hikes?
We want this challenge to be intentional. This challenge is about immersing yourself in nature to gain the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional benefit that come from the outdoors. So please start counting one year from the first day you started your first hike.
What is considered a “Hike”?
Since it is our mission to make this challenge accessible to people of all abilities, we’ll count 1-mile minimum as a hike. This includes a walk in your neighborhood, hike, a snowshoe adventure on flat land (for those who are in colder climates).
Is there a list of hikes I need to complete?
No, this is about you making a commitment and getting outdoors more, so it can be something from a nature walk to a longer hike. We do have a log, download it here! In addition, we find a lot of challengers get hiking ideas from searching what others have posted using hashtag #52HikeChallenge. Searching this in Instagram reveals a lot of cool places to put on your bucket list, click this link to see what other challengers are sharing.
Will I be doing the hikes with 52 Hike Challenge?
We really want everybody around the world to be doing this – and we just can’t be everywhere at the same time, so unfortunately no. However, you can check your park on docent led hikes. We also host pop-up hikes that occur in many areas, please sign up for our newsletter where we announce our group trips. Other than that, we hope we gave you all the resources (clothing/gear recommendations and hiking groups) you need to get started in your area!
Can I repeat a hike? Do they have to be different?
Yes, you can do repeat hikes.
Are there any prizes or awards?
We are happy you are doing the challenge! Make sure to fill out the finisher form for a yearly chance to win an awesome Prize Pack and get listed on the Official 52 Hike Challenge Finishers Page! You can also purchase a finisher medal on our site.
How do I find hikes?
Check out our Finding Trails page, you can also do an online search, or buy a local hiking book. 🙂 Better yet, stop by the local ranger station of your chosen park / area and get their recommendation. You can also learn more on our Planning Your Hikes & Goal Setting For Your 52 Hike Challenge blog post.
Why did you start this Challenge?
Most of it is covered under “About Us“. We really believe getting outdoors can change people’s lives for the better. As you can imagine, we have had a great journey and our lives have changed – we also believe if we can do it, so can you!
How will you keep track of my hikes?
We currently use social media and a bit of the honor system. To do this, we ask that you post a picture of your hike on social media and tell us what hike number it is by using hashtags. For example, hike one will be #hike1, hike two will be #hike2, and so on, as well as tagging us at #52HikeChallenge(YEAR) or #52HikeChallenge and @52HikeChallenge so that we can see your progress. We also hope that in the process you encourage more friends and family to get outdoors and join you! In addition, we have provided a Hiking Log for you to download and strongly encourage you to keep track of your hikes to help you stay motivated.
I have other questions not listed here…
Please review our general F.A.Q’s here. If your question still hasn’t been answered please use our contact form to submit your questions to us.
Facebook Chapters/Groups
If you want to join a hiking chapter in your area check out their Facebook groups you might even see me there in the Georgia Chapter ❤
https://www.facebook.com/52hikechallenge/groups/
We hope to see some of you join us on this new challenge and experience in our lives, you can follow along here on our blog and on our photography page. https://www.facebook.com/forgottenstills
Much love to you all!
Mrs. B
Podcast for this post is up! https://anchor.fm/jessica-l-bicknell
LunaOwl 