Allen County Trailblazers

Mission: To encourage and promote exposure to the outdoors, provide opportunities for physical fitness and mental wellness, and to increase the awareness and support of all participating agencies.

 

Allen County has an array of incredible natural areas, parks and nature preserves to serve the population with opportunities for hiking. All provide a setting for the fitness movement, places for family fun and exercise, and ways to address the physical fitness shortcomings of us all.

 

Cooperating agencies have assembled a list of 15 trails at various sites, each about 1 mile in length.  Hikers who complete 10 of the listed trails will receive an award (see below).  These trails will change on a rotating basis over several years.

 

Forms can be downloaded online or picked up at agency offices after completing a short sign-up form so the number of participants can be tracked.  The Trailblazers form will have space for an agency representative to sign next to each trail and a space for the date hiked, along with participant contact information. Cooperating agency logos and contact information are included.  The back of the form will have directions to the parks areas where the trails are located. Any participating agency staff member can sign the form.  This is primarily an honors system, and any agency representative can sign any space on the form as long as the date hiked is filled out.  The form is turned in to obtain the reward below.

 

The program reward is a bronze medallion that can be mounted on a hiking stick.   A sticker to attach to the walking stick will have the logos of all participating agencies and be included.  Sticks will be available at cost (about $3).  Awards may be picked up at Metea or Fox Island County Park Nature Centers, the New Haven Parks office and the Fort Wayne Parks office.  This program will run from September 1 to November 30, with last awards given out by January 30.

 

 

 

 

 

This program is modeled after the Fall Hiking Spree in Summit County, Ohio.  Successfully offered to residents there for 47 years by the local Metro Parks district, this program serves thousands of participants every year - 14,000 reported for 2009.  

 

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