Long Distance Hiking Association

Long Distance Hiking Association
Name	Long Distance Hiking Association
Formation	1970s
Type	Nonprofit association
Headquarters	United States
Region served	North America
Membership	Hikers, trail maintainers, volunteers

Long Distance Hiking Association The Long Distance Hiking Association is a nonprofit organization focused on supporting long-distance hikers, promoting trail stewardship, and fostering communities around multi-day routes such as the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail. It connects volunteers, trail organizations, and outdoor retailers while collaborating with federal and state land agencies like the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service. The association engages with research institutions and advocacy groups to influence policy affecting corridors such as the National Scenic Trail system and to preserve corridors across landscapes including the White Mountains, Sierra Nevada, and Rocky Mountains.

History

The association traces origins to grassroots networks that emerged from high-profile thru-hikers of the 1960s and 1970s including figures associated with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the founders of the Pacific Crest Trail Association, and volunteers from the Green Mountain Club and the Sierra Club. Early interactions involved coordination with federal entities such as the Bureau of Land Management and municipal agencies in regions like Vermont and California, and exchanges with international bodies including organizations linked to the Camino de Santiago and the European long-distance paths. Over decades the association worked alongside trail organizations such as American Hiking Society and The Nature Conservancy to respond to events including major wildfire seasons, flood events in the Mississippi River basin, and legislative efforts around corridor protection like debates over the National Trails System Act.

Mission and Activities

The association's mission encompasses supporting thru-hikers, promoting Leave No Trace ethics as articulated by Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, advocating for trail protection with partners such as the Conservation Fund and the Trust for Public Land, and providing logistical resources similar to those offered by regional trail clubs like the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club and the Appalachian Mountain Club. Activities include volunteer trail maintenance modeled after programs from the Student Conservation Association, emergency response coordination comparable to the Search and Rescue teams in the National Park Service, and educational outreach resembling initiatives by the Outdoor Industry Association and the American Alpine Club.

Membership and Chapters

Membership draws hikers, trail maintainers, guides, and outfitters from regions served by corridor organizations such as the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, the Pacific Crest Trail Association, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Chapters mirror the structure of state and regional groups like the Washington Trails Association, Colorado Mountain Club, and Massachusetts Appalachian Trail Club, and collaborate with institutions including the Smithsonian Institution and university outdoor programs at University of Colorado Boulder and University of Vermont. Benefits echo services provided by organizations such as Backpacker Magazine, REI, and the American Hiking Society, offering discounts, insurance information, and networking with guides linked to entities like NOLS and Outward Bound.

Events and Programs

Programming includes annual conferences similar to gatherings hosted by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and symposiums modeled on meetings of the Trails Symposium and the International Federation of Landscape Architects. The association organizes trail workdays in concert with groups such as the National Park Service, Forest Service, and local clubs like the Finger Lakes Trail Conference and the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative. It runs mentorship and skills workshops drawing on curricula from Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, wilderness first aid endorsed by National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, and resupply logistics informed by guidebooks from publishers such as Stackpole Books and Falcon Guides.

Publications and Resources

Resources include trip planning guides, gear lists, and policy briefs that reference standards used by American Hiking Society, route descriptions comparable to those in Backpacker (magazine), and data sharing with mapping platforms similar to OpenStreetMap and apps like Gaia GPS and AllTrails. The association produces newsletters and journals with content on trail science akin to articles in Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism and collaborates on research with university departments such as University of Montana’s outdoor programs and landscape research centers at Yale University and University of California, Berkeley.

Partnerships and Advocacy

Partnerships span federal and state agencies including the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management, nonprofit partners such as the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Pacific Crest Trail Association, The Nature Conservancy, American Hiking Society, and corporate supporters from the outdoor industry like REI and Patagonia (clothing). Advocacy efforts address legislative issues tied to the National Trails System Act, land-use planning in states like Montana and Oregon, and conservation finance initiatives modeled on the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The association participates in coalitions with groups such as the Conservation Lands Foundation, engages with emergency management bodies like FEMA on disaster response for trails, and contributes to policy discussions at forums including the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.

Category:Hiking organizations