What is National TRACK Trails Day?
National TRACK Trails Day celebrates the commitment to engage families and children with the outdoors through Kids in Parks. This network-wide event on August 17, 2024 is a great opportunity to connect even more with local families, promote your TRACK Trail, and celebrate our collective achievements.
Whether your site offers fishing programs, guided hikes, kayak adventures, or any other outdoor activity, we encourage you to host an event on National TRACK Trails Day as a way to ignite a love for the outdoors amidst your community.
Over the last decade, Kids in Parks has partnered with a variety of partners across the country to install a network of nearly 300 TRACK Trail locations in 18 states and Washington, D.C. Thank you for being a Kids in Parks site, and we hope you'll join us in the celebration!
How to Host an Event
Hosting an event can be as simple as promoting National TRACK Trails Day through your social media and hanging up some of the provided flyers below. You can also mention it during previously scheduled programming or integrate the TRACK Trail into a guided hike or activity. Visitors can participate at all TRACK Trail sites by using the self-guided materials, whether it be the traditional brochures or e-Adventures.
If you would like to host a National TRACK Trails Day event - or have an applicable program on the same day that you would like us to promote - we want to help spread the word. Please register your planned activities using the form on this page. Kids in Parks is here to share your event to our network of Trail TRACKer families and followers. In the description of your event, you can provide links to event or registration sites so we can share them via our socials.
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Media Toolkit
Below are resources to help promote National TRACK Trails Day, your TRACK Trail, and any other correlating events in your community. We've tried to cover everything for this day, but if you have any promotional suggestions or need additional materials, please reach out and we'll do our best to help! Further graphics and logos can be found on our Partner Resources page.
Press Release
Official Press Release
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[Your park/forest name] hosts family activities
for National TRACK Trails Day on August 17
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An event celebrating a hiking program that connects kids to the outdoors.
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(City, State) – [Your Park Name] is inviting families to enjoy [your guided hike(s), activities, or educational program] a virtual celebration of the second annual National TRACK Trails Day on August 17. This day of nature adventures began as part of a nationwide celebration of the Kids in Parks program’s 10-year anniversary. Kids in Parks is comprised of a network of TRACK Trails, which include the [name of the trail at your park]. Each trail features a series of self-guided activities, which turn visits into fun and exciting outdoor experiences. Â
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[Details about your event including times, meet-up spots, recommended attire, items to bring, types of programs, etc.] Events will be held across the nation at numerous Kids in Parks TRACK Trails locations.Â
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By joining an organized event, using self-guided materials at [insert trail name here], or Kids in Parks new e-Adventures, participants can TRACK the Trails and register their hike at kidsinparks.com for a special National TRACK Trails Day sticker.
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Kids in Parks works to encourage children and parents to improve wellness by venturing outdoors and “unplugging” from the distractions of modern life. During a time when children have become increasingly disconnected from nature, the benefits of outdoor play can be dramatic and long-lasting. Studies have shown that children who play in natural settings have increased brain activity and higher SAT scores. They are likely to experience lower incidences of bullying, as well as decreased ADHD and depression. Not only do families benefit from being outdoors, but parks also benefit when people use them. Stronger connections between children and parks cultivate young stewards and advocates who understand the importance of public lands.
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Kids in Parks began with the installation of a TRACK Trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, N.C., and was developed by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation in partnership with the National Park Service and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. The program quickly expanded to additional parks and public lands across the country by demonstrating easy implementation and effectiveness.
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Today, there are nearly 300 TRACK Trails across 18 states, Washington, D.C., and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, comprising a national network of trails where kids and families can hike, bike, canoe, play disc golf, and more, all while learning about the natural, cultural, and historical resources located at each site. As a bonus, participants can earn free prizes in the mail for registering Kids in Parks adventures online. To learn more, visit KidsinParks.com.
Social Media Posts
- August 17 is #NationalTRACKTrailsDay! Celebrate with @KidsInParksBRPF by visiting your favorite TRACK Trail! Visit kidsinpark.com for NTTD events near you!
 - Kids and parents get out on August 17 for @KidsInParksBRPF’ #NationalTRACKTrailsDay! Find an event near you by visiting kidsinparks.com
 - Where will you hike on #NationalTRACKTrailsDay? Join @KidsInParks on August 17 and celebrate getting outdoors on TRACK Trails!Â
 - #NationalTRACKTrailsDay is August 17! Join us and @KidsInParks for a day of adventure on our TRACK Trail!
- Join us August 17 for #NationalTRACKTrailsDay! Find events here: (///)
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*If you follow our page, the Kids in Parks account should autofill.
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- August 17 is #NationalTRACKTrailsDay! Celebrate with @kids_in_parks by visiting your favorite TRACK Trail! Visit kidsinpark.com for NTTD events near you!
 - Kids and parents get out on August 17 for @kids_in_parks’ #NationalTRACKTrailsDay! Find an event near you by visiting kidsinparks.com
 - Where will you hike on #NationalTRACKTrailsDay? Join @kids_in_parks on August 17 and celebrate getting outdoors on TRACK Trails!Â
 - #NationalTRACKTrailsDay is August 17! Join us and @kids_in_parks for a day of adventure on our TRACK Trail!
- Join us August 17 for #NationalTRACKTrailsDay! Find events here: (///)
Blog and E-blast Posts
Long blurb
On August 17, 2024, Kids in Parks will celebrate the sixth annual National TRACK Trails Day! Numerous TRACK Trail locations across the nation will be hosting events, all to celebrate kids getting outdoors on TRACK Trails or through other outdoor agencies partnered with Kids in Parks. Participants are encouraged to visit their favorite TRACK Trail and join an organized event, complete one of KIP's self-guided brochures, or a play an e-Adventure. Register your adventures at kidsinparks.com on August 17 for a special National TRACK Trails Day sticker and virtual badge!
Kids in Parks works to connect kids and families to the nation’s public lands via their family-friendly TRACK Trails. Their mission has been to encourage children and parents to improve wellness by turning to nature; by venturing outdoors and “unplugging” from the distractions of modern life. And not only do people benefit from being outdoors, but parks also benefit when people use them. Stronger connections between children and our parks will cultivate stewards who understand the value of our public lands.
Today, Kids in Parks has nearly 300 TRACK Trails across 18 states, Washington, D.C., and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, comprising a national network of trails where kids and families can hike, bike, canoe, play disc golf, and more, all while learning about the natural, cultural, and historical resources located at each site. The program also operates its own, complementary parks prescription initiative called TRACK Rx, where they have partnered with more than 600 healthcare providers.
To learn more about National TRACK Trails Day and Kid in Parks TRACK Trails, visit kidsinparks.com. Also, be sure to follow Kids in Parks on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for updates on National TRACK Trails Day, and connect using #NationalTRACKTrailsDay and #TRACKtheTrails
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Short blurb
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On August 17, 2024, Kids in Parks will celebrate the sixth annual National TRACK Trails Day! Numerous TRACK Trail locations across the nation will be hosting events, all to celebrate kids getting outdoors on TRACK Trails or through other outdoor agencies partnered with Kids in Parks. Participants are encouraged to visit their favorite TRACK Trail and join an organized event, complete one of KIP's self-guided brochures, or a play an e-Adventure.
Kids in Parks works to connect kids and families to the nation’s public lands via their TRACK Trails, with the mission to encourage children and parents to improve wellness by turning to nature and “unplugging” from the distractions of modern life. People and parks benefit when people use them, and stronger connections between children and our parks will cultivate stewards who will understand the value of our public lands.
To learn more about National TRACK Trails Day, Kid in Parks TRACK Trails, or to find an event near you, visit kidsinparks.com. Follow Kids in Parks on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for updates on National TRACK Trails Day. #NationalTRACKTrailsDay #TRACKtheTrailsGraphic
Logos
Graphics & Flyers
Rights and Ownership
*The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Kids in Parks retain all rights to works created as part of TRACK Trail development. All signs, brochure content, e-Adventures, trail sticker designs, and other artwork are the intellectual property of the Kids in Parks program. If partner agency’s site(s) implement(s) a self-guided brochure or e-Adventure, and provides content (text, pictures, illustrations, diagrams, etc.) for the development of those materials, those elements remain in the control of partner agency. However, the packaged sign design, brochure design, e-Adventure design, sticker design, or other artwork design as completed by the Kids in Parks staff cannot be repurposed, altered, edited, branded, trademarked, or sold by the partner agency for its use, without the express written consent of the Kids in Parks program.