The Hike-A-Thon is designed to encourage people to connect with, and fully experience, nature. Participation is optional, and those who sign up to log their trail miles through a designated app between Oct. 1 and 31, can earn prizes while supporting the scholarship and subsidy program set up by Nature Unplugged for organizations and communities in need. 

Learn more about this year's Hike-A-Thon on the Nature Unplugged website and also get to know our partner Nature Collective.

Join us at the Kick-off Event: The date is set for Saturday, Sept. 28 from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. at Los Penasquitos Ranch House. Hands-on activities are being sponsored by many community partners with options for guests of all ages, interests and abilities, including Home Depot, I Love a Clean San Diego, San Diego Youth Services, First 5 and the County’s Office of Equitable Communities and Behavioral Health Services. RSVPs are not required.

View the Hike-A-Thon Kick-Off Flyer

Hit the Trails with our Friendly Ranger Team: Saturday hikes are free and open to everyone (though some may have special content for certain customer groups). View the following schedule and plan to join us for one, two, three or all four ranger-led hikes! RSVPs are not required. 

View The Ranger-Led Hiking Series Flyer for the 2024 Hike-A-Thon

By-the-Numbers: 2023 Hike-A-Thon: Some 75 attendees were part of the Oct. 1 Kick-off event at Los Penasquitos Ranch House last year, and over the next four weeks, hikes through Oakoasis, Sycamore Canyon/Goodan Ranch, Wilderness Gardens and Santa Ysabel County Preserves allowed park rangers to connect with nearly 160 customers. Hot topics of conversation were trail safety and etiquette, park history and culture, geology and geographic differences between regions, and native plants and wildlife. In all, the multi-faceted campaign drew 2,012 participants, with 412 of them from southern California and a total of 8,431 miles logged in San Diego!