In conjunction with National Trails Day on June 4th, the Montgomery County Health Department (MCHD), with assistance from the Montgomery County Planning Commission (MCPC), and the Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites Division (PTHS) of the Department of Assets and Infrastructure, will launch an exciting new way to “Get Out and Go Montco” – the Montco Trail Challenge.
The Montco Trail Challenge is a family friendly summer initiative to highlight and increase utilization of the county trail system while promoting the benefits of physical activity and heart health. Designated county parks, township community centers and libraries, and YMCAs will have Montco Trail Challenge cards available for distribution beginning the first full week of June. The Montco Trail Challenge Card contains 10 trails of varying length. The goal of the challenge is to visit at least five trails during the program period, which runs from June 4th to September 4th, 2016.
On Saturday, June 4th from 8:00am to1:00pm, staff from the Montgomery County Health Department, Planning Commission, and Parks Trails, and Historic Sites Division will be onsite at the Schuylkill River Trail (at the Longford Road trailhead near the Upper Providence Township Dog Park) under the “Get Out and Go Montco” tent to promote the initiative and the county’s trail circuit.
Montco Trail Challenge participants may register online at www.montcopa.org/trailchallenge to officially begin the challenge. Each trail will have a unique symbol posted at its multiple entry points (aka trail heads). When an individual or family visits one of the trails, they can record the symbol on their card. Once they have completed the challenge, they have two options: 1) Return the card to a drop box at a park listed on the card OR 2) Enter the information online through a webpage maintained by MCHD. At the end of the trail challenge, each participant who returned the card or entered information online will be mailed a participation medal (in the spirit of the 2016 Summer Olympics).
This project was funded by the PA Department of Health’s Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant to support heart health in the community.
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