To honor our commitment to doing better for the planet we created the Oboz Trails for Trees Challenge. This challenge isn’t about how far or fast you can hike, but how often you go. Each time you lace up and hit the trail for at least one mile, Oboz will plant a tree.

From April 1st to April 30th all you have to do is get out and hike, log your activity on a tracking app, and submit it to us. The more hikes you do, the more trees Oboz plants. Whether you’re able to venture into the wilderness or simply hike through your neighborhood, as long as it’s over a mile, we count it. 

To further celebrate the Trails for Trees Challenge, each week on Friday we’ll draw winners from our participant pool to win prizes including the all new Oboz Katabatic Wind, Leki Cross Trail 3 TA Treking Poles, an Osprey Hikelite 26 Pack, and more! We hope to surpass last years Fast Trails Challenge during which 5,403 trees were planted.

As the challenge has been ramping up, we’ve been excited to see many participants posting in our Trails for Trees Facebook group. This group is a landing page for participants to share their journeys and help Oboz plant as many trees as possible. From logistical questions, to best hiking snacks, to meeting new hiking buddies, it’s all in the group! 

Even though there's still plenty of time left to join this challenge, we wanted to share some of our favorite posts that Oboz hikers have added, so far. Read on for amazing adventures including tiny gnome villages and allegedly one of the best dog trails around. 

User, Lisa, was one of the first posts in this years challenge. Her and her 91-year-old husband took a walk through their local trail system. She found out about the Trails for Trees Challenge after she went on her hike, noting that she wasn't sure how to get credit for her activity since it wasn't logged on an app. Commenters were quick to jump in and lend a helping hand to get credit for her miles. 

Adventures big and small abound in this group. Although some participants are hiking in new locations, most of us are completing our miles on our local trail systems. Poster, Ancheta, shared amazing photos of trails right out her front door, captioning her post “I wanted to share some of mother nature’s beautiful treasures from yesterday’s solo neighborhood hike-total 4 miles”. 

Getting on the trail means seeing the beauty in little things. Whether that's the first flowers of spring, or more unusual discoveries. One poster, Rikiann, added images from tiny gnome villages placed along her hiking route.

Some challenge participants have set goals for their April hikes in the hopes of planting as many trees as they can. Jessica and Darrell post about spending April hiking “deep in the heart of Texas”. They shared their goal of 60 trees planted on their behalf. Jessica shared this sentiment “We look forward to seeing glimpses of nature from around the world from all of you. Happy Hikes!”. 

While most of us hike from our hometowns, some group members are a bit further from home. 52 Hikes founder, Karla Amador, posted in the Facebook group about her inaugural Trails for Trees hike through Meiji Jingu, Tokyo Japan. She saw ancient relics and beautiful landscapes throughout her hike, all while contributing trees planted on her behalf. One of our favorite things about this challenge is seeing all the places hiking takes people. From Japan to your local trails, there are always interesting sights to be seen. 

Furry friends are also getting in on the action accompanying their humans on their trail adventures. One poster, Joel, and his pup have been participating in this year's challenge. On their most recent outing they noticed evidence of beavers living in the area, comically noting: “Trails for Trees: 2 Beavers: 1”. Bozeman poster, Lois, took her dogs on a Trails for Trees adventure to what she deemed “one of the best dog trails around”. Her companions seemed more than happy to roam freely on this dog friendly trail system.

Hiking means more than just miles logged. However you venture outdoors, there is so much to be discovered on the trail. Rebecca, shared her experience from the first week of hikes; "Doing an unexpected trail clean up with friends in a town we’re visiting! Always a great feeling leaving places better than we found it, was also a bonus knowing we were planting trees too."

From new beautiful places to simply enjoying the outdoors, there’s nothing quite like a hike to set the tone for the day. We've been excited to see participants getting into the spirit of the Trails for Trees Challenge. Knowing that our miles go towards a greater cause is the extra motivation needed to get outside. Poster, Jessica, noted, "I am feeling rejuvenated!… even with my sore legs. Favorite moments outside has been the ability to just be “present” in the moment while I’m on the trails. Also…the bluebonnets! I love seeing and smelling the bluebonnets that are lining the trails here in Austin, TX."

Scrolling through the Facebook group has inspired us to hit the trail and hope it will inspire you to join us in helping plant trees this April. It’s not too late to join the Trails for Trees challenge, simply click here to register. Each hike over a mile counts towards one tree planted on your behalf and you'll be entered into our weekly giveaways.

Here at Oboz we are proud to honor Earth Month with this challenge as celebration and step towards our larger sustainability goals. If you’re interested in learning more, check out this blog post about our recent B Corp Certification or check out this page about Oboz and our commitment to sustainability.

Happy Trails!