National Trails Day falls on Saturday, June 6, and the folks at Shenandoah National Park have plenty of ways for you to celebrate.

For starters, the the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club is inviting new hikers and experienced backpackers to learn new trail skills at PATC Trail Patrol’s “Beyond the Trailhead” event at Shenandoah's Byrd Visitor Center (milepost 51 on Skyline Drive). There will be hikes, demonstrations, and presentations throughout the day.

The event is designed to give novice hikers the information they need to leave their cars behind and venture beyond the trailhead to enjoy this area’s numerous hiking and nature trails. Even experienced backpackers can learn new skills at the information tables and discussion groups on Leave No Trace outdoor ethics, hiking techniques, and equipment. Hands-on demonstrations of traditional tools, such as crosscut saws, used to maintain trails will be offered by Shenandoah National Park trail crew.

A variety of hikes guided by experienced Trail Patrol members will be offered for people of all ages and experience levels: hikes suitable for families with children; easy, moderate, and advanced hikes for adults. Hikers will need to meet at the registration table at Byrd Visitor Center 15 minutes before the hike time to sign in. Hikers should wear appropriate footwear and clothing for the season, and bring food and plenty of water.

For a breakdown on the hiking options, check out this page.

Pre-registration is encouraged but you may also register on June 6 at Byrd Visitor Center. To pre-register, go to this page and look for the email link below the chart of hikes. Send your email to PATC by June 4. Please include your name and which hike you wish to join.

A presentation about thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, Appalachian Trail Reflections, will be offered as part of the National Trails Day event. Maryland backpackers Georgia Harris and Randy Motz will share their 2006 thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail by describing what trail life is like, relating what it takes to accomplish a thru-hike, and showing photos of their journey. The one hour presentation will be given three times:

* Saturday, June 6 at 1:00 p.m. at the Byrd Visitor Center auditorium

* Saturday, June 6 at 8:30 p.m. at the Big Meadows amphitheater

* Sunday, June 7 at 10:00 a.m. at the Byrd Visitor Center auditorium

PATC and Trail Patrol are charging no fees to attend or participate in any hike, workshop, or demonstration connected with the event; however, there is a $15-per-car entrance fee to the park (good for seven days). Byrd Visitor Center lies within the park at milepost 51 on Skyline Drive between the Thornton Gap entrance on Highway 211 and the Swift Run Gap entrance on Highway 33.

For more information about the event, visit the PATC website, or contact Trail Patrol via email. For more information on the park, visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/shen. “Beyond the Trailhead” celebrates the annual National Trails Day organized and sponsored by American Hiking Society.

Trail Patrol is the education and outreach arm of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC). Trail Patrol members hike area trails to offer information and assistance to hikers and backpackers who need their help. Trail Patrol volunteers report trail conditions to PATC trail maintainers and offer public classes in beginning and intermediate backpacking, hike leadership training, and Leave No Trace outdoor ethics.

Potomac Appalachian Trail Club is the volunteer trails maintenance group headquartered in Vienna, Virginia that maintains 240 miles of mid-Atlantic Appalachian Trail and 730 miles of other trails in Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, southern Pennsylvania, and eastern West Virginia. PATC volunteers build and maintain trailside hiker shelters and rustic rental cabins; publish detailed trails maps, hiking guidebooks, and books detailing the history and folklore of the Appalachian region.

For families with young children, Shenandoah National Park will host a Hiking With Children seminar on Sunday, June 14, 2009, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This program is for parents who have wanted to go hiking with their children but worried about what to do to keep them interested, entertained, and safe. Here is the chance to learn from an expert. Join Jeff Alt, noted author of A Walk for Sunshine and avid hiker, to learn firsthand how to share nature with children for a fun and safe outdoor adventure.

Jeff has hiked the more-than-2,175 mile-length of the Appalachian Trail on his own. During the summer of 2007, with his wife and extended family, he carried his 21-month-old daughter on a 50-mile hike across a swath of Ireland. At the Hiking With Children program, Jeff will provide tips on how families with children can experience nature together on the trails in Shenandoah National Park.

The Hiking With Children seminar will begin in the Massanutten Room at Big Meadows Lodge, mile 51.2 on Skyline Drive The program is free but reservations are requested. There is a $15 per-car entrance fee to the park, good for seven days.

To register for the seminar, go here.

Hiking With Children is just one of the park's Resource Seminars designed for those who want to get to know their national park a little more personally. Seminars provide a more in-depth experience to learn from scientists, researchers, educators, and other experts about resource issues and recreational opportunities in Shenandoah National Park. Future seminars include Jeff Alt’s return for a repeat session of Hiking With Children on Sunday, July 12, 2009, The Basics of Family Camping, June 27-28 and July 18-19, 2009, and The American Chestnut: Restoring Forest Majesty, Saturday, August 22, 2009.

The complete Resource Seminar schedule can be found on the park’s website. Members of the Shenandoah National Park Association receive a 20 percent discount on seminars with a fee. The Shenandoah National Park Resource Seminars are co-sponsored by the Shenandoah National Park Association and ARAMARK, the park’s official concessioner.

For more information, contact the park’s Education Office at 540-999-3500, extension 3489.