BeCause

For the Trail Traveler

March 29, 2017
The best views aren’t always the easiest to find. Being in the midst of the concrete jungles of modern life often makes it more difficult to see the beauty all around; sometimes, it’s elevation that’s needed. Thankfully, there are hiking trails near many of our favorite destinations that can give your donors not just the outdoors experience or the exercise that they desire, but also postcard-worthy views that inspire awe and makes a traveler want to plan return trips.

Some of our favorite non-profit fundraising travel auction packages with nearby hiking adventures include:

Philadelphia: The City of Brotherly Love’s renaissance over the last decade has done wonders for its status as a tourist destination, but one aspect that’s always been strong in Philadelphia has been its abundance of hiking opportunities. There’s the Schuylkill River Trail, a marathon-length route that starts near the city’s Museum of Art and runs along the waterfront (and close enough to the historic Manayunk Bridge, reopened in 2015, that a side trip may be in order). Ridley Creek State Park, just outside of Philadelphia proper, is more than 2,500 acres of trails, fly fishing and horse riding. And for the “urban hikers,” the city also has more outdoor sculptures and murals than most cities in the country.

Los Angeles: Hollywood? Sure. Beaches? Of course. But very few would associate Los Angeles with hiking. However, the city has not only a tremendous network of trails (the Backbone Trail, which runs 70 miles through the Santa Monica Mountains, starts in neighboring Malibu), but many that are accessible for those staying in urban areas: Griffith Park is the one of the country’s largest urban parks, with trails heading in every direction, while the Runyon Canyon hike is a beginner-level stroll that attracts people from all walks of life. Many of the city’s iconic views come from a trail; the Hollywood sign is best seen either from Griffith Park or the Mt. Hollywood Trail, while the trails at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park have some of the best views of the downtown skyline.

Telluride: Of course, one might have more of an expectation of outdoor beauty in this Colorado favorite. But until your donors are standing at the summit of Ajax Peak, or overlooking the mountain village from Beak Creek Falls, it can be hard to sum up just how breath-taking views from a simple hiking trail can be. During the warmer months, the Bridal Veil Falls (the largest in the state of Colorado) attract visitors from everywhere, and both snowshoeing and cross-country are very popular on some of the trails in the winter. For the experienced hikers, a journey on the Sneffels Highline will take the visitor deeper into the mountain backcountry.