Hiking Challenges to Motivate You and Your Family in 2020
Looking for hiking challenges to motivate you to get outside all year round? We’ve compiled a list of awesome, family-friendly outdoor and hiking challenges for you. Challenge yourself this year to increase health, decrease stress and spend quality time making memories with your loved ones. (Did we miss a hiking challenge you participate in? Comment below!) 
Hike it Baby 30
Our biannual fundraiser and membership-based virtual challenges in April and September are meant to encourage families across the globe to get their babies and children outside more. The goal is to get outside for 30 minutes 3 times a week or reach 30 outdoor miles in 30 days. You can choose from 3 participation levels, which start at a $5 donation: 1) the original HiB 30, which includes a challenge sticker, access to the challenge-specific Facebook page, entry to win loads of awesome prizes, etc., 2) HiB 30 Take it Outside, which includes all of the perks of the original HiB 30 in addition to the Take it Outside guide with sticker sheet, activity calendar, and 30 days worth of activities, and 3) community participation, which includes access to the challenge-specific Facebook page.
52 Hike Challenge
There are now a total of 5 Challenges to choose from including the original three (the Original, Adventure Series, and Explorer Series) along with two brand new challenges for 2020. The first new challenge is the National Park Series, which involves visiting 52 Nationally Designated Parks and areas in your lifetime (this is the only lifetime challenge). The second new challenge is the Kids Series, which encourages families to get their kiddos outside with 52+ outdoor activity ideas.
20 in 20 Adventure Challenge
This challenge is run through Hike Like a Woman and involves challenging ourselves to have 20 adventures throughout 2020. An adventure can be anything from hiking a new trail or learning a new skill to going on an epic backpacking trip. The choice is yours! Registration is open until January 15, and the cost is $10, which includes discounts on gear, a sticker, welcome packet, entry into the private challenge Facebook group, and entry to win cool prizes.
1000 Hours Outside
The concept is simple: get your family outdoors for roughly 20 hours a week. That equals out to a little less than 3 hours a day. It may seem like a daunting task, but the benefits are endless! Entry into the challenge is free and includes loads of encouragement and ideas along with a time tracker to keep track of your outside time.
365 Mile Challenge
The goal of this challenge is to get outdoors and move one mile a day in 2020. These miles must be self-propelled, such as hiking, biking or snowshoeing; but activities like snowmobiling don’t count. The challenge runs from January 1 to December 31 and includes mini-challenges throughout the year to give you extra motivation and incentive. The registration fee ($25) gets you exclusive discounts, access to the Facebook group for motivation, entry into prize drawings, and more.
100 Hours Unplugged
The O.A.R.S. Whitewater Rafting Adventures company started the 100 Hours Unplugged initiative and encourages participants to go a full 100 hours completely UNPLUGGED. That means no screen time whatsoever for 100 hours. For many families, this challenge may seem impossible, but why not plan an extended summer camping or adventure trip? The results have the potential to be profound, and you may be surprised by how your family dynamics change!
Run the Edge
This community’s mission is “Everyone included, Everyone Challenged, and Everyone Successful." They offer 3 main challenges to help motivate you to reach your goals and get healthy in 2020. The first is the Run the Year challenge where you set a goal of how many miles you want to run or walk in 2020 (you can choose from 500, 1,000, 1,500, or 2,020). This can be done solo or in a team of up to 5 people, and registration starts at $25. The second challenge is called the Streaker Series in which you do at least 20 minutes or 1 mile of exercise each day. You can earn badges throughout the month and get entered to win cool prizes. The last challenge is the Amerithon challenge in which you run, walk, bike, hike or swim the equivalent of 3,521 miles (the length of the U.S.A.) in a year either on your own or in a team of up to 8 people.
Ultimate Hiking Challenge
This challenge consists of hiking, backpacking, or trail running a certain number of miles within a year. You can choose from 4 set milestones: 100, 250, 500, or 1000 miles. The challenge is open to everyone worldwide and registration is free. You can buy a medal package upon completion if you would like a memento from your journey.
Local Challenges
Depending on where you live, you may often hear about different “challenges” in your area. These can range from family-friendly challenges, such as visiting all of the fire towers or waterfalls in the area, to more intense challenges, such as scaling all of the 14,000-foot mountains in your state. A few popular choices included the Six Pack of Peaks, the Views and Brews, and the North Country Trail Hike 100 Challenges. Your local Hike it Baby Branch Facebook page is a great place to ask about local challenges near you, or you can simply do a Google search for local challenges. This article lists a number of other great options.
Create Your Own Challenge
Have you ever created a “hiking bucket list” for your area? Or maybe you strive for “no zero days” (spending time outside every day) during the year. Do you want to explore the beautiful National and State Parks in your area? Whatever it is, personal challenges can give you room to work around your schedule and make it work for your family. A great place to start is to head over to the Family Trail Guide to see which trails are close to you (and add more to the guide as you hike new ones!).
Join a community that motivates all families with babies and young children to get outside and connect with nature more often. Learn about Hike it Baby membership benefits and join today!
About Hike it Baby
Hike it Baby is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to getting families outdoors and on trails across the U.S. and internationally, supporting, educating and inspiring families through their more than 300 communities across North America. Since its grassroots inception in 2013 in Portland, Oregon, Hike it Baby is now a growing community of 270,000 families and 500 volunteer branch ambassadors hosting more than 1,600 hikes per month. More information, as well as daily hike schedules, can be found at HikeitBaby.com, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.
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