National Take a Hike Day Nov 17, 2023

National Take a Hike Day

Take a hike, buddy! No, not the "get out of here" version but the "get out there" version. It"s time to lace up those boots and take advantage of our national trails, which span over 91,000 miles. Back in the 1960s, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Trails System Act into law, to preserve, promote, and develop scenic and historic trails across the country. Can"t decide where to start? Our homepage image offers up one option which is awash with fall colors—Copper Falls State Park in Wisconsin. With 17 miles of trails along the Bad River, past waterfalls and ancient lava flows, this park has a lot to offer. Whether it"s a rugged mountain path, a serene forest walk, or an oceanside stroll, this country has a trail waiting for you. But remember to respect nature, follow "leave no trace" principles, and take nothing but photographs. Happy hiking!

© Big Joe/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Nov 17, 2018A bird of beauty
Nov 17, 2019Remembering the Velvet Revolution
Nov 17, 2020Take a hike near Lovers Lane
Nov 17, 2021Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Nov 17, 2022National Take a Hike Day
Nov 17, 2024Red deer stag in Glen Affric, Scottish Highlands
Nov 17, 2025National Take a Hike Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Aug 8, 2024Spotted owlet, Bangkok, Thailand
Jan 11, 2023Umschreibung by Olafur Eliasson in Munich
Apr 11, 2026Papagayo Beach, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
Apr 14, 2020A day for the dolphins
Nov 17, 2019Remembering the Velvet Revolution
Oct 12, 2021High tide at the walled city
Jul 2, 2024The ruins of Italica, Andalusia, Spain
Sep 28, 2023World Maritime Day
Nov 25, 2025Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
May 26, 2023Wat Sri Sawai in Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand
Dec 30, 2018Adorably evolutionary sea sheep
Aug 17, 2025International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend
May 20, 2018Who doesn’t love a ‘Puppy’?
Jan 4, 2022Borrego Badlands
Sep 19, 2018Talk like a pirate—or walk the plank
Jun 21, 2024World Giraffe Day
Oct 26, 2023Schönbrunn Palace Park, Vienna, Austria
Sep 30, 2018Aw shucks, it’s oyster season in Galway
Nov 4, 2023National Bison Day
May 31, 2022World Parrot Day
Mar 1, 2023Womens History Month
Mar 21, 2020It s World Poetry Day
Jul 30, 2022Milford Sound/Piopiotahi rainforest in New Zealand
Oct 16, 2025A Eurasian lynx in Siberia
Apr 16, 2023Go Fly a Kite Day
Nov 20, 2022World Children s Day
Aug 7, 2018Guiding ships to safety
Sep 26, 2025Least chipmunk, Kootenai National Forest, Montana
Mar 29, 2022Northern coast of Colombia
Dec 13, 2022Hallstatt, Austria