Our Stories

2024 Volunteer Awards: Boots on the Trail

The Boots on the Trail award is presented to volunteers who regularly lead hikes that are well-advertised and promoted to the public as a way of building NCTA membership and support for the trail. Recipients typically lead more than one hike per year, make them interesting by sharing their knowledge or being helpful to new hikers, and/or organize and lead a series of hikes.

Pat Wilson

Most of the Chief Noonday Chapter‘s hikes take place on its off-road segments. Pat lives over 40 miles away from those, in a region dominated by roadwalks. Here, she has made it her mission to introduce her neighbors to the trail. Pat independently organizes hikes for residents in and around Albion, Michigan – sometimes leading as many as 25 participants at a time. Thanks to her, there is increased and improved awareness of the North Country Trail in the many small towns it traverses in Southern Michigan.

Learn more about how the you can honor NCTA volunteers for their service on and for the North Country National Scenic Trail, and submit a nomination at northcountrytrail.org/volunteer-awards.