Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is proud to announce our 6th Annual Winter Hiking Challenge!

The Winter Hiking Challenge sets a goal of 60 miles in 60 days, to be completed in your own time and at your own speed. Those can be miles you’ve walked, ran or hiked – in your neighborhood or through the woods – just make it 60 miles within the 60-day challenge time period (January 1st to March 1st, 2026). No matter your background or ability this event is designed to get folks outside in the cold winter months! Registration opens December 1st and ends on February 25th and the registration fee is $25 per person. Your registration fee directly supports conservation work in the Southern Appalachians. If you cannot afford the registration fee at this time, please use the coupon code: SAHC2026.

All participants will receive informative emails throughout the challenge with suggestions for some of our favorite places to hike across the mountains of NC and TN, including some new properties SAHC has recently protected. You may enter miles at any date during the 60 days, as long as they are all entered before March 1.

Those who complete the Winter Hiking Challenge will receive a commemorative SAHC patch, designed by Solstice Handmade, and all participants will be invited to an in-person celebration in March at the Wicked Weed Funkatorium. The top 5 finishers by mileage will receive $50 gift cards to Second Gear!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS