Public invited to participate in Trail Challenge, recording mileage to earn $1000 for McKean County Trail Club

BRADFORD, PA — To celebrate America250, the McKean County trail organizations are transforming the PA Wilds into a high-stakes arena. Beginning May 3 through July 4, the friendly competition begins, pitting four local trail powerhouses against one another in a 63-day race for Trail Central bragging rights and vital trail funding. The Trail Challenge kickoff coincides with National Travel and Tourism Week, which is a reminder that McKean County’s trail system, including the Allegheny National Forest’s more than 500 miles of trails, is a strong tourism driver for the region.

The McKean County Trail Challenge is a friendly competition, highlighting the 21 trails maintained by five volunteer trail associations. The trail challenge is open to the general public; participants are not required to be members of any trail club. The Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau is sponsoring the Trail Challenge, which is free to participate.   

The Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau is using Challenge Hound, an app and web based program to track the challenge. To participate in the Trail Challenge, participants must choose one of four trail club teams and register at www.visitanf.com/TrailChallenge. McKean County Trail Clubs include: 

• Tuna Valley Trail Association (TVTA): Defending the Bradford loops.
• Mt. Jewett to Kinzua Bridge (MJ2KB): Protecting the historic path to the Kinzua Bridge State Park.
• KVTC (Kinzua Valley Trail Club): The legends of Westline and the deep woods.
• TAMED: (Trail Association of McKean/Elk Divide) The powerhouse trail titans of the Kane area.

“This isn’t just a personal fitness goal; it is a quest for the McKean County Trail Central Crown,” said Rustin Lippincott, Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau. “Participants are invited to choose a side and log miles to help their preferred trail club secure the grand prize of $1000, provided by the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau. Every mile hiked, biked, or ran acts as a direct contribution toward the winning club’s future trail maintenance and development. We have purchased the credits on Challenge Hound to make it free for everyone to participate.”

Everyone is invited to participate in the Trail Challenge, from competitive mountain bikers to families taking casual evening walks. Every move counts as miles can be logged via running, walking, hiking, cycling – including E-bikes and wheelchair or handcycling. The McKean County trail club with the highest cumulative mileage at the end of the Trail Challenge will be awarded the $1000 prize.

Participants can manually log their miles or sync their favorite fitness apps (such as Fitbit, Strava, Garmin, Map my Fitness, or Health Connect) directly to Challenge Hound for automatic updates. By logging miles, participants help motivate their neighbors and teammates to stay active, ensuring McKean County remains the heart of Trail Central for the next 250 years.

McKean County, PA known as Trail Central, offers hundreds of miles of multi-use trails through the Allegheny National Forest and the Pennsylvania Wilds. The America 250 Trail Challenge is a collaborative effort between the TVTA, MJ2KB, KVTC, and TAMED to promote outdoor recreation and historical preservation. Tourism is a $193.8 million industry, employing 1262 people in McKean County.

For more information on the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau’s Trail Challenge, contact the Bureau, 800-473-9370 or visit www.VisitANF.com/TrailChallenge.