Hit the Trails Hike-a-Thon for Mission Trails

In honor of the upcoming 50th anniversary of the purchase of Cowles Mountain, the nonprofit Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP) Foundation has organized a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign to support the park.

Contributions will support trail maintenence, educational programs for youth, and other important park initiatives. The collective fundraising goal is $100,000.

Through peer-to-peer fundraising, participants register online then recruit support from their networks.

Since the community experiences Mission Trails in different ways, you can register and track your miles through one of these activities: hiking, running, mountain biking, and cycling. Activity tracking will take place from October 15, 2024 through January 15, 2025 but you can start your fundraising today!

This event is for everyone, regardless of fitness ability. Participants' miles goal can be 5 miles or 500 miles, and where these miles are tracked is up to them. Anyone can participate from anywhere in the world.

Participants will receive gifts at fundraising milestones and prizes will be awarded for most funds raised and miles completed for individuals and teams.

The Hit the Trails Hike-a-Thon for Mission Trails has been organized in partnership with the office of San Diego City Councilmember Campillo (D-7) and San Diego Parks and Recreation Department, Open Space Division.

Founded in 1988, the nonprofit Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP) Foundation works works in close partnership with the City of San Diego to protect, improve, and maintain Mission Trails and foster public appreciation and understanding of the park.

In July 2024, the MTRP Foundation made its first donation of land to the City of San Diego to grow the 8,000-acre open space park, and recently launched a multi-year invasive plant and brush removal initiative to restore habitat and reduce fire fuels.

The MTRP Foundation offers educational programming for children and adults, welcoming more than 3,000 youth each year through its field trips, at the Trail Tykes program for little explorers, and through the Eco Ambassadors program for teens.

Since its founding, the MTRP Foundation has provided more than $15M to support the park and its initiatives.

The MTRP Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Federal Tax ID 33-0285093.

The Hit the Trails Hike-A-Thon for Mission Trails is a peer-to-peer fundraising event to encourage people to get outdoors and raise funds for Mission Trails.

Join the celebration as an event sponsor, demonstrating your commitment to the community and preservation of wild spaces. Our goal is to raise $100,000 to support trail maintenence, educational programs for youth, and other important park initiatives.

For more information about helping support the Hit the Trails Hike-a-Thon for Mission Trails, please view our sponsorship packet. Questions about sponsorship or donations to MTRP? Please email giving@mtrp.org.

Charter sponsors as of 9/25/2024

Superior Ready Mix, Recon Environmental, Inc., James Gang Printing, Fleet Feet San Diego, Ideal Plumbing Heating Air & Electrical

How do I register?

Registration opens on September 3, 2024 and will continue through the hike-a-thon which ends on January 15, 2025. The registration fee helps to cover the costs of the event and will go toward your personal fundraising goal.

See a step-by-step guide for registration here.

How does the fundraising work?

After registering, contact family, friends and colleagues and ask them to either make a one-time donation or they can make a pledge for each mile you complete between October 15, 2024 and January 15, 2025.

Do I have to track miles to participate?

No. Your fundraising doesn’t need to be pledge-per-mile based but if you are fundraising per mile, tracking will take place between October 15, 2024 through January 15, 2025. Mileage will be logged on the Pledge It website which has an integration with Strava.

This event is for everyone, regardless of fitness ability. You can register and seek direct donations to support MTRP, a jewel of the City of San Diego's park system.

Can bikes participate?

Yes. Mountain bikers and cyclists can participate in the event but no electric bikes are allowed. There will be separate prizes for most miles on wheels and by foot. However, when you sign up, you will need to designate one category, hiker, mountain biker, or cyclist and log your miles accordingly.

Are there prizes?

Yes! Exclusive merch will be awarded at fundraising milestones.

$35: Hit the Trails Hike-a-Thon logo sticker

$100: Hit the Trails Hike-a-Thon logo T-shirt

$250: Hit the Trails Hike-a-Thon logo hat

$500: Hit the Trails Hike-a-Thon logo buff and lapel pin

$1,000 and more: Invitation to Hit the Trails Hike-a-Thon closing celebration and entry into opportunity drawing for prize packages.

At the end of the event, there will be prizes for individuals and teams for most funds raised and most miles completed, by foot or by bike.

Participants will be notified when their fundraising milestone items are ready for pick up. For San Diego County residents, all prizes must be picked up at the MTRP Visitor Center. Participants living outside of San Diego County will be sent their prizes at the end of the hike-a-thon.

Where can my activity take place?

Activity is done on participants’ own time and from anywhere in the world, not just at Mission Trails. Take this opportunity to explore new places and/or get to know your own neighborhood. If tracking miles, this will take place between October 15, 2024 and January 15, 2025.

How can my team participate at Mission Trails?

Groups of 50 or more must secure a permit before coming to Mission Trails and other City of San Diego Open Space parks. It is recommended that hikers split off into smaller groups to reduce impact on the trails.

Is there a special event during the hike-a-thon?

Yes! There will be a community celebration the morning and early afternoon of Saturday, November 16 at the park’s East Fortuna Staging Area. More information to come but save the date! Also, we will have a closing event in early 2025 for participants who raise $1,000 and more.

Stewardship starts with you: Leave No Trace

One of the easiest ways to protect the trails and natural places you love is to leave those places untouched by your visit. Remember to carry out what you carry in. You can learn more about Leave No Trace principles HERE. Also, do not go on trails immediately after rains. Please wait until they are dry enough not to leave footprints.

Participants agree to follow the Rules and Regulations for each location they visit when tracking miles for the hike-a-thon.

Tell me more about the purchase of Cowles Mountain.

In 1974, Cowles Mountain was in imminent danger of being developed when an opportunity to buy it suddenly arose. The purchase laid the cornerstone for Mission Trails. See more about the history of the park here.