The fifth annual Berks Trail Challenge began on Sunday, May 1 and will continue through Monday, October 31. Participants can visit BeWellBerks.org/berks-trail-challenge to register and print out a challenge card for each participant or family to record trail visits, as well as directions to each location. The challenge card highlights eight local trails and includes the difficulty level and terrain of each. The trails range in length from one mile to nine and a half miles long. Participants also have the option of visiting two trails of their choice throughout the challenge. Trail challenge cards must be submitted by Friday, November 7, to be entered to win a prize. 40 winners will be selected at random.
Guided hikes hosted by members of Blue Mounty Eagle Climbing Club and Berks County Parks & Recreation will be offered throughout the challenge. Upcoming hikes include:
- Exeter Scenic River Trail, Saturday, June 11, 10 a.m.
- Wyomissing Creek Trail, Saturday, June 25, 10 a.m.
- Antietam Lake to Mount Penn Loop via Gravity and Ferndale Trails, Saturday, July 23, 10 a.m.
- Nolde Forest Trail, Saturday, July 30, 10 a.m.
- Neversink Loop Trail, Saturday, August 6, 10 a.m.
- Pagoda to Peace Rock White Trail, Saturday, August 27, 10 a.m.
- Union Canal Trail, Saturday, September 10, 10 a.m.
"We developed the Berks Trail Challenge in 2018 in response to the Community Health Needs Assessment report," said Desha Dickson, Associate Vice President, Community Wellness at Reading Hospital. "The report showed us that residents in Berks County needed to increase their physical activity to improve their overall health and help reduce the risk of chronic disease. Since the program’s inception, we’ve had nearly 2,300 participants ranging in age from two to 78 years old."
Participants are encouraged to take pictures or videos of their trail outings and post them using the hashtag #BerksTrailChallenge and tagging any of the Reading Hospital - Tower Health social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Be Well Berks is an initiative of the Community Wellness Department of Reading Hospital. The mission is to improve the health and wellness of Berks County residents through thoughtful leadership, partnership, and community investment.
About Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 697-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years (and moving up to America’s 50 Best Hospitals in 2022) and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.