HOT SPRINGS -- In celebration of the National Park Service's centennial year, Hot Springs National Park is taking part in the Centennial Iron Ranger Challenge, encouraging participants to hike, bike, paddle, walk, run or roll 100 miles in any of the seven national park units in Arkansas in 2016.
"Kind of symbolically of the centennial, the 100 years, if you do a hundred miles of activity during this year -- on our website you can track that -- at the conclusion of your hundred miles, you get a special award," Park Ranger Brian Schwieger said.
Schwieger and other rangers at Hot Springs National Park will lead a "First Saturday Hike" at 10 a.m. today, and every first Saturday of the month for the remainder of the year.
"This is a program that will continue even past the centennial year," Schwieger said. "It's a great opportunity for people who live here to come out and exercise; it's a great way for people that are visiting to hit these trails and see so much of the beauty within this national park."
The free event does not require preregistration. Participants will meet at the Fordyce Bath House, which is also the park's visitors center, 369 Central Ave., at 10 a.m. today and then go through a safety briefing.
"We're hoping that within the visitors that come, there might be some first-time hikers and we can kind of help them understand what to do, what not to do," Schwieger said. "As much as this is an exercise, it's also a learning experience for people; an educational experience."
Though there is no age limit, Schwieger said adult supervision is preferred for any young hikers.
"I would almost say if you can drive, then you can probably come on your own, but otherwise we want parents involved, we want families, pets -- bring your dog -- we want to get families out doing this together."
Proper hiking shoes are also preferred, he added, saying that flip-flops wouldn't be ideal, as today's hike will be "moderately strenuous," for a 3-mile round trip.
Visitors who complete 100 miles of activity will receive a certificate and a commemorative patch to recognize their accomplishment, but the real reward will be experiencing these national parks and the many benefits of physical recreation, a news release said.
The public can stay up-to-date with the weather, schedules and hike cancellations and delays by visiting http://www.facebook.com/HotSpringsNPS and track their activity at http:// www.ironranger2016ar.org.
State Desk on 02/06/2016