New curated guide to hike, bike and paddle trails developed in partnership with MORPC
COLUMBUS – Experience Columbus is announcing the creation of an Outdoor Trails pass through a partnership with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC). The new pass is designed to encourage locals and residents to get moving by hiking, biking, jogging or paddling in locations throughout the Greater Columbus region.
The Outdoor Trails pass joins Experience Columbus’s existing curated guides to experiencing the best the city has to offer, such as the Short North Art Trail and Coffee Trail, with more experiences available here. This pass also provides users the chance to win a monthly giveaway for $100 to a local business or local restaurant, which will be chosen at random by Experience Columbus. Each time a user checks in at a trail using their virtual pass (more details below), they will be entered to win that month’s gift card.
“The Outdoor Trails pass is a great addition to our existing trails, and we’re so excited to be partnering with MORPC on this new project. A recent Longwoods study shows that as we go into the fall season, outdoor activities are only rising in popularity with active travelers,” said Kari Kauffman, chief destination experience officer at Experience Columbus. “We also know that outdoor exercise and nature-based activities continue to play an important role in counteracting the negative mental health effects of the pandemic. This pass highlights the opportunities to access the diverse outdoor areas of the Greater Columbus region, and we encourage visitors and residents alike to take advantage of these spaces.”
“We are so excited to partner with Experience Columbus to release a mobile trail pass program that makes it easy for our residents to explore the amazing natural resources we already have today,” said Kerstin Carr, director of planning and sustainability at MORPC. “Initiatives like RAPID 5, LinkUS or the Regional Trail Vision are all working towards expanding that greenspace and trail options moving forward.”
The Outdoor Trails pass is free and virtual; users can sign up here. Once a user provides information such as their name, email address and mobile phone number, a link is instantly sent via text and email. Opening the link opens the passport itself and directs the user to add the button icon to their home screen for easy access at any time. The trail pass does not require document or app downloads, and when visiting a stop on the trail, the user simply checks in via GPS on their phone.
Find more information and get started on your outdoor trail adventure here.
