The Southwest Michigan Tourism Council has launched a new hiking challenge for lovers of the outdoors.
Director Marcy Simpson tells us the Southwest Michigan Trails Challenge is now underway, calling on hikers to tackle check-in points recommended throughout Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties.
You can take the challenge by installing the Visit Southwest Michigan app on Apple or Android.
“You would visit one and you would check in, basically take a picture or a selfie at the trailhead, and upload it to the challenge,” Simpson said. “You would do that a total of five times to complete the challenge.”
Simpson says they selected the trails to get people visiting a variety of terrain throughout the region.
“We just tried to get a good mix of trails throughout the southwest Michigan area so that folks had somewhere to choose from in Niles, Buchanan, Benton Harbor, South Haven, Cass. There’s a good mix of places.”
The first 100 people to complete five check-ins will receive prizes. They are a branded belt bag and a commemorative sticker. Simpson says once all the prizes are claimed, the challenge closes. However, after that, organizers encourage others to set personal goals to visit as many of the region’s trails as they can.
This is the first trails challenge to be hosted by the Southwest Michigan Tourism Council.
