September 17, 2026The Jane Goodall Hike for Hope is coming up — here are six ways to make your hike weekend even more fun by Caitlin Boyle Photo: Line KnipstOn October 3rd and 4th, people across Canada are coming together for the first-ever Jane Goodall Hike for Hope. Across mountain trails, conservation area loops, city sidewalks, and neighbourhood parks, they will hike for animals, for people, and for the environment.Are you one of the more than 600 people hiking with the Hike for Hope? Remember, your hike does not need to be long, fast, or difficult to count. Hope begins with a single step.For those of you who are interested in making your weekend feel a little more meaningful — or a lot more fun — then here are six activities you can drop into any route.You can pick one of them, or you can pick all six. There’s no wrong way to Hike for Hope!1. Take a five-senses stopJane became who she was because she was curious — and she paid close attention to the natural world around her. She sat still in Gombe Stream National Park and watched, and what she noticed then changed how the world understands chimpanzees and ourselves.Try this: About 10 minutes into your hike, stop walking. Set the timer on your phone for two minutes and stay quiet.See: Find three things you’d normally walk past — perhaps a fallen leaf, a seed pod, or the shape of a bare branch.Hear: Count how many separate sounds you can pick out. Birds? Wind? Traffic?Touch: Press a palm to tree bark, moss, or a cool rock. Notice the temperature and texture.Smell: Take a deep breath in. What does early October smell like where you are?Bonus: Write down what you observe so you can revisit your observations the next time you hike. You can also log a plant, bird, or insect you can’t identify on the free iNaturalist app. That way, your observation becomes real data that scientists can use!2. Play wildlife bingoDownload the exclusive Hike for Hope wildlife bingo card here. You can print this bingo card, screenshot it, or use this link on your phone when you head out for your hike.The card has 24 squares and one free space, and nothing requires a specific trail. A colourful leaf, a spider web, leaves crunching under your feet, a cloud that looks like something, moss on a tree, a friendly wave from another hiker — it’s all on there. Cross off a row, a column, or go for the whole card.Try this: Give each person in your group their own card and see who fills a line first. It’s a reliable way to keep younger hikers moving when energy starts to dip, and it’s a good reason for the rest of us to slow down and look a bit closer. Post your completed card on social media and tag us at @JaneGoodallCAN.Bonus: Leave your community better than you found it by picking up litter. Not only is that good for the environment, but you can then also cross off the “picking up a piece of litter” square! See activity 5 for more.3. Hike your wayA hike is however you move through the outdoors. Some of the most meaningful ones happen a few hundred metres from your front door. You don’t have to go far, or go out for too long — you just need to make the most of it.Try this: Choose the version that fits your body, your schedule, and your neighbourhood.Paved and level: Look for boardwalks, rail trails, and waterfront paths. The Trans Canada Trail and the AccessNow app both list surface types and accessibility details, so you can know before you go.In portions: One loop of a local park, done across a few days, can be your hike. As long as you’re getting outdoors, you’re doing your part.Seated: Find a bench, a porch, or a window with a view and spend 20 minutes watching what moves. Plenty of bingo squares from the previous activity are within reach from a chair — clouds, birds chirping, shadows from trees, an evergreen — and activities 1 and 4 work anywhere.With children: Plan for one snack stop per kilometre and let them set the pace. And don’t forget that the bingo card helps here, too.Quieter: Early mornings mean fewer crowds, softer light, and more wildlife. If you’re an early riser, stick to what you know best — you don’t need to adjust your schedule to take part in the Hike for Hope.4. Answer one question about hopeJane was clear that “hope” isn’t just wishful thinking, or waiting for someone else to fix things — “hope” is something that we build through what we choose to do. It takes action, and it requires each one of us to do our part.Try this: Pick one prompt and consider it when you head out for your hike, or ask it out loud to the person or people with you.What’s one thing in nature that has recovered, healed, or come back in your lifetime?Who taught you to pay attention to the natural world?What’s one small thing you can keep doing for the environment after this weekend?If you could protect one place forever, which would it be — and why that one?What would you want someone hiking this same trail in 50 years to find?There’s no need to write anything down but, if you do, we’d love to read your thoughts. Share a photo on social media and tag us at @JaneGoodallCAN!5. Leave your route better than you found itOne of the most enduring messages that Jane shared was that the way we move through the world matters. When we step into nature, we are visitors in the homes of countless other living things. A little care can make a very real difference.Try this: Show care for the places you hike. You may have your own ideas, but here are five small ways we like to show care for the places we hike:Stay on the trail. Even stepping around a muddy patch can damage the plants and habitats growing along its edges.Pack out what you bring in. Even food scraps like apple cores and orange peels can take a long time to disappear and disrupt wildlife.Leave nature where it belongs. Admire the feather, mushroom, or beautiful stone — but don’t bring it home with you. Take a photograph and leave the real thing for someone else to discover.Give wildlife space. Watch quietly and from a distance. Part of respecting wild animals is allowing them to remain wild. This also keeps you safe!Leave something better. Pick up a few pieces of litter on your way home. It may feel like a tiny act — but tiny acts, multiplied, can transform a place.6. Bring one more personJane spent her life reminding us that every individual matters, that every individual has a role to play, and that every individual can make a difference. In the same vein, the Jane Goodall Hike for Hope is even more powerful when each one of us invites someone else to take that first step with us.Try this: Invite someone who might not normally join a hike. It could be a neighbour, a coworker, a friend or a grandparent. Reach out to those in your circle, and see if they are available and interested.Create a team and make it your own. A little shared enthusiasm can go a long way.Know someone far away? Invite them to walk or hike their own route that weekend and share a photo with you. They can be part of your team even if they aren’t there with you in person!Share your fundraising page one more time. Sometimes people simply need a reminder that they, too, have an opportunity to help.One walk may feel small. But one walk inspires another, one person brings another, and suddenly we are part of something much bigger than ourselves.Ready?Register at HikeForHope.ca — it’s free, there’s no fundraising minimum, and you can hike whenever works best with your schedule. If you’re available to hike on Saturday, that’s great. If you’re only free on Sunday, that also works. If you want to hike on both days, you can do that, too!Every step you take supports Jane’s legacy and the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada’s ongoing work. Take part in the hike and know that you’re supporting rescued chimpanzees at Tchimpounga Sanctuary, community-led conservation across Africa, and more than 14,000 young environmental leaders here in Canada.See you on the trail.Explore Related Content From The Field, Good News Stories, Other ContentPerrine’s story — and the power of your supportSeptember 17, 2026 Read more Dr. Jane, Hike for Hope, Other ContentHistory in the making: First-ever Jane Goodall Hike for Hope takes place today!September 17, 2026 Read more Community Spotlight, Hike for Hope, Youth Voices“We believe kids can make a real difference in the world:” Why eight-year-old Evelyn and her friends signed up for the Hike for HopeSeptember 17, 2026 Read more
