Friday, May 1, 2026

OWJ HIKING NEWS ~ MAY 2026

 

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

 

MAY 7 THURS
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
Gatherings in Utah and events around USA.
UTAH STATE CAPITOL GATHERING
6pm to 7:30pm at the South Steps.

MAY 10 SUN
MOTHERS DAY

MAY 10 SUN
GOLDEN SPIKE CELEBRATION
Golden Spike National Historic Park
Marking the 1869 completion of the transcontinental railroad in Utah.

APR 30 THURS ~ MAY 13 WED
THE STORY OF EVERYTHING
 Produced by the team behind After Death, the film argues that modern scientific discoveries in cosmology, physics, and DNA suggest the universe and life were designed rather than resulting from random chance.  Theater info:  movie website:


MAY 15 FRI 
SALT LAKE CITY BANQUET
Good News Jail & Prison Ministry
Miller Conference Center,
9750 South 300 West, Sandy, UT 84070

MAY 16 SAT 
Pregnancy Medical Clinic of Roy
STEPS FOR LIFE
8:15 Registration, 9am walk begins
George E. Wahlen Park
4200 2175 West Street
Roy, UT 84067

MAY 25 MON
MEMORIAL DAY
Free entrance day at National Parks, BLM, and in National Forests.

JUNE 6 SAT 
American Hiking Society
NATIONAL TRAIL DAY
Free day in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forests.  Volunteer trail service and fun activites.  website:


JUNE 6 SAT
UTAH & WYOMING FREE FISHING DAY 
No license required, but you need to obey all fishing regulations.

JUNE 13 SAT
GET OUTDOORS DAY
Free entrance day in National Forests.  
Free Fishing Day in IDAHO.

JUNE 14 SUN
FLAG DAY
Free entrance day at National Parks and BLM.

JUNE 19th FRI
Free entrance day in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forests.


JUNE 20 SAT
OWJ 40th ANNIVERSARY
First hike began Summer 1986

JUNE 11 THURS ~ JUNE 13 SAT
BRYCE CANYON ASTROMONY FESTIVAL
You need to pay to enter the national park.
Enjoy daily activities, evening programs and night star gazing.

JULY 3 FRI ~ opens in theaters
Angel Studios
YOUNG WASHINGTON
The story of America's first leader, George Washington.  
movie website:


JULY 3 FRI ~ JULY 5 SUN
INDEPENDENCE WEEKEND
250th Celebration!
Free entrance at National Parks, and 
BLM all weekend.

JULY 4 SAT
4th of JULY 
Free entrance day in National Forests.


JULY TBA WED ~ 6pm
CHURCH in the PARK
Free event.  Music, Bible study,
food and fun!  Bring a camp chair or blanket.

JULY 11 SAT ~ Brighton 
JULY 12 SUN ~ Solitude
JULY 19 SAT ~ Snowbird
JULY 20 SUN ~ Alta
WASATCH WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL
Attendance is free, but online registration is required.  Walks are designed for all interests and ability levels.  Free parking at resort base areas.  Solitude requires a lift ticket for certain hikes.

JULY 24 FRI
PIONEER DAY 
Enjoy a free entrance day at 
Red Butte Gardens.
300 Wakara Way, SLC, UT

AUG 4 TUES
GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS DAY
Free entrance day in National Forests.

AUG TBA WED ~ 6pm
CHURCH in the PARK
Free event.  Music, Bible study,
food and fun!  Bring a camp chair or blanket.

AUG TBA FRI ~ 6:30pm to dusk
WORSHIP 2026
Free event on the Utah State Capitol lawn.
Bring a camp chair or blanket to sit on.

AUG 8 SAT
MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY
Free entrance day at Utah State Parks 
for active military, veterans and their families 
in the same vehicle.

AUG 22 SAT ~ AUG 30 SUN
NATIONAL PARK WEEK

AUG 22 SAT 
JUNIOR RANGER DAY

AUG 25 TUES
NATIONAL PARKS 110th BIRTHDAY
Free entrance day at National Parks.

AUG 28 FRI ~ 10:04pm
PARTIAL LUNAR ECLIPSE

SEPT 7 MON
LABOR DAY
Enjoy a free entrance day at 
Red Butte Gardens.
300 Wakara Way, SLC, UT

SEPT 11 FRI
NATIONAL DAY of SERVICE
Free entrance day in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forests.

SEPT 17 THURS
CONSTITUTION DAY
Free entrance day at National Parks, BLM, and National Forests.

SEPT 26 SAT
NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY
Free entrance day in National Forests.
The largest single day volunteer effort for public lands in the US.

OCT TBA FRI 
Charis Pregnancy Clinic of SLC
BANQUET FOR LIFE

OCT 3 SAT 
Pregnancy Medical Clinic of Roy
VISION DINNER

OCT 6 MON
ZEKE DUMKE JR. DAY
Enjoy a free entrance day at 
Red Butte Gardens.
300 Wakara Way, SLC, UT

OCT TBA SAT ~ 10am to 2pm
OCT TBA SUN ~ 8am to 2:30pm
Operation Christmas Child
ARTS/CRAFTS & BAKE SALE
Calvary Salt Lake, 
460 W. Century Dr. SLC, UT
Pack a shoebox with Christmas gifts and bless a child.  For more information about how to pack and where to turn in your shoebox.  

OCT 16 FRI ~ opens in theaters
New Kendrick Brothers movie
FLYWHEEL: Ignition of the Soul

OCT 24 SAT
ANTELOPE ISLAND BISON ROUNDUP
Annual event involves cowboys on horseback gathering roughly 500-700 free-roaming bison to be vaccinated, checked for health, and managed to prevent overpopulation.

OCT 27 TUES
TEDDY ROOSEVELT BIRTHDAY
Free entrance day at National Parks, BLM, and in National Forests.

NOV 6 FRI ~ opens in theaters
JIMMY
Untold true story of America’s most-beloved actor and the iconic role that saved him, focuses on the most transformative season in Jimmy Stewart’s life—from winning the Academy Award® for Best Actor in The Philadelphia Story to enlisting and becoming a combat pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps at the beginning of World War II.

NOV 11 WED
VETERAN'S DAY
Celebrations & freebees for Vets!
Free entrance day at National Parks, BLM, and in National Forests.


NOV 17 TUES
American Hiking Society
NATIONAL TAKE A HIKE DAY

NOV 26 THURS
THANKSGIVING DAY

DEC TBA SAT ~ 7:30pm
KUTV HOLIDAY POPS CONCERT
Benefitting the Salvation Army.
Cottonwood High, 
5715 S. 1300 East, Murray, Utah

DEC 5 SAT ~ 9am to 5pm 
DEC 6 SUN ~ 9am to 5pm
Red Butte Gardens
Holiday Open House & Art Fair
Free Garden Admission days!
300 Wakara Way, SLC, UT

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -

   Calvary Salt Lake, 
460 West Century Drive, SLC, UT
   Sorry no walkups; drive thru only.



OUTDOORS WITH JESUS  
Began in the first day of Summer in 1986 as an informal Hiking group. We're not a outfitter, not a guide service, not a singles ministry and not a political group; but a non profit, non-commercial outdoor hiking group in Utah.
  
OWJ FOCUS: It's all about Jesus!   
In humility consider others as more important than yourselves; with Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness and Self Control.  

OUTDOORS WITH JESUS ORG
Enjoy our adventures on our blog.

at
Location: Salt Lake City, UT, USA

Friday, February 27, 2026

14 REASONS WHY PEOPLE ENJOY HIKING

HIKING IN UTAH

WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

ADVENTURER

This person watches outdoor adventures on Youtube, seeking to find new places to explore.  They enjoy hiking, backpacking, biking, camping, and other outdoor activities.  If it's a sunny day they are outside and hate being indoors.

Motivate the Adventurer by taking them on new trails and to new places.

BUCKET LIST

This person wants to climb all the 14,000 peaks to get a merit badge.  They have a bucket list of places they want to visit.  And they enjoy telling others every where they hiked.

Motivate the Bucket List person by taking them to new adventures, peaks, and parks.

CARDIO

This person sets their fitness watch before every hike.  Instead of going to the Gym, they are doing their daily exercise outdoors.  Their goal is measured in mileage and the number of steps they accomplish.

Motivate the Cardio by taking them on longer trails with steeper elevation gain.  Make them feel they have had a good workout when the get back to their cars.

CONTROL FREAK

This person believes the hike was personally planned, "just for me."  They want to control everybody.

Motivate the Control Freaks by telling them, "Thank you, everything is under control."  

DOG WALKER

This person enjoys walking their dog, and sometimes complains if we hike in a protected Watershed Area or trail where dogs are not allowed.  

Motivate the Dog Walker by encouraging them to walk their dog before or after the hike.

GIRL TRIPS

These women attend a hike to promote their own girls trip camping, backpacking or on a cruise.  

Motivate GIRL TRIPS ladies by taking them on Daycations with all the men and women.

LONER

This person enjoys being alone, whether they want to get away from other people, city noise, or seeking spiritual guidance.  When they come on a hike, they either want everyone to be quiet or talk non-stop.  Loners have a hard time staying with the group.  They will camp with a group, but disappear all day doing their own activities and showing up in the evening.

Motivate the Loner by taking him to a Wilderness Area where group size is limited.

LOVER

This person attends a hike or outdoor activity for the purpose of finding a relationship.  Some men chase after women on the trail, hoping to get phone numbers and set up future dates.  Lovers need to be careful, most hiking groups have married couples and married individuals attending and you need to be respectful.  Not all hiking groups are Singles ministries.

Motivate the Lover by telling them to make new friends with everyone attending and not to focus on just one person.

NATURE LOVER

This person enjoys nature, looking at birds, lizards, wildflowers, rocks and sunsets.  They bring binoculars, listen to bird calls, and use their cell phone to identify wildflowers and locate stars in the night sky.

Motivate the Nature Lover by taking them to see wildflowers, moose, lizards, eagles, and dark skies.

SALESMAN

This person joins activities for the opportunity to promote or sale a product or investment. They may give you a business card and want to get your phone number.

Motivate the Salesman by telling them there are lots of other people hiking on the trail that might be interested.

SERVANT

This person has the gift of serving others.  Whether sharing food, helping someone who is slow, or giving first aid.  They are always looking for someone to help on the trail.

Motivate the Servant by thanking them for helping others.

SPIRITUAL

This person enjoys walking in the Spirit and not the flesh.  It is their time to commune with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  They enjoy prayer and sharing God's word.

Motivate the Spiritual person by giving them freedom to be with God.  

SURVIVALIST

This person knows how to read weather, survive storms, knows first aid, reads maps, and can identify edible plants.  They will act calm during crisis, and enjoy helping others survive.

Motivate the Survivalist by taking them on real adventures.

ZEALOT

This person attends outdoor activities for the purpose of pushing their political views and agendas. 

Motivate the Zealot to seek God and his kingdom first.  Let them know there are other hiking groups who focus on politics.  

Our focus is on Jesus!

CONCLUSION

Many hikers have several of these traits and motivations.  What is your reason for attending a hike or an outdoor activity?


at
Location: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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