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Photo courtesy Carey KishCarey Kish sets out on a trail and into the woods. National Trails Day is Saturday, June 2.

What makes Maine's trails so important to all of us? As National Trails Day draws near, it's a question worth asking.

Is it for the solitude, with nothing but a pack of simple goods on your back, a smile on your face, miles of empty trail ahead and your own thoughts as company; the camaraderie of friends gathered around the campfire, sharing stories of the day and a good meal amid the woodsmoke?

Is it for the simplicity of making your bed under the stars, to be serenaded by loons far out on the lake as you drift off to sleep; the experience of coming around a bend in the trail and startling both yourself and a moose or a deer?

Is it about sitting on a rock overlooking a tumbling brook doing not much of anything, except thinking how great it is to just sit on a rock above a tumbling brook.

Is it about the evening sky, all pink and purple and orange, as the sun sets across the smooth surface of a remote pond; the panorama set out before your feet from a craggy mountaintop; the sweet smell of a balsam forest in a warm patch of sunlight?

Is it for that incredible feeling of challenge and then self-discovery when you reach the top of a mountain after a hard climb, or paddle around that dicey headland amid the heaving seas, or finally ride that narrow bridge on your mountain bike?

Is it for the beauty our state, from the little grove of woods down the street where you walk nearly every day to the Back Cove Trail beneath the urban skyline of downtown Portland; from the cliffs and outcrops of the Oxford Hills to the sweeping alpine heights of Bigelow and Katahdin; from the vast waters of Moosehead Lake to the bold ocean landscape of the Acadia?

Trails connect us to the natural wonders around us, carry us away — if only for short periods — from the stresses and routines of modern life, and represent a hopeful future. We take to the trails on foot, skis and snowshoes, bike, canoe and kayak, but regardless of how, when, where or why we recreate, it's important to recognize the value of trails in our lives.

On National Trails Day, Saturday, June 2, you can celebrate our trails along with thousands of other outdoor enthusiasts.

"It's a great day to join with other Americans to experience trails," said Ivan Levin, Trails Program Manager for the American Hiking Society, the national sponsor of National Trails Day.In Maine trails enthusiasts will have plenty of opportunities to get in on the action on National Trails Day. Here's just a sampling:

Baxter State Park: Help park staff brush out the Helon Taylor Trail on Pamola Peak

Carrabassett Valley: Help the Maine Huts and Trails crew clear a new section of trail

Hinckley: Take a guided bird walk with members of the L.C. Bates Museum

North Yarmouth: Hike along the Royal River with the North Yarmouth Conservation Commission

Oakland: Hike the newly dedicated Messalonskee Stream Trail

Portland: Hike the Stroudwater Trails with Portland Trails

Rangeley: Join the Trails for Rangeley Area Coalition for a day of trail work

Saco: Take a guided trail walk with Saco Bay Trails

Skowhegan: Celebrate Skowhegan area trails with the Skowhegan Parks & Recreation Dept.

Shapleigh: Hike, bike or ride your horse to the top of Abbott Mountain

York: Join Kittery Trading Post staff and assist with trail maintenance at Mount Agamenticus

Many events are family-friendly, and some require advance registration. Complete details can be found by going to www.americanhiking.org online. Click on the National Trails Day icon to...