In an effort to share the community’s outstanding natural resources with everyone, Wilmington has recently launched the Wonders of Wilmington (WOW) Challenge. This is no ordinary challenge: participants here are invited to complete the Hiking, Mountain Biking, or Family Fun challenges to receive their patch.

Each WOW Challenge consists of six selected “trails,” with the optional experience of visiting the summit of Whiteface Mountain or Little Whiteface in whatever way is most appropriate: by foot, by car, by bike, or by gondola. For each Challenge completed, participants are able to register online to be added to our finisher’s roster and receive the corresponding 3-inch WOW patch. And, if a pet companion joins, they can be registered and receive a 2-inch WOW patch designed just for them!

“My family and friends have had so much fun participating in several of the local hiking challenges and earning patches,” said Karen Keasler, Wilmington resident & WOW creator. “Wilmington is lesser-known but has so much to offer including being the home of Whiteface Mountain and the ‘mountain bike capital of the Adirondacks,’ so we thought it would be great for Wilmington to have its own challenge.

“We named the program the ‘Wonders of Wilmington’ and hope that people and pet companions will enjoy experiencing the area through these WOW challenges,” Keasler continued.

The WOW Hiking Challenge includes a set of trails not included in any of the other local hiking challenges. Trails range in length from 2 miles to 8-miles round trip and in difficulty from easy to challenging.

It’s not all about hiking, though. There’s a patch-earning challenge just for mountain bikers. Riders get to tackle some of the finest trails around, in what has been dubbed “the mountain bike capital of the Adirondacks.”

For families and groups, the WOW Family Fun Challenge is more about experiences than hikes or rides. This WOW challenge is designed intentionally for multi-generational families and groups to enjoy together.

“Wilmington offers so many unique activities to be enjoyed by both residents and travelers alike. Adding the WOW Challenges is just another way to enhance and showcase what the area has to offer,” stated Savannah Doviak, the Whiteface Region Regional Marketing Manager with ROOST. “We are excited to see this new program launch.”

For more information or to register your Challenge completion, visit www.WondersOfWilmington.com.