Tom Walsh of Worcester is planning to hike the Long Path in June, from Thatcher State Park in Albany County to 175th Street in Manhattan. An avid hiker, volunteer and cancer survivor, Walsh is using this 360-mile trek as a personal challenge and to raise funds for Otsego Outdoors and the Bassett Cancer Institute. He hiked the Long Path northbound in 2020, and if successful, he will be the first person on record to hike the Long Path both northbound and southbound.

Tom has been a part of Otsego Outdoors since February 2021 when he completed the first Otsego Outdoors Octet Winter Challenge, and because he always goes above and beyond, he completed all the featured hikes instead of just 8, and did them all in one day. Since then he has completed several Octet Challenges, volunteered on Otsego County trails, helped train other trail volunteers, and completed two charity hikes in Otsego County highlighting its state forests, state parks, Otsego Land Trust properties, and other publicly accessible trails.

This hike will be Tom’s fifth one for charities, and the third benefiting Otsego Outdoors. He has hiked more than 1,000 miles for charities, raising $20,000.

This year, all the funds raised will be divided evenly between:

• Bassett Cancer Institute – Patient and Family Services funds will be used to help cancer patients and their families deal with the unexpected expenses that can arise during treatment.
• Otsego Outdoors connects people with year-round recreational activities in and near Otsego County. Funds raised will be used for trail maintenance and improvements.

If you would like to support Tom’s 2024 Charity Hike, you can pledge by the mile by emailing us (10 cents/mile is $36, 15 cents/per mile is $54) or make a one time donation. His goal is to raise $5,000, donations of any amount are very much appreciated.