In a culture that celebrates virtually every pastime and passion – from National Kazoo Day Jan. 28 to Public Sleeping Day Feb. 28 to Moldy Cheese Day Oct. 9 – we outdoor enthusiasts finally get our day in the sun on June 6, National Trails Day, when thousands of hikes, bike rides and kayak/canoe paddles are scheduled across the country.

I’m pleased to report that Connecticut’s organizers have planned so many activities – more than 220 in 132 towns, the most in the United States – they are stretched over two days next Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7.

The Connecticut Forest & Park Association, which maintains more than 700 miles of blue-blazed trails open to the public, has teamed up with more than 200 other organizations to offer a wide range of activities for all ages and abilities during Connecticut Trails Weekend.

Sidney Van Zandt of Noank, a good friend who helped found the Groton Open Space Association, one of the Connecticut Trails Weekend sponsoring organizations, asked me to help with one of the hikes, a 5-6-mile cross-town ramble Saturday from Bluff Point State Park to Beebe Pond Park.

If you’d like to join that excursion, which leaves from the Bluff Point parking lot at 9:30 a.m. (hikers will be bused back to their cars about 1:30 p.m.) contact Sidney Van Zandt at (860) 572-5715, or svanzandt3@aol.com. Rain cancels.

Following are some of the other free outings planned in southeastern Connecticut. Some require advance registration. For a full list of state events, directions and special instructions, visit the Connecticut Forest & Park Association’s website, www.ctwoodlands.org. More information also is available at www.nationaltrailsday.org.

East Lyme: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, 3-2-mile walk at Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve. Rain or shine. Meet at the preserve trailhead at Veterans Memorial Park. Contact Dave Putnam, (860) 739-5828; dputnam@eltownhall.com.

East Lyme: Old Black Point Beach, 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, 1-mile hike of Old Black Point Beach and adjacent Pattagansett Marsh, rain or shine. Meet at the Old Black Point Beach Association parking lot off of Old Black Point Road. Contact David Kozak at (860) 424-3608; david.kozak@ct.gov.

Groton: Beebe Pond Park hike, 10-11 a.m. Saturday. Two-mile hike around Beebe Pond. Meet at Beebe Pond Park, 851 Noank Road, rain or shine. Contact Groton Parks and Recreation Department, (860) 536-5680; parksrec@groton-ct.gov.

Groton:, 9 a.m.-noon Sunday, 1-mile hike exploring shellfish of Poquonock River at Bluff Point State Park and Coastal Reserve. Meet on the lawn at picnic tables adjacent to the main parking area at the end of Depot Road in Groton. Rain or shine. Contact David Kozak at (860) 424-3608; david.kozak@ct.gov.

Groton: 10 a.m.-noon Sunday, 2-mile hike through Historic Sheep Farm and Fort Hill Brook. Meet at 245/255 Hazelnut Hill Road (up from the Pequot Health Center and just past the church). Contact Sidney Van Zandt at (860) 572-5715; svanzandt3@aol.com. Rain cancels.

Ledyard: 2 p.m. Sunday, 2.5-mile hike at Avery Farm and Candlewood Ridge. Meet at the southern gate of Lambtown Road Extension, near Groton/Ledyard line. Approach from Gold Star Highway/Route 184 via Lambtown Road, Groton. Rain cancels. Contact Joan Smith, (860) 536-9811; dsmith0705@sbcglobal.net.

Lyme: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, 5-mile hike on Nayantaquit Trail. Heavy rain cancels. Meet at the Uncas Pond picnic area in the Nehantic State Forest (entering via Route 156). Contact Chris Lawton, trailblazed72@gmail.com.

Lyme: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, orienteering at Nehantic State Forest / Nayantaquit Trail, over the Connecticut National Guard's land navigation course. No orienteering experience is necessary. Participants will be taught how to read a map, use a compass, and follow a course through the woods. Heavy rain cancels. Meet at the Nayantaquit Trail northern road shoulder parking area, near 109 Keeny Road. Contact Geoff Meissner, (860) 384-8742; geoffmeissner@gmail.com.

Montville:  9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, letterboxing at Camp Oakdale. Meet at Camp Oakdale on Meeting House Lane (look for the tent). Rain postpones until June 13. Contact Chris Lawton, trailblazed72@gmail.com.

Mystic:  10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, 3-mile hike of greenway between the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center and the new Natural and Heritage Center at the Coogan Farm. Meet at the nature center, 109 Pequotsepos Road. Rain or shine. Contact Molly Check, (860) 536-1216.

Mystic: 1-3 p.m. Saturday, half-mile walk at Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center Pond. Meet at the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, 109 Pequotsepos Road. Contact Molly Check, (860) 536-1216.

New London: 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday, 1-mile walk at toddler’s pace around the pond at the Connecticut College Arboretum. Meet at the arboretum, 774 Williams Street in New London. Rain cancels. Contact Kate Rattan at coupk8@gmail.com.

New London:  1-2:30 p.m. Sunday, 2-mile walk through Bates Woods Park. Contact Ronna Stuller, (860) 772-8439; ronna@riversideparkconservancy.org.

North Stonington: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, 2-mile hike on Stewart Hill Preserve Trail. The trailhead is 2.5 miles north of North Stonington Village on Wyassup Road. Parking is across from a white fence of Checker Board Stables. Rain postpones until 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Contact Bill Ricker, (860) 535-2426; williamricker@comcast.net.

North Stonington: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, 1.5-mile walk at Tefftweald at Birchenturn Preserve. Meet at the parking area just off 282 Grindstone Hill Road. Rain postpones until 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Contact Bruce Fellman, (860) 5994867; fellnature@sbcglobal.net

North Stonington: 1-2 p.m. Sunday, 1-mile walk through on Hewitt Farm / Bicentennial Trail. Meet at the end of Hewitt Road. From the village, go north on Wyassup Road, turn left after the fairgrounds and left again onto unpaved Hewitt Road. Contact Dick Cooper, (860) 535-1416; windstonenita@sbcglobal.net

Norwich: 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, 3-mile walk along Yantic River Greenway / Heritage Trail on paved roads and sidewalks. Meet at the gazebo at Howard T. Brown Park on Chelsea Harbor Drive in Norwich.Rain or shine. Contact Jason Vincent, (860) 887-6964; jvincent@askncdc.com.

Norwich:  9-10:15 a.m. Sunday, 1.5 mile walk with dogs from Estelle Cohn Memorial Dog Park to Uncas Leap Heritage Area at Yantic Falls. Meet at the dog park at 261 Asylum Street in Norwich. Rain cancels. Contact Jason Vincent, (860) 887-6964; jvincent@askncdc.com.

Old Lyme:  9:30 a.m.-noon Saturday, 2-mile walk at Griswold Point. Carpool to the site from the Park and Ride off I-95, Exit 70, and access it via private property. Rain or shine. Contact Judy Preston, (860) 395-0465; jpreston65@sbcglobal.net.

Old Lyme: 1:30-3:30 p.m. Saturday, 3-mile paddle from the state boat launch at Great Island along the Back and Duck Rivers to the Old Lyme Land Trust Watch Rock Preserve and back to Great Island. Bring your own kayak as well as a PFD. Meet at the State Boat Launch at Great Island at the end of Smith Neck Road. Contact Christina Clayton, (860) 434-6294; claykol@att.net

Salem: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, 2-mile hike at Walden Preserve. Meet at the preserve parking lot, 119 Hagen Road. From the Salem Roundabout, go north on Route 85, left on Hagen Road —parking lot is on the right. Rain postpones until 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Contact Maureen Cain, (860) 885-8363; mcain@cshore.com.

Voluntown: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, 1.5-mile hike at Pachaug State Forest / Mount Misery-Pachaug Trail to top of Mount Misery. Meet at the Chapman Parking Area. From Rt 49, turn into Pachuag State Forest, follow main road 0.7 miles, turn right, park next to field in 0.1 miles. Rain postpones until June 13. Contact LaDonnah Cardin, (860) 705-0506; antladonna@yahoo.com.

Voluntown:  11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, 3.5-mile hike along Green Falls River to Green Falls Pond at Pachaug State Forest / Narragansett Trail. Meet at the parking area on Green Falls Road. From Route 49, go east on Sand Hill Road, which becomes unpaved Green Falls Road—parking is on the left. Rain postpones until 11 a.m. Sunday. Contact Joe DiBrino, (860) 535-0880; LandAllianceinc@gmail.com.

Voluntown:  1:30-2 p.m. Saturday, half-mile walk on Rhododendron Sanctuary Trail in Pachaug State Forest. Meet at the Chapman Parking Area. From Rt 49, turn into Pachuag State Forest, follow main road 0.7 miles, turn in to park by big rocks next to field. Rain postpones until June 13. Contact Cardin LaDonnah, (860) 705-0506; antladonna@yahoo.com.

Voluntown:  11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, 1.5-mile hike around Green Fall Pond in Pachaug State Forest, followed by optional swim. Park near the Green Fall Pond swimming area. From Route 138, turn south onto Green Fall Pond Road (state forest entrance), and go approximately 2.5 miles.Contact LaDonnah Cardin, (860) 705-0506; antladonna@yahoo.com.

Voluntown:  10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, 3.5-mile hike through Pachaug State Forest. Meet at the parking area at the Myron Kinney Brook on Hodge Pond Road. Rain postpones until 10 a.m. Sunday. Contact Cathy Rubin, (860) 376-3834; carubin@hotmail.com.