For the second year, parks and recreation departments from across southeastern Connecticut are joining together to get children and families outdoors with a series of events called the Regional Adventure Challenge and Expedition, known as the Park R.A.C.E.

Events for the Park R.A.C.E. are scheduled throughout June, July and August. As with similar programs that encourage residents to explore their areas, participants in the R.A.C.E. are given a “passport” which gets stamped at each event they participate in or park that they visit.

Events are scheduled in Montville, Ledyard, New London, Mystic, Colchester, Groton, Waterford and Niantic. Some are on specific dates, others are ongoing. Events include letterboxing, sailing, scavenger hunts and geocaching, an activity similar to letterboxing.

And this year, the race is kicking off on the same weekend as a national effort to get people outside — National Trails Day. The American Hiking Society started celebrating trails on the first weekend in June in the 1990s as a way of encouraging Americans to explore and appreciate the hiking trails and paths in their area.

With National Trails Day on Saturday, June 6, and the start of the Parks R.A.C.E. on Sunday, June 7, Montville Parks and Recreation Director Peter Bushway said the first weekend of June should be a busy one at area parks, beaches and hiking trails.

At Camp Oakdale in Montville, the regional Park R.A.C.E. will kickoff with a letterboxing challenge.

“There’s plenty of parking there, over 300 parking spaces, and we’re hoping to fill it up,” said Bushway.

Letterboxing is a hobby that is part navigation and part scavenger hunt, allowing participants to find boxes hidden in the open along trails and in parks. Inside the boxes are rubber stamps and letterboxers collect the stamps in a booklet and leave their mark on a booklet in the box.

Groton Parks and Recreation Manager Jerry Lokken says this is one of the many activities planned for the Park R.A.C.E. that will be appealing to children, parents and grandparents.

“(These activities) are specifically designed to be multi-generational. These are things that everybody can do,” said Lokken.

Lokken said one of the objectives of both National Trails Day and the Park R.A.C.E is to remind people of how fun it can be to play outdoors and let them know about outdoor activities they might not have heard of, such as letterboxing.

“We’re hoping to get a lot of people out this year and have a summer full of things to do. There really isn’t a downside in having people going outside and doing healthy things,” said Lokken. “We have a lot of interest in informing people that those things are out there. (This event) is good for telling people what’s out there, what opportunities they have.”

At the R.A.C.E. finale Aug. 29 — a cookout, movie night and camp out at McCook Point Park in Niantic — participants can submit their passports in to the final grand prize drawing. Those with the most passport stamps get the most chances to win. Last year’s grand prize included a kayak, a portable grill, a tent, a cooler and more.

While the prizes make for a nice incentive to exploring and participating in challenges, Bushway said the real value of the Park R.A.C.E. is encouraging people to take an interest in the nature and scenery of their hometowns. He said having events like the Park R.A.C.E. and National Trails Day early in the year can encourage people to explore not only their hometown but the surrounding towns as well.

“We like to start in May because that’s when the weather starts to get nice,” Bushway said. “It is kind of an awareness thing for people to say ‘hey there’s a lot of stuff to do around here. We don’t have to look at our smart phones all day.’”

To find out more about the Southeastern Connecticut Park R.A.C.E., visit www.facebook.com/SECTRACE or www.groton-ct.gov. Find more information on Park R.A.C.E events and hikes to celebrate National Trails Day below.

j.hopper@theday.com

Twitter: @JessHoppa

Celebrate National Trails Day

SATURDAY

Cross-town Hike: 9:30 a.m. Groton, Bluff Point State Park to Beebe Pond; a bus returns hikers to Bluff Point; co-sponsored by Avalonia, Groton Open Space Association, Groton Parks & Recreation Department; registration required, (860) 572-5715, svanzandt3@aol.com.

Tefftweald Nature Hike: 10 a.m. North Stonington; meet at 282 Grindstone Hill Road; lead by naturalist and photojournalist Bruce Fellman; registration recommended, (860) 599-4867, fellnature@sbcglobal.net.

SUNDAY

Historic Sheep Farm and Fort Hill Brook: 10 a.m., meet at 245/255 Hazelnut Hill Road (up from the Pequot Health Center entrance off Rt 117). Sponsored by the Groton Open Space Association, www.gosaonline.org; rain cancels; pre-registrationrequested. Contact svanzandt3@aol.com, (860)572-5715; no dogs.

Regional Adventure Challenge and Expedition

SUNDAY THROUGH AUG. 29

Camp Oakdale Kick Off Event: 9 a.m. -2 p.m. Sunday; 176 Meetinghouse Lane, Oakdale; letterboxing, sack races, 3-legged race; (860) 848-3030, Trailblzed72@gmail.com.

Col. Ledyard Park Sport and Fitness Challenge: 9 a.m.-1 pm. June 20; 4 Blonders Blvd, Ledyard;

(860) 464-9112.

Science and Sailing at Ocean Beach Park; 5-7 p.m., June 29; 98 Neptune Ave. New London;

guided kayak tour; (860) 447-5230.

Letterboxing at Beebe Pond: anytime; 211 Judson Ave., Mystic;  www.GrotonRec.com/trails for an interactive hiking guide.

Treasure Hunt and Hike at Ruby Cohen Park: anytime; 96 McDonald Road, Colchester; www.colchesterct.gov/parks for a scavenger hunt list.

Eastern Point Beach Scavenger Hunt: Anytime; 1 Beach Pond Road, Groton City; after 6 p.m.; (860) 446-4128.

Leary Park Geocaching: anytime, 739 Vauxhall St. Ext., Waterford; locate hidden geocache boxes, a compass or GPS recommended; take a photo with your geocache for your passport; (860) 444-5881.

McCook Point Park Finale Event: Aug. 29; 8 Atlantic Street, Niantic; bring a tent, sleeping bags, food and items for a cookout, movie night, backyard games and family camp out. Grand prize and final prize drawings; confirm attendance at (860) 739-5828.