Dog-friendly scavenger hunt-style hiking challenge kicks off across Lower Mainland

Exercise your body and mind with this interactive dog-friendly challenge - with a chance to win a prize worth over $1300.

Photo Credit: West Coast Tails Photography

As Great Outdoors Month is officially here, there's a new dog-friendly hiking challenge kicking off to give some added motivation to get active and explore with your pup.

PawSwap’s Hikes & Trails Challenge, created for dogs and their owners, is back for the summer, but this time with a scavenger hunt-style twist to exercise both the body and mind. From June 1 - June 30, the Hikes & Trails: Summer Scavenger Hunt Edition invites locals to explore 30 pre-selected dog-friendly hikes, trails and parks across the Lower Mainland - but here’s where things get interesting. PawSwap won’t be revealing where they are!

Instead, new clues will be revealed weekly on the Hikes & Trails website to help dog owners figure out the locations they need to visit to earn entries for 3 prize draws, with the top Ultimate Hiker Pup prize package valued at over $1300 - which includes a Photoshoot Package from West Coast Tails Photography. Also included in the prize packages are products essential for any active human and pup team from Kuma Outdoor Gear, DUER, PredatorBWear, Woof Concept, Camp Beer Co, Earth Rated, Kanata Blanket Co, Vegano Foods, Rumble Supershake, Sit Stay Love Raw and Kabo.

While entries for the prize draws are up for grabs for every location visited throughout the month, participants will need to use their brains as well as their bodies to complete this interactive challenge - and you'll have to take a photo of your pup at the 'Secret Photo Spot' described in the clue to verify your guess. So, time to get your detective hats on, as this limited-time challenge only runs until the end of the month, and there's 30 locations to find!

Suitable for all dogs

Suitable for all dogs - big, small and even senior - any dog owners in the Lower Mainland who are ready for a challenge can start guessing through the website today, as the first clues will be revealed on June 1. "After the success of our first Hikes & Trails Challenge back in January, we knew we had to come back with a second one and thought that Great Outdoors Month was the perfect time to do that with longer days, and warmer weather!”, said Melanie Englmaier, Event Planning and Community Coordinator at PawSwap. “We’ve made this challenge accessible for all dog owners as it’s not about who can complete the most hikes, but who can figure out the most secret locations! We can’t wait to see all the participating pups and their owners exploring and discovering new local hikes, parks and trails!"

@hiroventures taking park in PawSwap's 1st Hikes & Trails Challenge

How to Get Involved

This challenge is open to all dog owners in the Lower Mainland, and all hikes and trails completed, or parks visited, will be submitted through the Hikes & Trails website.

Although a PawSwap Premium membership is not required to take part, it is a great tool for narrowing down the locations, as it unlocks access to all the hikes and trails in their area, along with dog-friendly details including if there are swimming areas, or dogs can roam partially or fully off-leash. Depending on the number of locations guessed correctly and visited during the month, participants will be entered into 3 prize draws - Ultimate Hiker Pup ($1300+ value), The Adventure Pup ($400+ value) and The Outdoor Pup ($150+ value). A leaderboard will be displayed on the website each week to see how participants compare with fellow dog owners, and the more entries earned throughout the challenge, the higher the chances of winning a prize.

Challenge Details

When: June 1 - June 30, 2021 Where: Throughout the Lower Mainland

How to get involved: Start the challenge today on the Hikes & Trails website.

Prizes: A full list of prizes can be found here. About PawSwap: Founded in 2015, PawSwap is a Vancouver-based pet app that makes planning days with your pup easier than ever. Tired of ‘No Dogs Allowed’ signs, PawSwap plans, promotes, and inspires dog-friendly activities, while raising awareness of businesses that are more inclusive of our four-legged best friends.