America’s Premier Walking Club Celebrates 50 Years
America’s Walking Club, one of the largest such clubs in the United States, is celebrating its 50th year championing volkssporting.
From the German term for sports of the people, the word encompasses noncompetitive physical activities, especially walking—either solo or with a group—on routes that have been thoughtfully planned for scenic and cultural enjoyment.
Nevada’s Historic Railroad Trail at Lake Mead | Photo courtesy AVA, America’s Walking Club
With origins in Europe in the mid-1960s, the concept came to America when the Rev. Kenn Knopp, a Catholic deacon from Fredericksburg, Texas, visited his aunt and uncle in Germany who loved walking. They took him on a walk around town, and Knopp, then in his early 40s, found he was struggling. He was put in touch with Gunter Hartmetz, the president of the governing body for organized walking in Europe, and when he returned home to Texas, Knopp reached out to Hartmetz about putting on a walk in Fredericksburg as part of America’s bicentennial celebrations the next year. He thought it would be a way to do something healthy and fun for his community, while also celebrating the town’s German roots.
Recognized as the founding father of volkssporting in the United States, Knopp established the first volkssport walking club here, Volkssportverein Friedrichsburg, under the guidance of the American Volkssport Association (AVA), which is one of 30 member nations in the International Federation of Popular Sports (known by the German initials IVV).
A Network of Walking Clubs
AVA held its first-ever IVV-sanctioned event in the United States in June 1976 and several clubs began forming around the country after that. They proved especially popular with U.S. servicemen returning from deployment in Europe where they regularly participated in volkswalks.
In America, most volksporting events offer routes of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) or 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), but participants can walk as far as they are comfortable with and at their own pace as they enjoy the scenery around them. People of any age and ability can participate.
Holly Pelking of San Jose, California, was hooked in 1988 when she walked her first events in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. “All these people walking together, sharing stories and having a great time was certainly for me! The start point was at a huge duck farm, so the award for each event was a hand-painted blown duck egg with the picture of the state, and its state bird. I will never forget it,” she said.
Pelking went on to help establish the Hoosier Hikers club in South Bend, Indiana, has served as vice president of AVA, and is currently serving as Pacific regional director on AVA’s board of directors.
“I have walked all 50 states and completed many national and international events,” said Pelking. “I look forward to continuing walking, traveling and meeting new people for a long time! Thanks to the network of clubs and events that AVA provides, we all can enjoy these treasures.”
In addition to orchestrating opportunities to be active, the AVA helps foster a sense of community. Through these walks and other fitness programming, members—as well as their friends, families and people interested in participating—are able to connect with one another, form friendships and get to know the places hosting the activities.
How To Participate
America’s Walking Club currently has 150 active walking clubs in 41 states. Volunteers within the clubs create, plan and organize guided, or self-guided, curated walking events nationwide, many of which happen along trails. Some clubs also provide cycling events, swim events, and other forms of noncompetitive physical activities.
In celebration of AVA’s 50th year and America’s 250th, 17 special weekend festivals across the country will take place in 2026. AVA is also partnering with Rails to Trails Conservancy to celebrate the organization’s 40th anniversary—helping to inspire more people to come together and connect while walking and being active outdoors. On April 25, many AVA walking clubs have sanctioned group walks or bike events along trails in recognition of RTC’s Celebrate Trails Day. You can find an event here.
And to discover self-guided walking routes to enjoy any day of the year or to find a local club, go to ava.org to search by state or area.
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Let us know that you’re planning to participate so we can send you updates about all the ways you can be part of Celebrate Trails Day—including opportunities to get great giveaways!
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Everyone deserves access to safe ways to walk, bike, and be active outdoors.
