These Philly Entrepreneurs Want to Take You Running Through America’s National Parks

Photographs courtesy of Highline

How many of you dream about hiking the likes of Death Valley, wish you could be running the trails of Glacier National Park or exploring the great rock formations and valleys of Moab? Honestly, probably most of us would rather be doing that right now — or at any given moment, for that matter. But oftentimes when the thoughts of these adventures arise, we feel we can’t act on those urges because we’re too bogged down with life’s obligations. Plus, planning a trip is a lot of work.

Well, there’s a Philly-based venture that is helping folks overcome that bogged-down feeling and take adventures and exciting risks. Highline, a new project for Ryan Callahan — the founder of the Philly 10K — and his colleague, JT Kane, is a “community-building adventure company” that wants to help and encourage people to work less and adventure more. So, those Death Valley, Glacier and Moab adventures I mention above? Yeah, you can actually do that with a like-minded group, retreat-style, with the folks of Highline.

While Highline is based in Philly, their retreats are open to anyone from anywhere. The company focuses on exploring the National Park scene here in the U.S., exploring unique paths with intimate groups of like-minded runners and adventure-seekers. During Highline retreats, participants can expect days filled with jaw-dropping views, while racking up miles on the trail — in a place where your phone is out of network, so checking your work email won’t even be an option.

Highline’s first adventure is coming up, March 3 through 8, in Death Valley National Park. You can check out the full details and itinerary for the first retreat here, but to give you a quick run-down: the six-day, five-night, adventure kicks off in Las Vegas — where the group will meet and depart collectively from the airport for a drive into the remote California desert. Upon the group’s arrival in Death Valley, daily runs will be as lengthy as six miles and hikes can fill seven full hours. Participants will stay in a variety of places throughout the trips from humble tents with cots, to heated beds in teepees to hip roadside hotels. Most days also feature relaxing activities such as swimming, beer drinking, and soaks in thermal hot springs.

Registration for the first Highline adventure opens on Wednesday, January 17th at 10 a.m. The trip will run each participant $1,850, with a $500 deposit to secure your spot, but from what we can tell, the views are totally worth it.

Oh, and it’s also worth noting that everyone who signs up for this Highline adventure gets a free bib for this summer’s Philly 10K. So, yay for perks!

Like what you’re reading? Stay in touch with Be Well Philly—here’s how:

• Like Be Well Philly on Facebook
• Follow Be Well Philly on Twitter
• Follow Be Well Philly on Instagram
• Follow Be Well Philly on Pinterest
• Get the Be Well Philly Newsletter