SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Five Rivers Delta Resource Center will host Triple Crown hiker John Calhoun Saturday as part of the Gulf Coast National Trails Day workshop.

Calhoun—one of only 97 hikers to have completed the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and Continental Divide trails—takes center stage at 1 p.m. to discuss the 11,000 miles he has hiked over the past nine years.

Calhoun has also hiked the International Appalachian Trail from Maine to Canada and is a graduate of the Tom Brown Jr. Wilderness Tracking and Survival School.

“He’s the real deal,” said Larry Parks of Fairhope who, in his retirement, is working to transform his longtime hobby as an occasional hiker into a way of life.

“I’ve finally got the time, and now I want to hear from one of the greatest wilderness wanderers about how to live this life,” Parks said.

Calhoun joins a slate of speakers for the free workshop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., presented by the Gulf Coast Chapter of the nonprofit Alabama Hiking Trail Society, known as the LA Hikers.

From day hiking and backpacking to hands-on demonstrations presented by local outfitter Spoke in Trail, the workshop offers a spectrum of insight for beginners to veteran hikers.

The celebration will also include a guided nature walk, led by Manager Hank Burch, around the sprawling Five Rivers campus as well as a presentation on the new Alabama Trail, a 500-mile long backpacking trail from Fort Morgan to the Tennessee state line.

Burch said the trail is designed to provide day-hiking alternatives for local residents while boosting eco-tourism opportunities that will attract outdoor enthusiasts from across the country.

According to the official American Hiking Society website, National Trails Day was established to laud “the nation’s many foot paths that lead to beautiful landscapes that otherwise could not be seen by the average person and also to educate the public about the health benefits of hiking and protecting our environment.”

The Alabama Hiking Trail Society was created to develop, promote, protect and maintain hiking trails statewide, but local efforts have concentrated on trail maintenance at Blakeley Historic State Park and Little River State Forest in Atmore as well as building the 120-mile section of the Alabama Trail from Fort Morgan to Little River.

For more information on Saturday’s free workshop, contact Cuhaj at (251) 533-1812.