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Hiking Stick Medallions:
Great Hiking Gifts

by Diane Spicer

Meet Hiking For Her's Diane

Let's spell out exactly what hiking stick medallions are.

Hiking stick = hiking pole = trekking pole = walking stick = hiking staff = well, you get the idea!

Add a little piece of metal, stamped with a favorite park, monument, or trail (the medallion part), and there you have it!

A treasured, and personalized, piece of trail gear.

A hiking stick acts as a worthy trail companion in oh so many ways:

• It's there for balance and probing the water when you need to cross a creek on a narrow log.
• It takes strain off your knee joints going down hill.
• It may help defend you from someone's misbehaving canine on the trail.
• It can act as an emergency tent pole, or prop up a tarp during a rain delay.
• Back scratcher, anyone? (Once your pack is off, of course.)
  

So to jazz up a plain old hiking pole, attach a medallion.

Why?

Because hiking medallions are fun on so many levels!

• There's the "memory lane" angle. Every time you glance at the hiking stick, great hiking memories come rushing back.
• And you can hang your hiking stick in a prominent location in your office or family room, reminding you all winter long of your hiking adventures.
• Fun conversation starter with guests, too.

Hiking stick medallions make
great gifts for hikers

Do you have a hiker in your life? I'll bet you're often stumped for unique hiking gift ideas.

Consider a hiking stick, and a medallion to go with it, for the next birthday or holiday gift you need to purchase.

You can also use your medallion as a conversation starter out on the trail.

• Say you're on a rest break, and another hiker passes by and spots your stick. S/he may have just come from that place, so you can compare hiking notes.
  
• You may meet a kindred spirit or a new trail buddy (or possible romantic interest! Just sayin'...)
• Or perhaps that person has been longing to visit the place depicted on your medallion. Instant conversation!

These medallions are an inexpensive way to commemorate a long trail or section accomplishment, or a long awaited hiking trip to a famous destination.

Bring good memories of trail time back with one glance at your lovely little medallion.

I don't often recommend companies, but here's a gem:

Hike America.

Check out their long tradition of hiking stick medallions, as well as other hiking gifts (T shirts & posters).

Note: I don't have an affiliate relationship with Hike America, I just think their products are fun.

Need an example?

Here's an example of a medallion from one of my favorite hiking destinations. It features an iconic bison.

Bison are majestic mammals, and your chances of seeing them in Yellowstone are high. My spine tingles with great memories every time I see an image of a bison!

Random Bison Awareness Hiking tip: Don't hike near them, and by near I mean use your zoom lens to see their eyelashes. Although they look big and clumsy, they can run like the wind - right at you.

Yellowstone National Park - Buffalo - Hiking Stick Medallion

Browse around and see if there is a medallion that speaks to you.

And if you're a fan of Yellowstone, well, there you have it!

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