10-02-2026 5:02am

A MOVEMENT

Walktober and Walk Maryland Day

October is Walktober in Maryland! All month long, MDOT and partners across the state are celebrating walking, rolling, pedestrian safety, and the sidewalks, trails, paths, and public spaces that connect us to everyday destinations and to each other. Through events, Walkinars, online discussions, and activities focused on walkability, health, equity, community connection, and innovation, Walktober encourages Marylanders to get outside, get moving, and help build momentum for safer, more accessible, and better-connected places to walk and roll.

Walktober 2026 features six ways to get involved:

Join the Walktober Step Challenge - We're kicking off the Walktober Step challenge with a relay across the state — help Maryland reach 1,000,000 steps during October. Register Here. Learn more about the challenge below. This is a friendly statewide competition encouraging Marylanders to get outside and explore local trails, sidewalks, paths, parks, and neighborhood routes. Local partners will help highlight places to walk and roll across Maryland, and residents can keep the relay going by choosing a route in their own community.
Join a Walk on October 7 - Register for Walk Maryland Day or Walk and Roll to School Day! Register for Walk Maryland Day through the Maryland Department of Health, there are walks statewide! Or see if your community's school is participating in Walk and Roll to School Day here: Walk, Bike, & Roll To School website.
Tune in to the October 8 Walkinar: Equity, Engagement, and Community-Centered Transportation Planning - Hear from Michael Pollack, author of Sidewalk Nation; Oboi Reed, founder and CEO of Equiticity; and Aviva Klugh, AICP, MDOT’s Environmental Justice Officer, as they discuss how sidewalks, streets, and transportation decisions shape access, opportunity, community voice, and quality of life. Register Here.
Take part in the Power Hour on October 15. Walk or roll for 1 hour, with a goal of completing at least 1 mile, and log your steps to help Maryland move closer to the statewide Step Challenge goal.
Tune in on October 22 for a Walkinar on technology and innovation in pedestrian safety. Speakers will explore how AI, LiDAR, mapping, data, and performance metrics can help agencies better understand pedestrian needs and make safer, more informed transportation decisions. Registration Coming Soon!
Join us on October 29 for a Secretaries Panel Discussion on walking, rolling, safety, active transportation, and connected communities. Leaders from the Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland Department of Health, Maryland Department of Planning, and Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development will discuss how transportation, public health, planning, and community development all play a role in creating safer, healthier, and better-connected places for Marylanders to walk and roll. Registration Coming Soon!
Walktober Step Challenge

This October, help Maryland reach 1,000,000 steps during the Walktober Step Challenge!

Walk, roll, or move your way through October, then Log Your Steps. Every entry helps Maryland move closer to the statewide goal. You can also use the Log Your Steps button below to access the Step Tracker.

Want to compete? Register for the Step Challenge to be included on the leaderboard and compete for prizes and recognition. The leaderboard will track progress throughout the month, and winners will be contacted by email. Registration opens August 10 and closes October 15. To compete for leaderboard prizes, register using the button below.

Not interested in competing? That's okay! You can still log your steps and help Maryland reach the collective 1,000,000-step goal.

Walktober is coordinated by the Maryland Department of Transportation in collaboration with state agency partners, local governments, community organizations, and other partners across Maryland. Explore Walktober resources, campaign materials, event information, and Walkinar resources below.

Walkinars

Each October, MDOT and guest speakers host free Walkinars on a variety of walking-related topics. This year’s Walkinar information will be posted as details are finalized. Click below to view past Walkinar recordings and resources.

Walk Maryland Day

October 7, 2026 is officially Walk Maryland Day! To celebrate, we are encouraging our Maryland citizens to register for official walk. You may register to lead a walking group by selecting the Walk Leader link below. To register to join a walking group, select the Sole Mate link below.

October 7, 2026 is also Walk and Roll to School Day nationally. Register with the national partnership here.