Irreverent Warriors Silkies Hike - Louisville 2026

Irreverent Warriors is a veterans’ nonprofit that runs Silkies Hikes — group ruck-style hikes held in dozens of US cities, named for the short military-issue PT shorts participants wear. The organizer describes the hike as a roughly 22-kilometre urban adventure, covering 4 to 10 miles at a pace of 2 to 3 miles per hour with hourly social stops, and states plainly that this is not an athletic event. Many hikers carry a weighted ruck. The purpose is to break isolation among veterans through humor and camaraderie, as part of the organization’s suicide prevention mission.

The Louisville hike is held on Saturday 14 November 2026, starting at 9:00 a.m. from The Belvedere on North 6th Street and finishing around 5:00 p.m. Check-in runs from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Silkies Hikes are for veterans, active duty, National Guard and reservists only; the organizer’s event page states that minors, civilian hikers, pets and strollers are not permitted, with documented service animals the only exception, plus explicit bans on weapons and open containers. All participants must e-sign a waiver incorporating the organization’s Code of Conduct. Registration runs on DonorDrive, closing at noon on the day of the hike; the fee is shown at checkout, and a free option is available via promo code from . The local coordinator is Jay Croswait at .