Campus Recreation

An illustration of different types of shoes, with text reading: "Walktober"

Walktober

Welcome to Walktober 2026!

Meet new people. Explore the city. Win a backpack. Let’s go! 

PSU—at whatever pace works for you. No experience or fitness level is required; you only need a willingness to get out and start moving.

This year, Walktober has a new focus: URBAN EXPLORATION. Each week offers a new way to look at Portland: the neighborhoods, art, nature, and support resources that will keep you thriving on campus and feeling at home in your city. You’ll get weekly challenges, guided group walks, and small, doable ways to build a great habit that can outlast October.

Start small! Start anywhere! Set your own pace and your own goals. Join one guided walk, or walk on your own schedule all month. You can stay in your own neighborhood or explore parts of the city that are new to you. There’s no wrong way to participate, and no minimum. A ten-minute walk between classes is just as much a part of Walktober as a full corridor challenge across the city. Rolling counts, too!

Find Your People

Walking with others is one of the best parts of Walktober, and joining a group is easy (we promise) if you don’t already have one. When you register through Challenge Runner, you can join an OPEN TEAM for students or for staff/faculty. Even if you don’t meet in person, you’ll be connected to other people walking alongside you all month long. Invite your PSU friends along and encourage them to register. Kids and dogs are welcome, too!

Are you ready to sign up for every guided walk? Great! Would you rather put on headphones and count housecats on your own street? Fantastic! Walktober is meant to work around your life and your interests.

Wild Walktober

Calling all amateur zoologists! Portland is wilder than you think. Coyotes, hawks, owls—even sea lions—share our city. Wild Walktober is our month-long nature-spotting challenge; print out a checklist, keep your eyes and ears open, and see how many animals you can find. No luck? We threw in some easy ones for you, too. Turn in your checklist at the end of the month to be entered into the Wild Walktober drawing.

Come to a walk 

Not sure where to start? Join us on one of our group walks. You don’t have to commit to anything.

If you have questions or would like to request accommodations, please contact our Walktober team at walktober@pdx.edu. We’d love to hear from you!

Register

Register for Walktober

Registration is open from September 22 until October 15. Registering is fast and easy: just fill out the following google form Walktober registration, then follow the link to create your Challenge Runner account. Our step-by-step Challenge Runner Guide walks you through setup, including how to sync a fitness device or smartphone. Keep an eye on your emails for information about in-person tech assistance.

Register here about Two people in boots, walking on a forest trail with leaves and branches on the ground.

Prizes & Incentives

Join anytime this month, set your own  goals, and find your way into as many of our EIGHT RAFFLE DRAWINGS as you can. However you walk, there’s a drawing for you featuring brand new gear from Columbia Sportswear. 

How to earn a raffle ticket:  

  1. STEP GOAL DRAW: Hit your personal step goal, even if you joined late.
  2. STUDENT DRAW: If you’re a student and you hit your goal, you’ll get a ticket for a students-only drawing (great odds!).
  3. WILD WALKTOBER DRAW: a completed checklist is worth one ticket.
  4. GUIDED WALK DRAW: Join us for a group walk. Each one is worth a ticket.
  5. CHALLENGE DRAW: Upload a photo (one per week) from one of our recommended challenge walks for a ticket. You can do any of the challenges all month long.
  6. ROOKIE DRAW: Register, log some steps, complete the survey. No step goal required.
  7. RECRUITER DRAW: Bring a friend! If they register, you get a ticket.

How to earn an award certificate (and extra bragging rights):

Everyone who reaches their personal step goal earns a certificate—no luck necessary. We’ll also award certificates to the individual and team with the highest mileage. To be eligible for any drawing or certificate, complete the registration form and our short post-challenge survey. 

Syncing a Fitness Device or Smartphone

Already use a fitness tracker or your phone to track steps? You can learn how to sync it to Challenge Runner here. ChallengeRunner guide.

Are you rolling? If you already use an activity tracker, simply sync it to Challenge Runner to track “steps” in our challenge—or just log 100 steps for each minute of rolling. For information on how to enter steps manually, refer to the Challenge Runner guide. 

2026 Walktober Event Calendar

Sign up for our weekly Walktober newsletter for complete details on each week’s theme and recommended at-home walks.

September 22: Registration Opens

September 29: Night at the Rec

September 30: Party in the Park. Join us for our annual fall quarter student engagement fair to learn about Walktober, Campus Rec, and more ways you can be involved with the PSU community.

October 1: Start Walking—track your steps and encourage friends and colleagues to join you!

October 5: Follow the Crows! Join us on an evening walk to spot some of the Wildwood crow sculptures all around downtown.

October 14: Join us during Community Hour to explore Portland’s secret fountains (The Portland Open Space Sequence).

October 19: Join us during Community Hour to explore the PSU campus, student resources, and the Park Blocks.

October 28: Come along for a spooky nighttime walk through downtown Portland’s eeriest haunts.

November 2: Come out to our closing gala (picnic) as we say goodbye to Walktober 2026 and hello to prizes and adulation. Formal wear not required. Raffle winners in attendance will have first pick of the prizes, so make sure to show up!

Walktober FAQs

Q. Can I bring pets or children with me on guided walks? 

A: Yes, kids and leashed dogs are welcome!

Q. What should I wear for Walktober events?

A: Wear whatever makes you feel most like yourself. Our guided walks aren’t strenuous, but we recommend comfortable shoes.

Q. What is the pace of the walk? What is the terrain like?

A: We’ll stick to a pace that works for everyone and stay on paved streets, but mobility aids are welcome. 

Q. How long are the guided walks?

A: aytime group walks are scheduled to fit within community hour, with room at the end so you’ll have plenty of time to get to your next class.

Q. What should I bring with me on a guided walk?

A: We recommend water and a snack. Make sure to check the weather and bring an umbrella or rain jacket if the forecast shows rain.

Q. Can I bring a non-PSU family member or friend with me on the walks?

A: Yes! Everyone is welcome.