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Holy Hikes is established as a ministry of All Saints Episcopal Church in San Leandro, California. All Saints is a nonprofit organization incorporated under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (tax ID # is 94-1312341). Holy Hikes® is a registered trademark of Holy Hikes. Copyright © 2010-2019 Holy Hikes. All Rights Reserved.

Our Mission

It has been said that “people will protect what they love.” The ultimate goal of this ministry is to help individuals be renewed in their love-relationship with the earth, the universal church, and with their Creator. The environmental crisis today is, at its core, a broken relationship between the human community and the earth. There is legislation being pushed to address environmental issues and advocacy groups working to bring change to our destructive and unsustainable ways. Those are important. History has also proven that a broken relationship is ultimately mended, not by the force of law, but rather by the slow laborious work of rebuilding that relationship. Even in the environmental movement, the earth can be subjugated and treated as just an object that we care for, rather than as a subject with which we are in relationship.

Holy Hikes calls us to relate to all of creation in a communion-centered way. Change will come with legislation and cheaper green products, but we believe transformation will come as we reestablish our communion with all of life. Holy Hikes calls us beyond the walls of comfort, to take a step, perhaps even a hike, towards reunion with the earth and all its life and beauty. Join us in finding new ways to restore our communion with all of Creation.

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The Rev. Justin R. Cannon
Founder & Director


Justin received his Bachelor of Arts from Earlham College and his Master of Divinity from Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA. He is a published author/editor of works on LGBT inclusion in the church. He worked as Program Manager of Episcopal Impact Fund, San Francisco, from 2009-2012 and is currently serving as Rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in San Leandro, CA.

He was ordained to the priesthood by the Right Reverend Marc Handley Andrus, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California, on December 3, 2011. He is “most at home” in the outdoors, and is passionate about finding ways to not just care for the earth, but to rebuild and nurture communion between the human community and the rest of Creation.

Holy Hikes’ founding chapter, now named Holy Hikes-San Francisco Bay Area, has partnered with San Francisco Baykeeper, a nonprofit that is committed to protecting the San Francisco Bay from polluters. Periodically, throughout the year, Holy Hikes-SF hosts a “Bay Clean-up Mass” in conjunction with San Francisco Baykeeper during which participants clean up trash in a designated area. Holy Hikes is committed to supporting its chapters in partnering with their local waterkeepers and invites you to find your local waterkeeper online through the Waterkeeper Alliance at www.waterkeeper.org

Please consider making a one-time donation to Holy Hikes to help sustain this ministry. Without you, our “Holy Hikers,” these adventures would just be empty trails. We are grateful for your support and your heartfelt prayers. You can send a check payable to “All Saints Episcopal Church” (our fiscal sponsor):

All Saints Episcopal Church
ATTN: Holy Hikes
911 Dowling Blvd.
San Leandro, CA 94577

You can also donate by Paypal:

All Saints is a nonprofit organization incorporated under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (tax ID # is 94-1312341). All gifts to Holy Hikes are tax deductible as allowed by law.

  1. Do I have to be Christian to go on these hikes?
    All are welcome to join us for Holy Hikes gatherings regardless of religious-affiliation.
  2. What is a liturgical hike?
    A liturgical hike is a celebrate of a liturgy (i.e. church service) in the context of a hike. The services are stational, meaning we do the service throughout the entire hike with stations along the way.
  3. Can dogs come? 
    We love it when dogs come, but it depends on the park and chapter. Ask your group leader before coming on the hike.
  4. Are gifts to Holy Hikes tax deductible?
    Yes! Holy Hikes is established as a ministry of All Saints Episcopal Church in San Leandro, California. All Saints is a nonprofit organization incorporated under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (tax ID # is 94-1312341). All gifts to Holy Hikes are tax deductible as allowed by law.