Eric Inman can tell you exactly where he was and who he was with when he heard about Trail Life USA for the first time. And though he insists that he remained cool, calm, and collected on the outside—in many ways, he had to since he was sitting in the middle of a packed church at the time—he admits he felt like an adventurous kid whose prayers had been answered.
It was 2014, and Inman was listening to a Sunday sermon at Denton Bible Church when a promo video flashed across the screen. The national organization was still in its infancy, having formed barely a year earlier. But Inman was hooked from the opening crawl.
“There was loud music and an exciting promotional video, and Mirielle, my wife, nudged me with an elbow,” he said. “A Trail Life troop was coming to Denton Bible Church. We knew nothing about it, but I was shaking my head in agreement. The concept was absolutely thrilling. I remember thinking, ‘Whoa! I’m all over this.’”
Fast-forward to today, and Inman is the Denton Area Point Man for Trail Life USA. More importantly, he serves the organization and the boys and dads who comprise it—and they are thriving. Trail Life, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, is the largest Christ-centered, boy-focused organization in the country, with more than 1,100 troops and 55,000 members.
There is at least one Trail Life troop in all 50 states. Locally, nine active troops are in the Denton County area (with another one soon to be chartered at Prestonwood Baptist Church).
Local troops include Denton Bible Church (TX-0191), St. Phillips in Flower Mound (TX-0123), First Baptist Church of Corinth (TX-1161), and First Baptist Church of Roanoke (TX-1874). Inman and his team oversee all of them.
“We don’t compare ourselves to Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America), but we share some similar traits,” Inman said. “For example, many of our methods can be traced to the same man who started the Boy Scouts, Sir Baden Powell. We are a Christian outdoor adventure program for boys and young men. Our focus is making Godly citizens by mentoring the boys and each other, with Christ and God’s creation as the foundation. Our sister organization is American Heritage Girls, and in many cases, both meet at the same Church on the same night.”
He added, “The older Trailmen earn trail badges, and our highest honor is called the Freedom Award. As a Christian organization, we are blessed to see young families who are in search of something good and wholesome find it with us. Christian men who get involved in Trail Life are suddenly surrounded by men who mentor you, encourage you, and become positive influences and role models. The sons of those men are the beneficiaries of that, and they usually thrive. Boys without dads or absent dads are surrounded by Christian men who have their best interests at heart.”
In many ways, Inman was beside himself with excitement on that fateful day at church in 2014 because he felt like he had a second opportunity to be part of something special. He retired in 2007 after 23 years as a national park ranger and criminal investigator. He’d been with Scouting America since he was a young boy and served as an adult leader for many years. He had to let that go around 2012 when, as he put it, the organization had “pole-vaulted over the morality line in the sand.”
Established on timeless values derived from the Bible and set in the context of outdoor adventure, Trail Life welcomes boys ages 5 to 17. They work with male mentors in a troop setting where they are challenged to grow in character, understand their purpose, serve their community, and develop practical leadership skills to carry out the mission for which they were created.
Families pay troop dues and organization fees and are expected to purchase uniforms, pay for outings, etc. Most troops meet weekly during the school year, and the older guys attend monthly outdoor adventures ranging from camping and climbing mountains to canoeing, fishing, first aid, rope work, cooking, fire building, archery, and more.
Trail Life is broken down into three groups.
In the Woodlands Trail, boys age 5-10 gain knowledge about outdoor skills, citizenship, character, friendship, and faith through fun activities, awards, and skill instruction.
As Navigators, boys ages 11-13 gain an understanding of their values and beliefs under the guidance of godly male role models through being responsible in outdoor adventures—in their home and school life. They explore areas of interest and earn Trail Badges for advancement.
As Adventurers, young men ages 14-17 mature in wisdom and faith through more complex challenges and leadership activities with Christian men walking alongside them. They plan and lead outdoor events and large projects while exercising leadership positions in the Troop, even mentoring some of the younger Trailmen.
“Trail Life USA is a wonderful organization, and I am blessed to be part of it,” Inman said. “I get to help shape boys’ lives and mentor their dads and other fellow volunteers. Plus, they do the same for me.”
To learn more about Trail Life USA and explore the many troops in your area, visit traillifeusa.com.
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