TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — The Cherokee Nation is now accepting applications for the 2027 Remember the Removal Bike Ride, which retraces the northern route of the Trail of Tears over a span of three weeks. The deadline to apply is Sept. 8, 2026.
Citizens of the Cherokee Nation between the ages of 16 and 24 who are chosen for the program will ride approximately 950 miles in June 2027, crossing through seven states as a testament to their physical and mental endurance. Cyclists will retrace the same path their ancestors were forced to walk more than 180 years ago.
Applications are available online via the Gadugi Portal and require applicants to answer essay style questions, provide references, and more. Applicants must be available for an interview once the application deadline has passed.
The Remember the Removal Bike Ride was created in 1984 as a youth leadership program. After a hiatus, the program was restarted in 2009. Today, over 200 Cherokee citizens are alumni of the program. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians also joins the Cherokee Nation on the journey that begins in New Echota, Georgia, and ends in Tahlequah, the capital of the Cherokee Nation.
To qualify, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a Cherokee Nation citizen
- Must not have previously participated in the program
- Be between the ages of 16 and 24 at the time of application
- Must pass a sports physical during orientation pre-training and post-training
- Commit to physically attending all mandatory training sessions and classes in Tahlequah
- Follow code of conduct policies
Finalists will be selected by a committee to attend training and history courses. Those finalists who are selected and meet all the requirements before, during, and after training, will officially be chosen as part of the 2027 class.
Applications for mentor riders, Cherokee Nation citizens age 35 or older at time of application, can also be found on the Gadugi Portal.
To apply, visit the Gadugi Portal.
For more information, contact Heather Fite at 918-453-5714 or email