EDITORIAL: TAKE A HIKE

As our local weather begins to be more consistent in temperature each week, we are getting to see nicer and nicer days for outside activities. In the past couple of weeks I, personally, have been able to take advantage of this weather to go hiking to a few different locations with family and friends. In the past year or so, hiking has really grown on me and it is something that can enjoyed for many different reasons. I know that nature and being outside isn’t necessarily everyone’s “thing,” however I would like to argue that hiking can be fun for just about anyone if you go into the right way.

First of all, there’s essentially an unlimited amount of trails, especially in this area. Because of this variety in locations, there is also a variety in the types of trails. You don’t have to be someone who participates in a 5K every weekend or runs twice a day to enjoy hiking. There are areas with endless types of trails that are short, long, fairly easy to walk through, and more difficult as well; you just have to find what suits you the best.

If you want to get into hiking, but don’t really know where to start, I would recommend doing some research on your specific area to ensure that you find a trail that is closest to what you are looking for. I have found looking up trails and reading reviews to be very helpful when trying to find a new place to hike, and there are even apps that can help in this same way. An app that I would suggest, called AllTrails, uses your location and shows you popular trails that can be found within a certain amount of miles from you. It also provides helpful information about each specific trail, along with reviews and pictures.

Overall, hiking is simply a great form of exercise that can be done without much effort; it can be a stress-reliever, a fun way to spend time with friends and family, and it can also provide some amazing picture opportunities as some trails come with overlooks and views. I would absolutely recommend hiking to anyone looking for a fun way to get outside and experience the nice weather ahead of us in these next several months.