There is a state park near my home that we have not utilized enough. Lots of people go there daily to walk their dogs, to fish, to run on the trails, to go horseback riding, and to take hikes. Every year I vow to take more hikes in this park, but it never happens. We go there on occasion, but nearly not enough for my liking.
Ever since I was a kid, I love to exercise outdoors. Fresh air is so important. It fills the lungs and it soothes the soul. Lately though, I have become more accustomed to indoor exercise for convenience purposes. This year is my year! We are getting to that park for regular hikes no matter what!
Why is this so important to me, you ask? (Well, maybe you didn’t ask but I’ll pretend for a moment that you did.) Here are 10 reasons to take a hike:
- Being outside is more peaceful than exercising in a gym environment.
- You can hike however you prefer. Hike alone, with a friend, with your family, or in a larger group. Listen to music or listen to the sounds of nature. It is all based on your own preference.
- Exercising in nature provides greater feelings of revitalization and positivity, as well as more energy, than exercising indoors.
- Hiking is calming. In fact, exercising outdoors has been shown to decrease tension, confusion, anger and depression more so than exercising indoors.
- Hiking can be done based on your own personal time frame. You can hike for 15 minutes or for several hours, depending on your own schedule and preference. Hiking can be varied by route and time so that no two hikes are ever the same.
- Hiking is a great activity to do with kids. Even kids who are not into team sports. Kids who spend significant time outdoors could have a stronger sense of self-fulfillment and purpose than those who don’t spend time outdoors.
- It connects you to nature. Studies show that kids who spend significant time outdoors have more of a connection with the earth and their role in protecting it.
- You can learn a lot. Many trails, forests, and parks have guides for hikers to learn about the land and its history, the animals, and even the star formations at night.
- It can make you happy! Being outside in nature promotes positive health effects and long-term psychological well-being for both children and adults.
- You can create lasting memories when you hike with your children, from the conversations along the way to helping them learn about the environment.
If you want to get outside more too, DiscoverTheForest.org features an interactive map tool that enables users to search for nearby forests and parks, and filter by zip code and desired activities. Free outdoor activities are also available for download and printing, which you can take the next time you visit.
Discover the Forest is a public service campaign created by the U.S. Forest Service and the Ad Council with the primary goal of inspiring families to connect with nature. The campaign also features online communities on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You can also participate bysharing your forest, hiking, and outdoor photos on social media every Friday using the hashtag #ForestFriday.
Join us for a fun Twitter Party all about the great outdoors with the US Forest Service at 1 p.m on June 26th! Follow @Cheecker and #DiscoverTheForest to join the conversation.