Exploring the Outdoors
The great outdoors gives a sense of relaxation and adventure, the refreshing air has a way of washing away all negativity and hardship that may be plaguing you. When the sky is blue, the sun is warm, and the trails ready, it is the best time to jump out there and explore the outdoors. That is why we’re going to be going over some of the best hiking trails in the United States and what makes the outdoors so beneficial to a person.
Best Hiking Trails in the United States
When thinking about the best trails to take in the states, it is important to consider proximity to your home as well as the worth of the trail. The question being, is it a good enough trail to travel the distance? Let’s find out.
Nugget Falls Trail
Starting off with the big state of Alaska, Nugget Falls trail is an easy going hike, made accessible for everyone. Hiking past glaciers and waterfalls, surrounded by the cool Alaskan air and forest trees, Nugget Falls is on the list of top hiking trails in the United States. The trail, doable for all ages, brings you out right on the beach to see the falls.
Shenandoah National Park: Appalachian Trails
For a more challenging turn for hiking, the Appalachian mountains offer a large range of moderate to hard trails. The Shenandoah National Park offers over 100 miles of hiking trails around the Appalachians, climbed by experienced hikers from around the world. The history and folklore of the Appalachian mountains attracts a number of hikers from around the world looking for their glimpse of the story on the mountain tops.
Burroughs Mountain Trail
The beautiful sight of Mount Rainier has captivated many hearts over the years as it has become a popular tourist sight in Washington state. While the trail becomes more difficult* the more ground you cover and is considered a difficult trail, many find their peace in the scenery along the way as they pass snow capped mountains, beautiful running streams, and forests captivating many different species of wildlife for hikers to spot from safe
distances.
Bryce Canyon’s Rim Trail
Bryce Canyon is one of the most scenic desert canyons known as it encompasses a wide range of biomes within it. While driving through the canyon, it can be difficult to remember it is a desert area because of the abundance of trees in the valley. The large red rock formations make for an appreciated view for those driving or hiking through. The canyon rim trail shows a birds eye view of the canyon and all of its glory within it. As a relatively easy hike for anyone, the trail attracts those looking to enjoy the beauty of the canyon in Utah.
Yellowstone: Storm Point Trail
A trail wrapping along Yellowstone lake, where the forest filled with majestic and wild animals meets the coast line of a large, beautiful body of water, the Storm Point trail is one of the most well known and walked trails of the Yellowstone National park. While a wonderful and easy trail to follow during a warm and calm day, the name Storm Point is justified as the trail can be quite exposed to the weather elements as the humidity from the
lake and open spaces around it create an area that can often be wet and cold. Looking ahead at the weather will save you a cold, bad trip.
Benefits of Nature
The wind, rain, snow, it can all put a damp mood on a reason to go out into nature. That is why it is important to understand how nature can help a person. It is not uncommon knowledge that a person’s presence in nature can improve their mental and spiritual health, let’s look at the reasoning behind this.
Improved Attention
It is no secret that time spent in nature calms the human systems that are usually on overdrive. The release of stress leaves more room for a “cognitive reset” where the body can calm itself and get back to its natural state of calm. When we let ourselves relax in nature, our stress levels decrease and we can handle more stressful events with a level head. This release of stress helps us be able to focus better, making sure our emotional state is in check and can in turn focus better on situations at hand.
Better Mood
As mentioned before, being out in a natural environment lowers stress hormones. This lack of stress creates an improved state of mind as it helps remain calm in irking situations. The lack of stress and the increase of calm, relaxed feelings such as empathy and cooperation, can help a person in their everyday mood and emotional regulations. Emotional regulation is a large part of improving moods during a person’s everyday activities because it helps regulate reaction to situations. Having a calm aura and good emotional regulation can improve a person’s day-to-day living, leaving them in a better mood.
Physical Advantages
Stress can be connected to a lot of health issues such as: heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar levels. Chronic stress can be the root of many issues, and it is important to connect physical issues as one; mind, body, spirit. These three important aspects can be improved with the presence of nature in a person’s life routines. Nature has been proven to lower stress, which is the key factor in many physical
issues.
Starting the Journey
Starting into nature is an important step in the right direction. Weekend hikes or after work walks is a start to a better living. Even living in a city, finding a retreat area is beneficial, such as a nearby park you can walk through or take your dog to. Stepping out into the natural world doesn’t have to mean hiking the most prestigious trails in the United States, it only means to place one leg in the possibility of doing so. A simple walk through your
nearby park works the same as a difficult hike through the Appilachian mountains when it comes to using nature as a healthy benefit of life.
