Houston McLaury-

This past week in one of my labs, our task was to explore one of the forests that lies twenty minutes outside of campus, on the northeastern side of the Minnesota River. We stomped and made a great deal of noise as our uneven path and unsteady feet made for great footfall amongst the litter of leaves that had found their final resting place on the forest floor. While on this lab excursion, I realized how long it had truly been since I had taken a hike like that; one where we did not stick to any marked trails and galavanted through the woods on our quest to identify some trees and flora in our little plots. It was a grand time.

Which is why I now write. Going on this hike has instilled that flame in me: my love of hiking and walking along state trails. Sure, we get a lot of walking done on campus and that’s fine, but nothing compares to the sense of walking along winding trails through the woods or through long-grass prairies, or even going off the beaten path and forging your own way through the wilderness. Taking some time out of your week to find a new trail, either through the arboretum or through one of the many parks we have in Minnesota, offers a great opportunity for exercise, to get closer to nature, and is honestly just a peaceful and relaxing time.

Now, why do I love hiking so much? Honestly, it has to do with how my family spent the majority of our weekends in the summertime and in some of the autumn months. Oftentimes my mom, dad, sibling, and our dogs would pack into our van and drive either fifteen minutes to the trails next to the Minnesota River, or we would take an hour and drive somewhere we’ve never been before and walk through the woods. Listening to music, sharing water and bags of trail mix, and the best part of it all for me was finding big knobbly sticks on the side of the trail. Walking along and acting like a wizard with a grand staff, talking about school, or making stupid jokes about things as we walked was an unmatched feeling. We’d freeze at the sound of a red-tailed hawk or any critter we could see in the foliage. It’s obvious that hikes have become a great activity for me, simply because of the ties I have to it because of my family.

It’s also just great for getting into physical activity. Walking or jogging through the woods is great because it gets you out of the house, out of the gym, and into some fresh air and sunlight. Like I said before, you could just go to the gym for a quick run or take a walk around campus, but there’s a difference between the sterile environment of the gym with its dark walls and powered machines assisting in your workout versus going outside and working out in nature. And sure, you can walk up and down concrete steps on campus and decide to have a go around the main road a few times if you want to get your steps in, but it’s not the same as walking on gravel or dirt trails and taking in the breadth of nature through those walks.

Speaking of, I’d like to expand on this view of nature that one can see should they choose to hike. Just through my recent experience in the lab this week, I was able to not only see a variety of trees (ironwood, dark cherry, elms, and the saplings of such trees), but I was also able to hear amazing bird calls. One was from a bald eagle about half a mile away, a few flitterings of birds breaking from the canopy of trees that resided high overhead, gooseberry shrubs, so much to see that the woods kept contained. The entire experience let my mind wander from coursework and focus on the nature that was around me.

This brings me to my last point on why hikes are so special: they offer a time to destress and relax. Walking in the woods helps me to calm myself whenever things are becoming too much, or the semester is weighing down too heavily on me. Plugging in my headphones and walking through the woods to pleasant tunes helps me relax, ground myself, and slow down to enjoy the majesty of all that is around me.

I cannot state enough why hiking is such a wonderful pastime to take up, especially now with all the changing colors on the trees. Not to mention the cool air that is perfect for a warm sweater, a cup of coffee, and a hike through some gravel or dirt trails. Go out there this week when the world is too much, and lose yourself in the majesty of nature, in the knobbly sticks that are perfect for casting spells, and for gentle talks with friends. Take time to slow down, enjoy the beauty of all that is around you, and enjoy the journey.