National Waking Day is today, the first Wednesday in April. The day celebrates the easiest way to be healthy: walking. Walking for 30 to 60 minutes per day can improve your health so check out these beautiful hiking trails in and around TDS communities across the country!
Arizona: Navajo Bridge – Glen Canyon
On Jan. 12, 1929, the Navajo Bridge, or originally known as the Grand Canyon Bridge, opened as a direct route from Utah to Arizona. For 66 years the bridge was used for transport until vehicles and trucks became larger and heavier. A new bridge was constructed in its place as a way for motor transportation while the original bridge remains in use as a pedestrian bridge. With only a 13-minute walk across the bridge, it’s great for short hikes and makes an excellent photo spot.
Minnesota: Fifth Falls and Superior Hiking Trail Loop
This easy, 3-mile trail at Gooseberry Falls State Park will take you on a scenic tour of waterfalls, beautifully wooded areas, and the serene Gooseberry River. The trail is dog-friendly and great for any time of the year.
New Hampshire: Mount Willard Trailhead – Crawford Notch State Park
Reap the rewards of this 3.2-mile moderate hiking trail with breathtaking panoramic views of Crawford Notch and glimpses of a waterfall. This hike can be on the steeper side and in closed wooded areas. Don’t forget to bring your dog along with you on this one!
New York: Chittenango Falls
A steeper hike with a view that will pay off, the trail to Chittenango Falls takes only around half a mile to get to and swimming is a must. The falls reach 167-feet high and cascade over beautiful bedrock. Picnic tables are available here so pack a snack while you take in the scenery.
South Carolina: Twin Falls – Pickens Mountains
Picture this- you stop to take photos of a beautiful 75-foot-high granite slab waterfall alongside its smaller twin waterfall on your afternoon hike of only ¼ of a mile into the Eastatoe Creek Gorge. That is exactly what this trail has to offer you as you go through a private nature reserve that the public has been granted access to.
Wisconsin: Lion’s Den Gorge
You can find Lion’s Den Gorge on the shore of Lake Michigan in Grafton. With over three miles of trails, enjoy the views of a cedar forests and many natural bodies of water along the way. This is an easy hike that has close by access to picnic tables at the beginning for a packed lunch to get you started. Open all season, this trail is easily accessible.
Wisconsin: Ice Age National Scenic Trail – Eau Claire Dells Segment
This is an easy hike with stellar views. Within the 1,000-mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail, this 3.6-mile trek is a great option for shorter, scenic trips. The rocky hike takes you to the still standing bedrock left behind by the glaciers of the last ice age.
Written by Meagan Brown
