Hitting the Trail Leads to Better Health

All right, Oregonians. November 17 is National Take a Hike Day. Right in time for us to remind you that if you’re about to slide into the hunker-down-and-hide-out mode for the winter, you should do exactly the opposite: Get outdoors!

Pulling on a raincoat and boots and hitting a trail is one of the best things you can do to stay happy and healthy through the gray days of a Willamette Valley winter. Hiking reduces anxiety, is good for cardio and strength, and reduces symptoms of cognitive impairment and memory loss.

Lucky for us, we’re surrounded by trails. From a sweet loop around the wetlands at Delta Ponds to a trip up Spencer Butte, hiking is close by, free and just plain good for you… especially in the rain! A search of “Eugene Springfield hikes” turns up a number of lists for you to choose from. We like this list of Rainy Day Hikes on the Eugene Cascades Coast website.