Benefits of Hiking

By Callie Gardner, RN, CHC, CPT, CGFI

There is nothing quite as restorative for me as being outdoors. I find it is easier to let go of daily stress and focus on the sights, sounds, and smells of nature instead. It has been shown that hiking provides a wide range of benefits, from lowering blood pressure and heart disease risk to relieving symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. Here are just a few of my favorite local hikes to share. 

Gregory Park Loop sits right in the middle of a busy commercial/residential area in town, making it a quick, convenient hike to take if you are out running errands or need a quick nature fix. It is a 0.9 mile unpaved, shaded loop trail suitable for beginners. It sits just off North College Avenue at 69 E Sycamore Street.

The Joe Clark Trail at Lake Wilson features two loops to explore. To find this trailhead you can take Morningside Drive south of 15th Street for about two miles until it becomes City Lake Road. Turn left on Wilson Hollow Road and follow until you take a left onto the gravel Lake Wilson Road. A picnic pavilion sits on the west shore and there you will find the trailhead. The trail heads south down the lake from the pavilion following a level path to a bridge for the first creek crossing. You will later cross another creek with no bridge and then come to an intersection. Going left will take you along the shoreline for the 1.33 mile loop. Going right will take you on the upper route through a rock garden of boulders and along the upper ridge line for the 1.76 mile loop option. There is a final creek crossing at the dam spillway. If the lake is up it can be quite the adventure to cross. Sections of this trail can also get a bit overgrown in the summer months, so watch out for ticks if you go during this time.

My final recommendation is a short and sweet 2.3 mile loop on the Mt Kessler trail system. There are many options for trails to explore on Kessler Mountain and the hikes are well marked and developed. My current favorite is the Last Call to Terrapin Station loop. You can start at the large parking lot to the right of the softball fields and across from the soccer fields near the end of the park drive. You will see a large map and trailhead to the right of the lot. Last Call will take you up the hill and along the woods edge until it comes up a hill to an intersection. There you can turn left onto Terrapin Station which will go along the upper level until it reconnects with Last Call to take you back down to the parking lot. Along Terrapin Station you’ll enjoy waterways trickling down, large bluffs and ancient boulders. Keep in mind that sections of the trail may be closed at times due to wet conditions. 

We are lucky to live in an area with such natural beauty. There are many other hikes in Fayetteville to check out including: Lake Fayetteville, Lake Wedington, Mt Sequoyah Woods Trail, Finger Park Trail, Lake Sequoyah Trail. If you want to venture out of town there are incredible hiking opportunities to be found at Devil’s Den and the Buffalo River area. Wherever you decide to go please stay safe and be prepared. Now get out there. Nature is waiting for you