GO TAKE A HIKE!

by Rich Gelfand 

With the warmer weather rapidly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about getting back outside. One of the most rewarding outdoor activities is just a stone’s throw away, and it’s almost always free...hiking! There are numerous local hiking trails, ranging from easy and flat to challenging with inclines. Pick the right hiking trail for you and explore!

Hiking usually offers spectacular views and the opportunity to become one with nature. It’s also a great choice as exercise for your overall health. Several important reasons hiking is beneficial include:

• Improved cardio-respiratory fitness in your lungs, heart, and blood vessels;
• Increased muscle strength and bone density, as well as slowing down bone density loss;
• Lowering the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, depression, anxiety, osteoporosis, arthritis, and many cancers.

Hiking is also an activity you can do by yourself or with others; it’s a great way to bond with friends and family, while also bonding with the great outdoors! It is important, however, to choose the right level for everyone. Sticking with easy, flatter trails is a safe way to start off. Also, don’t forget the essentials: food, water (there’s nothing like a picnic on a beautiful day), sunscreen, binoculars, bug repellant, weather-appropriate clothing … and your cellphone. If you have a smartphone, you’ll want to take pictures of the beauty you will see; it’s also good to have handy in case you need to get in touch with someone for any reason.

A great resource for information on hiking trails both local and elsewhere is alltrails.com. They also offer an easy-to-use app. A few beautiful trails located in Fairfield County include:

• Mianus River Park — This 391-acre park straddles both Greenwich and Stamford and features woodlands, wetlands and riverbanks. You'll find a network of rolling trails that run along the river, winding past vernal pools, outcroppings, wooded ledges and small knolls. The paths are hard packed and easy to navigate, making it a great place to hike with kids. The park also features a 2.6-mile "nature trail" that includes 12 educational stations with information about the local ecology and wildlife. There are two entrance points, one in Greenwich and one in Stamford.
• Mianus River Park, 360 Merriebrook Lane, Stamford, CT 06902; 450 Cognewaugh Road, Greenwich CT, 06807
• Devil’s Den — At 1,756 acres, this preserve is the Nature Conservancy's largest in Connecticut. You can choose from a wide variety of loops depending on the distance and type of terrain you want to explore. The Laurel Trail Loop around Godfrey Pond is a little over a mile, and the views around the pond are spectacular year-round.
• Devil's Den, 33 Pent Road, Weston CT, 06883, 203-226-4991
• Tarrywile Park — The park is 722 acres and features trails that wind past ponds, fields and orchards toward spots with amazing views of downtown Danbury and Candlewood Lake in the distance. You'll also find the Tarrywile Mansion and Hearthstone Castle, both listed on the National Register for Historic Preservation. 
• Tarrywile Park, 70 Southern Blvd, Danbury CT, 06810, 203-744-3130
• Aspetuck Land Trust  — The Aspetuck Land Trust has preserved over 1,700 acres of land, open space, and natural resources in Easton, Fairfield, Weston, and Westport. Visitors are welcome to explore all of their 45 trailed preserves from dawn to dusk.
• Aspetuck Land Trust, Leonard Schine Preserve, 1 Glendinning Rd, Westport CT, 06880
• Lake Mohegan — This park offers 170 wooded acres that surround a freshwater lake, close to the Merritt Parkway. The Cascades at the northern end is a short section of rapids on the Mill River, which is the river that feeds into the lake. This is a very popular place for families and dogs, so feel free to bring Fido as long as you keep him on his leash. There are two main trails: Red, which is 1.6 miles and follows the edges of the lake and river, and Yellow, which is 2.5 miles around the perimeter. Lake Mohegan manages to make you feel like you're in a much more remote location, and the views and foliage are gorgeous. 
• Lake Mohegan, 960 Morehouse Hwy, Fairfield CT, 06825
• Shelton Lakes Recreational Path — The "Rec path" is a popular multi-use path located along the Shelton Lakes Greenway. The path passes along all three of Shelton's lakes as well as dams, gatehouses, streams and meadows. The path itself is 9-12 feet wide with a crushed stone surface, making it easy for walkers as well as strollers and wheelchairs. This lovely trail is flat and winds through the Shelton Lakes Greenway for nearly 5 miles. 
• Shelton Lakes Recreation Path, 135 Shelton Ave, Shelton CT, 06484
• New Canaan Nature Center — If you're looking for an easy, fun, and educational hike, this is the one! Located on 40 acres, you'll find wet and dry meadows, ponds, woodlands, thickets, a marsh, and an orchard. You can experience all kinds of ecosystems while walking across the two miles of trails. The trails include marsh boardwalks and two observation towers that overlook the wetlands and cattail marsh. 
• New Canaan Nature Center, 144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan CT, 06830, 203-966-9577
• Audubon Greenwich — Here you'll find 7 miles of trails across 285 acres of woodland, wetland and meadow habitat. The trails are open from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year. The views are breathtaking and the environment is very diverse, from open fields to forests and shrub swamps, vernal pools, wildflower meadows and an old apple orchard. On the Lake Loop Trail, you'll find a boardwalk and two bird blinds which are camouflaged shelters that allow you the chance to observe wildlife without scaring anything away. In addition to the birds, you might spy a river otter, flying squirrels, owls, wild turkeys and bats. 
• Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich CT 06831, 203-869-5272