Hiking is healthy.
Read about studies that show what hikers have known for years...
"A Step in the Right Direction: the health benefits of hiking and trails"
"Follow the trail toward improved health"
video interview with Richard Louv
Outdoor enthusiasts and prospective mentors, take your skills and experience and make a difference
Wellness models often focus on achieving balance among six realms:
Physical, Spiritual, Intellectual, Social, Emotional, Occupational
Click on the diagram above to learn more about Dr. Bill Hettler's Six Dimensional Wellness Model (National Wellness Institute).
Wanna get outside? Here are some portals to the outside world:
American Hiking Society - http://www.americanhiking.org
Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) - http://www.pcta.org
Appalachian Mountain Club - http://www.outdoors.org
California Wilderness Coalition - http://www.calwild.org
Green Mountain Club - http://www.greenmountainclub.org
Sierra Club - http://www.sierraclub.org
Outward Bound Wilderness - http://www.outwardboundwilderness.org/
National Outdoor Leadership Schools - http://www.nols.edu
Leave No Trace, Outdoor Ethics - http://www.lnt.org
SOLO Wilderness Medicine - http://www.soloschools.com
Big City Mountaineers - http://www.bigcitymountaineers.org
Association for Experiential Education: http://www.aee.org
Outdoor Ed.com - http://www.outdoored.com
Not sure where to go? Pick up a local guidebook, ask around for advice, look for "green spaces" on a regional map, search for state parks on the web. Here are some links we've found useful.
Yogi's PCT Handbook - http://www.pcthandbook.com/
Local Hikes - http://www.localhikes.com
GORP.com - http://gorp.away.com
Hike with your dog - www.hikewithyourdog.com
Bureau of Land Management - http://www.blm.gov/nhp/index.htm
California State Parks - http://www.parks.ca.gov
Department of Fish and Game - http://www.dfg.ca.gov
National Forest Service - http://www.fs.fed.us
National Park Service - http://www.nps.gov
National Park Service Reservation Center - http://reservations.nps.gov
Reviews on Outdoor Gear - http://www.outdoorreview.com
http://www.storyofstuff.com - a 20-minute video, highly recommended
Union of Concerned Scientists - http://www.ucsusa.org/
AlGore.com - http://www.algore.com/
The Nature Conservancy - http://www.nature.org/
Campus Climate Challenge - http://climatechallenge.org
American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment - http://presidentsclimatecommitment.org
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education - http://aashe.org
College Sustainability Report Card - http://endowmentinstitute.org/sustainability
Campus Ecology - http://nwf.org/campusecology
Topozone - http://www.topozone.com
USGS - http://topomaps.usgs.gov
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - http://www.noaa.gov
The Weather Channel - http://www.weather.com
Mountain Highway Conditions - http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/mtnhwys.htm
Learn more about nature-deficit disorder and why it is so important to get outside and play.
Louv, R. (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. New York: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. [Also, check out Richard Louv's website - http://thefuturesedge.com]
Kuo, F.E. and Faber Taylor, A. (2004). A potential natural treatment for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: evidence from a national study. American Journal of Public Health, 94(9), 1580-1586.
Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology 15,169-182.
St Leger, L. (2003). Health and nature - new challenges for health promotion. Health Promotion International, 18(3), 173-175.
A Step in the Right Direction: The heatlh benefits of hiking and trails. Download PDF or visit the American Hiking Society at http://www.americanhiking.org/news/fact.html
"Follow the Trail Toward Improved Health" by Richard J. Dolesh, National Recreation and Park Association - http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=914
National Wellness Institute - http://www.nationalwellness.org
Wellness Councils of America - http://www.welcoa.org
American Council on Exercise - http://www.acefitness.org
Shape Up America - http://www.shapeup.org
IDEA Health and Fitness Association - http://www.ideafit.com
Active.com - http://www.active.com
Envirosports (Trail Running) - http://www.envirosports.com
USA Track & Field - http://www.USATF.org
American Trail Running Association - http://www.trailrunner.com
American Dietetic Association - http://www.eatright.org
Dietary Guidelines for Americans - http://www.healthierus.gov
APA Self-Help Brochures - http://www.apa.org/pubinfo
Psych Web - http://www.psychwww.com
Stress Resources from About.com - http://mentalhealth.about.com/od/stress
National Sleep Foundation - http://www.sleepfoundation.org
