One fun activity that has kept us grounded is hiking. Hiking is free, fun, and adventurous, so why not plan a trip for National Trails Day (June 6)? According to the American Hiking Society, spending some time outdoors is great for mental and physical health. Also, if you have children, you can make a day trip by putting together a wonderful picnic to take on your journey.

I also love taking photos, so I decided to create a scrapbook of our hiking adventures since it has brought us so much joy during COVID-19.

To create a scrapbook you need a few materials:

• scrapbook paper, a journal, or a sketchpad
• markers, crayons, colored pencils, and or glitter glue
• found objects on the trail: acorn, twigs, leaves, flowers, shells (optional)
• thread and hole puncher (this might come in handy if you are creating a scrapbook instead of using a sketchpad).
• photographs of summits, sunsets, animals (optional)
• stickers and/or coloring pictures from the internet to cut out (optional)

If using a sketchpad is the easiest way to create your nature trail, you can download stickers and clip art online. If you are creating a scrapbook from scratch, gather a few pieces of paper. Gather the stack of paper and use the hole puncher on the right side of your scrapbook. Next you can use thread or ribbons to bind your book together. Decorate your scrapbook with stickers, flowers, and pictures of your trail. You can also encourage your child to write down a few reasons they love to hike or walk on nature trails.

If you are embarking on a hiking trail, it’s also important to be safe (have enough water, wear masks as needed, and keep six feet apart from other hikers).

Please make sure to follow these guidelines:

• https://americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/
• https://americanhiking.org/blog/hiking-responsibly-faq-covid-19/

Some of our favorite local trails:

• Hudson Park Beach in New Rochelle
• Saxon Woods
• Tarrytown Lake Trails
• Teatown Lake Reserve
• Croton Harmon Dam

Catskills:

• Lake Minnewaska (easy)
• Ashokan Rail Trail (easy)
• Colgate Lake (easy)
• North South Lake (easy-campground is closed but you can hike the trail)
• Windham Path (easy)
• Overlook Mountains, Woodstock, N.Y (moderate)
• Hunter Mountain via Becker Hollow (very difficult)

OverDrive Suggested Reading:
Hiking Day: My First Experience by Anne Rockwell and Lizzy Rockwell
The Hike by Alison Farrell
Hike by Pete Oswald
*A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (for adults)

Hoopla:
Ken Burns—The National Parks Documentary