Take a Hike Day

Hiking is the fourth most popular outdoor activity in the US behind running, fishing, and biking (aka fast hiking, stationary hiking, and lazy hiking). There are 57.8 million active hikers in the United States. 35 million Americans went day hiking in 2013, up from 30 million in 2006. 9 million Americans went backpacking in 2013, up from 7 million in 2006. According to statistics 40.6 percent are female.

The Swiss have something of a national fetish for hiking and are blessed with the highest density of hiking trails per square kilometer in the world – that’s 1.9km of hiking trail per square 1 kilometer of land nationwide. Take A Hike Day is the ideal opportunity to reconnect with the fundamentally important things in life.

Going up and down hills gets the heart pumping, creating a great cardio workout. Like most cardio exercises, hiking helps reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even some cancers. Hiking is a weight-bearing exercise, which builds muscle mass and helps prevent osteoporosis. As for the mental health benefits, it's undeniable!