Notice Na ture

The entire point of hiking outside, instead of walking on a treadmill in a health club, is to be amid nature. So, stop and smell those wildflowers. Sit a spell on that big rock outcrop and sky-gaze. Listen for bird calls. Look around for little critters like salamanders and flitting butterflies. Pull out your phone to snap some pics, but don’t be lured into checking email or scrolling through social media. “I always go into a hike with the mindset of being with nature and resetting my mind,” says Orr. “You have to stop and look at your surroundings to be thankful for the beauty of the world and forest. Let the trail heal your soul or remind you of the simple things we let pass us by.”

“The Pinhoti Trail is by far my favorite,” says hiker Melssia Orr. “It’s 335 miles of trail in Alabama and Georgia and will take you places you never knew where hiding behind the trees.”