People go hiking for different reasons, and some don’t go out at all.  National Hiking Day is November 17th. If you haven’t hiked before, this would be a great day to start. And who knows, maybe you’ll find a new hobby.

There are many different places to go hiking nearby.  I asked some fellow Bob Jones students what some of their favorite places to hike are.  Junior Julie Linehan said, “I like Rainbow mountain since it is super pretty and has a great trail.” If you plan on going to Rainbow mountain trail, you can easily access it from Stoneway Trail, which is just about 5 minutes from Bob Jones. Rainbow Mountain trail has several trails so you can go back multiple times and try out new trails.

Another good place to hike is Monte Santo mountain. Monte Sano mountain is a mesa located in Huntsville. Payton Childress said, “Monte Santo mountain because it’s a spot I’ve gone hiking since I was little with my family.” There are a lot of trails of varying difficulty. You might want to start with the White or Blue Trail, but some of the more interesting trails are a little more difficult in length and terrain.

There are also trails at Wade Mountain and even a new one at Chapman Mountain. If you’re feeling like a short drive, the area around Chattanooga offers plenty of top-notch hiking. If you want a challenging hike worth the effort, the Walls of Jericho is a popular hiking destination.

If you don’t want to hike in the mountains, try the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center; it is located near the Tennessee river in Decatur. Ethan Miller said, “I love this trail because of the wildlife, and I think the trails are interesting.”

If you want to be outside and walk but you don’t necessarily care too much about the wilderness, you could go to any of the greenways in our area. The greenway near Palmer Park and the greenway on the way to Bridgestreet on Old Madison Pike are both popular and easy. It’s not hiking per se, but it’s better than nothing.

On November 17th, if the weather permits, head outside and explore your surroundings.