Fall is nearly here, and the stifling days of heat and humidity are now just background noise--celebrate the changing seasons and take a hike! St. Louis (and nearby) is home to hundreds of miles of hiking trails for you to explore. St. Louis County Parks boasts a 30 trails 30 minutes programs. Download a punch card sheet and choose one of 30 trails that take under 30 minutes to complete. Once you've completed all 30 trails, you can turn the sheet it for a prize. (Nothing beats incentivized exercise!)
Be sure to check out St. Louis Public Library's selection of hiking guides. You'll find books on state-specific hiking trails, hiking with kids, eco-friendly hiking, and others:
The Green Guide to Low-impact Hiking and Camping
Of course, if you don't want to make a trek yourself, you can always read about others who have:
