Hikers heaven! Take a hike this fall.

HIKING + MOUNTAINS + FALL!

Alexander Ramsey State Park – 9-28-13

My favorite form of cardiovascular exercise is rigorous hiking combined with trail running. I hike every chance I get and prefer it as my morning cardio, whenever and wherever possible.

My biggest tip for those who hate to exercise or have trouble fitting exercise into their daily lives, is to find something you love and make it part of your routine. When you do, you’re more apt to do it regularly and to get both the emotional and physical benefits.

I absolutely love to hike, mountain climb and run trails that challenge me! Lately, I am on a mission to seek out new trails and mountains to climb that up the intensity and challenge level. When I am working on the North Shore of Lake Superior and hiking the same trails over and over, I make it a personal challenge to climb farther, higher and faster, working to improve my overall endurance and strength.

For a girl who couldn’t walk to the end of her block (and I live in the middle of the block) three years ago, this is a real victory and an emotional high. And I am grateful ever day.

Rigorous hiking is considered by many fitness experts to be one of the top five cardiovascular workouts. Not only does hiking burn a tremendous amount of calories because it usually lasts for a long duration, but when hiking uphill you improve your leg strength as well as cardiovascular health. It’s also therapeutic (if not fun) for most people.

My favorite and most frequent hikes are along the Superior Hiking Trail on Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior, and in Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine. When I can combine my all-time favorite season — Fall, in all its glory — with my all-time favorite activity, well I am in hiker’s heaven.

To accomplish this, each year I plan work trips and vacations around great places to hike and mountain climb — usually on the big lake or on one of the coasts. The very best vacations are those where I get the trifecta — hiking and climbing mountains on the ocean, in the Fall. My paradise! And I am headed to Acadia in about a week to do just that.

Here are photos from my hikes of this past week on the Superior Hiking Trail on the North Shore of Lake Superior, and at a new park that I discovered this weekend along the Minnesota River in southwestern Minnesota where I hiked with my awesome nephew Jacob. There is so much beauty out there. I hope you can get out and enjoy it!

Are you a hiker? Where and what is your favorite hike? If not, what’s your favorite form of cardiovascular exercise? Please share.