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How to Discover the Coolest Nature Trails Near You

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Given our past year (and change) of extremely familiarizing ourselves with our respective homes, you’re likely pretty excited to refamiliarize yourself with nature. The good news is that you don’t have to plan out a detailed camping trip or some long trek out to the nearest mountain range to get in some sweet, sweet outdoor time on nature trails.

Believe it or not, there are likely some rad outdoor spaces much closer than you think. No matter where you live, whether you’re city dwelling or country living, there are plenty of ways to get out and into the fresh air.

So that takes us to the question of how exactly you can find nature trails near you. Well, fear not, fellow (soon-to-be) trailblazer! I’ve put together a starter guide for a few ways you can uncover those unbelievably cool and pretty trails close to you (that aren’t just, you know, general online searches).

Look Up City, State, and National Parks Near You

When you think of national or state parks, you might instantly dream of gorgeous destinations like Yellowstone National Park or Niagara Falls State Park. That makes sense! But although well-known parks like that are magnificent and breathtaking, they’re probably farther away than a simple day trip — and beautiful places can be found everywhere!

So my tip here is to check out the following:

- National Parks and Forests (NPS) website

- Your state government website

- Local city website

You’ll be able to browse and find city, state, and national parks that don’t require time off from work. Keep in mind, every park you come across might not have nature trails, but you’ll be able to check out each park’s listing quite breezily. Then you’ll be all set to head out on the nature trail of your choice.

Head’s up, if you need a super-comfy, breathable crew neck t-shirt or v-neck t-shirt, Fresh Clean Tees has tons. They also have polo shirts and short sleeve henleys made with the same StratuSoft fabric, but those are probably a bit too snazzy for sweatily exploring the woods.

Make Use of Trail Listing Websites and Apps

One of my recent favorite methods for discovering new nature trails has been trail listing sites and apps such as AllTrails. Sites and apps like AllTrails offer up collections of trails and make it super easy to find the perfect one for you.

They’ll typically list the trails alongside important information:

- Trail length

- Route type

- Difficulty level

- Paved or unpaved

I definitely recommend these kinds of sites and apps for beginners who might not be familiar with walking or hiking trails. Knowing the difficulty and length of the trail can be a great way to get started! Even if you’re more experienced, the additional information that users might leave, like if a trail is dog-friendly or has a heavy incline, can prove super helpful to any hiker.

Also definitely check the weather so you can adjust your outerwear accordingly. Something like a windbreaker bomber jacket is typically a good call for trails because it’s light enough for sunshine and easy layers beneath for colder weather!

Check Out “Best Trail” Lists on Blogs

“Best Trail” lists are another great resource for uncovering awesome trails. Getting someone’s personal take on a trail can provide a lot of unexpected details, and you’d be surprised how many people love sharing their favorite trails, no matter where you live!

Seriously, trail bloggers often have unique insights that you might not see elsewhere. These more personal trail lists can be a good way to have a few trails in one place to reference later if you’re not in the mood to read about a ton of trails at once.

One more cool thing about trail lists is that you can easily share them with a friend, so you have a buddy to go hiking with!

The most important thing, of course, is to be safe, have fun, and dress accordingly on the trails! Keep Fresh Clean Tees in mind for all your trail clothing needs! Except for pants. You’re on your own for pants.

— Paige Lyman

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