By Lisa Mullis

The morning air is crisp and cool, the leaves are showing their true colors, and the search for gloves lost in the land of mismatched winter gear has begun. Morning coffee tastes a little sweeter and I, for one, am tempted to stay in bed just a little while longer instead of putting on the extra layer of clothes necessary to exercise outdoors. Instead I look forward to the warmth of the afternoon sun when light dances in the lingering leaves and the ones that have already fallen to the ground crunch beneath my feet. Autumn is the perfect time for hiking.

There is no shortage of beautiful trails to hike in Arkansas. Short and long, easy and difficult, scenic and secluded, the Natural State has it all. Hiking is a great way to stay fit or to continue working on your fitness level during the cooler months. It is accessible to most fitness levels from easy strolls while taking in the surroundings to speed hiking as quickly as possible and even hiking while wearing a weighted vest or full backpack to increase the intensity. Trails can be found within urban neighborhoods or city parks. Find a trail in an Arkansas State Park. A state park is a great place to start hiking since many parks offer guided hikes that will entertain and educate. Fall is the perfect time for multi-day backpacking trips too. The weather is typically warm during the day with cold nights that make a night time fire not just enjoyable, but necessary.

We are lucky to have several trails that are long enough to spend days hiking out and back. There is always the option of leaving one car at the far end of the section of trail you want to hike and driving another back to your starting point, or hiring a shuttle to drop you at the start with your vehicle waiting at the end. Check the websites for the Ouachita National Forest, the Buffalo National River, or the Ozark Highlands.One of our family favorites is the Eagle Rock Loop near Glenwood in the Ouachita National Forest. Many hikers enjoy a few hours in the scenic Winding Stairs section of the loop without hiking the entire twenty seven miles of trail.

Hiking is great for the whole family. It is an avenue for teaching children about nature, to instill an appreciation for the conservation of natural areas, and to practice good outdoor ethics like Leave No Trace. For families with young children, there are many types of carriers made for hiking. Carrying little one is a great way to get a good workout in for yourself and get the little ones outside. If you find that the young ones aren’t as enamored by the changing leaves as you are, give them a job. Geocaching is hiking with a goal, find the cache, perhaps be able to leave and take a little treasure trinket, or complete a series of cache finds like the Arkansas State Park Geocache Challenge. Kids love to use technology and geocaching will get them using technology outside the house.

One of the reasons I love hiking in the autumn and winter months is the views. The lushness of our Arkansas summers can sometimes hinder the view. We have a family tradition for hiking during the holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas Day become as much about which trail were are going to hike as what the menu for dinner is. We love to sit and watch the sunsets together.

Take advantage of the cooler weather to get outside and make a few trail memories of your own.

I’m a wife and mom. I’m a microbiologist. I’m a mountain biker, hiker, backpacker, sometime runner, and workout enthusiast all while being addicted to good food. I write about it at http://freneticfitness.wordpress.com. I also write for Arkansas Outside, a site dedicated to people who love to play outside in Arkansas. I’m fueled by pizza, red meat and goat cheese risotto. And sometimes I sleep.