“You can hike a trail several times throughout the year and have a totally different experience each time whether that’s discovering wildflowers popping up, hearing new birdsongs, seeing changing leaves or finding animal tracks in the snow,” Dyan Leto says of Deep River County Park, where she is a historic building manager.
Caryn Corriere, an ecologist with Lake County Parks & Recreation, hikes at Gibson Woods Nature Preserve in Hammond.
L.J. Mattraw, a wellness manager at Franciscan Health Fitness Centers, suggests working on a treadmill to train for hiking.
L.J. Mattraw, a wellness manager at Franciscan Health Fitness Centers, says beginners can see results hiking two to three times a week.
L. J. Mattraw oversees a client doing split squats, a good conditioning exercise for hikers.
Step-ups also are good prep for hiking, says L.J. Mattraw.
Caryn Corriere, an ecologist with Lake County Parks & Recreation, recommends thick hiking socks.
Caryn Corriere uses high and low ankle hiking shoes depending on the type of trail she is hiking.
Caryn Corriere dresses in layers for winter hiking.
An adjustable walking stick comes in handy when Caryn Corriere is hiking.
If you are looking for a new path to physical wellness, hiking Region trails might be a step in the right direction.
Growing up in Hobart, Dyan Leto said her first hiking memories happened at Deep River County Park, where she works as a historic building manager.
“I remember hiking with friends and throwing what we call horse apples at each other (Osage Orange tree fruit). I love hiking here and still do,” Leto said.
“You can hike a trail several times throughout the year and have a totally different experience each time whether that’s discovering wildflowers popping up, hearing new birdsongs, seeing changing leaves or finding animal tracks in the snow,” she said.
Her enjoyment for hiking is one of the reasons she said she went to work for Lake County Parks & Recreation, and, in turn, the roughly 1,300-acre Deep River County Park, in Hobart.
Other Lake County Parks Leto recommends for Region hikers include Gibson Woods Nature Preserve, Hammond; Buckley Homestead, Lowell; Three Rivers County Park, Lake Station; Grand Kankakee Marsh, Hebron; and Lemon Lake, Crown Point.
Information regarding trails at each site can be found on the Lake County Parks official site, lakecountyparks.com.
Guided hikes are featured by Lake County Parks as well, she said, reminiscing about one of her favorite hiking experiences on such an occasion.
“We had a staff-led blue moon night hike on Halloween. To see that full moon rise over Big Maple Lake was quite the sight to see,” she said.
Trail difficulty
Whether it be a sandy dune or a flat bit of paved trail, one can make a hike as demanding as desired, offering a scalable avenue to training for many.
“Overall, your hike is going to be all what you want to make it. Through adjusting pace or distance on the trail, any of our more leisurely hikes’ intensity can be turned up,” Leto said.
She added she is not a physician, and anyone with concerns about hiking as exercise should chat with their doctor.
New hikers should start with shorter distances on local trails, building to a frequency that suits them, she said.
L.J. Mattraw, a wellness manager at Franciscan Health Fitness Centers, said two to three days of hiking per week is enough for beginners to improve and notice results.
He said new hikers can find 20-30-minute hikes to be quite taxing.
“The key is to make sure you are progressing,” he said. “Each time you go out, try to add a couple more minutes onto your hike so that you continue to build up your endurance until you can eventually handle long hikes for 60+ minutes.”
If a hiker wants to improve their game beyond logging treadmill time, Mattraw suggests lower body strength exercises, particularly single-leg exercises.
“Things like lunges, step-ups, split squats and single leg squats are great to add to your regimen. Single leg training will also help with balance, which is another key area for hikers to focus on,” he said.
For hikers and non-hikers alike, he recommends strength training two to three times a week.
Core and upper back training are also important to prepare hikers for carrying a heavy pack more efficiently, he said.
Dune or dune not
Bruce Rowe, supervisory park ranger and public information officer for Indiana Dunes National Park, in Porter County, has suggestions for those seeking trails from the strenuous to the peaceful and everything in between.
With more than 50 miles of trails, Rowe said there is a trail for every level of hiker at the park.
“For a more rugged hike, I suggest the Cowles Bog Trail,” he said.
“This 4.7-mile trail features a variety of habitats including ponds, marshes, swamps, black oak savannas and beaches. Steep sand dunes near Lake Michigan can make this a strenuous journey,” he said.
The Paul Douglas Trail through Miller Woods is a moderate 3.4-miler with breathtaking Lake Michigan views, he said.
For a less arduous stroll featuring one-eighth mile of wheelchair accessible, paved trail, the Great Marsh Trail at 1.3 miles is an excellent choice, he said, adding the destination is a great spot to view local birds.
Back at it
Caryn Corriere, an ecologist with Lake County Parks & Recreation who leads guided hikes, has some favorite conditioning spots as well.
Originally from the Region, she returned in 2014.
“Over the last six years, I’ve discovered and re-discovered some of the real gems of the area,” she said.
Stoney Run County Park, Hebron, and 3-Dune Challenge at the Indiana Dunes State Park, in Porter County, are two great spots to get some solid hill work, Corriere said.
One step at a time
Leto has simple advice for new hikers hungry to pile up miles.
“I think the most important thing for new hikers to remember is every step is progress. If you only get out once this month, but that’s one more time than you got out last month — that’s huge progress!” Leto said.
“In general, learning to love hiking where you live is a really great thing,” she said.
February 17, 2021 at 10:50PM
https://www.nwitimes.com/niche/get-healthy/fitness/region-trappings-and-the-right-preparations-make-it-easy-to-get-into-hiking/article_ee5df79e-ca39-5117-a5c6-eb24da2dd12d.html
Region trappings and the right preparations make it easy to get into hiking - nwitimes.com
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