With 63 national parks and an additional 370 parkways, preserves and historic sites, the National Park Service system offers 21,000 miles of trails to explore. In one survey more than half of all visitors said that hiking is a favorite park activity— and it’s an incredibly good one for your body, says Dr. Matthew Kampert, a sports and exercise medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic (and an Eagle Scout!). Wearing a backpack on the trails “works the whole body,” he says. “It loads the spine and strengthens musculature and bone density.” Walking on uneven ground helps improve balance, which “could help prevent falls in the future.” And then there’s the value of being outdoors: “Sunlight stimulates the skin to produce more vitamin D, which can help with mood, as well as bone health. And the brain perceives the color green as therapeutic. Nature can shift your mindset.”
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