Benefits of being out in Nature

Aristotle believed that the outdoors clarified the mind. Darwin and Einstein claimed that a walk in the woods helped them think. John Muir felt that we should fight the tendency to become “ tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people of the city”, and Walt Whitman warned of the city’s “pestiferous little gratifications in the absence of nature.” And now neuroscientists are showing that nature makes us happier, healthier and more creative.

It is the mission of the hiking group to help you derive not only these benefits but to also have fun doing so and develop lasting friendships with your fellow DMA members.

Hikes are usually between 3-5 miles, last 2-3 hours and are followed by lunch at a nearby restaurant. The lunch has become as important an activity as the hike itself. Spouses and significant others are welcome and some have become regulars.

We select trails which are no more than 30-35 minutes driving distance from Darien and they vary in difficulty from what could be described as a walk in the park to more challenging trails.

Hikes will be announced two weeks in advance at the regular DMA meetings on Wednesday. Details will be posted on our website under “Hiking Posts” and, during the week of the hike, will also be included in the weekly eblast entitled “ This Week at the DMA” which goes out on Mondays. Typically hikes occur on the second Thursday of the month from October through May.

Trail Masters: Alec Wiggins, Lee Morrison, and Geoffrey Schnider