Urban Hiking Association

Strap on your boots. Pack a backpack with water and snacks and all that. And set off.

City dweller or not, I think we should get out and see more of the big city world that many of us are fortunate enough to at least be proximal to. The city is a microcosm world. There are little adventures around every corner. And even the small ones have so much going on that you couldn't possibly be seeing all of it in your normal routine.

I know that I end up doing a lot more destination seeing of the city. And when I do see the on the ground walk around parts of the city it is often along the same well worn paths. So a big part of this idea is just getting out there on the street. But a bigger part of the idea is to do so with the sense of the hike. That way, you'll be out there to observe. You'll be in the right attitude to really take it in.

And I'm serious that I really think you should go for it. Get out there in full on hiking gear. Obviously you could just walk around and stop for a soda at any corner store. But that's not the point this time. Plus if you treat it like a hike you'll remember to wear good shows, you'll expect to get tired from walking all over, you'll get sweaty, you'll remember that you are still in the world and need to take into consideration things like the weather.

I don't want to advocate gawking at city life like it was nature. Don't go poking and prodding homeless people are anything. I just think that if you can enter into the city with a sense of exploration on foot you'll get to see and know so much more about it.