John Muir is regarded as our nation’s most famous and influential conservationist. He inspired the people of his generation to experience and to protect what later became some of our country’s largest national parks. Muir famously said, “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”
There is indeed something therapeutic about taking a dirt path. Dirt paths give us access to vistas that most folks who opt to live life on tarmac never see. Those of us who live in the Lone Star State are fortunate to have 95 state parks — each with their respective dirt paths.
Today, my wife Cheryl and I participated in one of the many First Day Hikes offered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife folks. This year we chose to hike at Stephen F. Austin State Park just thirty-minutes west of our home in Katy. This is one of my favorite parks for hiking and biking.
The First Day Hikes program is a cooperative initiative among the nation’s state parks to get more people outside. Since its inception a few years ago, thousands of people across the United States have logged tens of thousands of miles on park trails.
Cheryl and I spent the morning strolling down trails at Stephen F. Austin. Cheryl is a Texas Master Naturalist, so we stopped a lot to look at and to talk about the flora along the trails. We also enjoyed looking at white tail deer and other wildlife. I learn something every time we hike together.
Our walk reminded me of something David Henry Thoreau said: “An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day” — and indeed it was. Taking dirt paths has therapeutic value. New research is showing that exposure to natural environments actually improves physical and emotional health. I believe it. I always feel better in every way after a good long trek through the woods.
As you look to the year ahead, make sure to schedule some time to walk down a dirt path. When you do so, make sure that you walk slowly, listen carefully, observe intentionally, and breathe deeply. Take my word for it, the walk will do you a lot of good — probably more than you may realize.