Take A Hike: Trails Offer Scenic Fitness Alternative

Florida's delightful winter weather is begging everyone to come outside and play.

The invitation even applies to folks who usually forgo exercise beyond an occasional walk around the subdivision, saying it's too strenuous or too boring.

Those fitness naysayers need to go for a stroll with Elaine Williams, a 74-year-old semi-retiree who has what you could call an addiction to walking the nature trails across the Tampa Bay area. An hourlong walk for her is less about exercise and more about an opportunity to chat up nature's wonders, from alligators to snowy herons.

"Most people do it for social reasons," Williams says of walking as she and two friends motor down the boardwalk of St. Petersburg's Sawgrass Lake Park. But she knows her almost daily hikes and a similar passion for kayaking are essential to her staying in such great health.

"At this age, you have to do something or you lose it," she says.

Earlier this year, the federal government issued new physical fitness guidelines that recommend 2 1/2 hours a week of moderate aerobic activity for adults, in spurts of 10 minutes or more. For seniors, the exercise also should help maintain or improve balance, says the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Hiking on one of the dozens of area park trails or foot paths would fill that bill, regardless of your age or physical ability, says Ralph Hancock, chairman of the Suncoast chapter of the Florida Trail Association. Light, moderate and strenuous hikes are just minutes or up to an hour away from any location in Hillsborough or Pinellas counties, he says.

None of them is that difficult as long as you know your limitations, he says of the nine trails maintained by his group and others managed by state, city and county parks departments.

This time of year, there's plenty to see on these walks, including sunning alligators, ibis, armadillos, anhinga and raccoons scampering up a tree trunk. It's anything but boring, especially early in the morning when animals are feeding.

"You're out in nature, in God's big cathedral," Hancock says. "You're going to see things you don't see walking at the mall."

Just last month, Florida was named the nation's top trails state by national hiking organization American Trails. Among the highlights: ongoing efforts to complete The Florida National Scenic Trail, 1,400 miles of scenic paths from Miami to the Alabama border via spots such as the Green Swamp in Pasco County.

But it's also a state full of smaller, more manageable paths accessible for people using walkers and wheelchairs, says Ruth Rogg, an avid hiker who also leads a regular beach hike from North Clearwater Beach to Caledesi Island State Park.

For example, Sawgrass Lake, a 2-mile boardwalk north of downtown St. Petersburg, includes a wide, disabled-friendly boardwalk. One recent Sunday morning, parents with strollers, regular hikers, joggers and people using wheelchairs explored its 2-mile path that included benches and an observation tower.

To start, Williams and Rogg suggest getting a good pair of sneakers and trail lists from city or county parks. Check online to find a trail or a group to join for a stroll.

Like Williams, Rogg says she started hiking in 2003 as a way to meet people. She attended group walks, which always include a leader out front and a "sweeper" in back to ensure no one is left behind. The local trail association organizes such groups, as do other social sites such as www.meetup.com. Noted Florida hiking expert Sandra Friend's published guides and Web site - www.floridahikes.com - also include details about the length and difficultly of nearly all of the state's trails.

Knowing your limits is essential, says Hancock, who learned the hard way that novice hikers shouldn't throw on a backpack and trek onto rugged trails. He and his wife, Kathy, tried a 12-mile hike at Myakka State Park with little experience and cheap sneakers. By the end, he felt a shooting pain each time he stepped on a rock.

"In terms of walking, you walk as far as you can," he says of starting out. "You get your legs about you and you do more the next time."

Ready to walk? Here's the gear you'll need:

•Water bottle

•Sunscreen and hat

•Bug spray

•Map (and compass on off-loop trails)

•Good pair of sneakers or walking shoes

•Minor first-aid kit if walking with group

•Cell phone; most local trails are within range of service

Find The Right Path For You:

www.suncoast.floridatrail.org - Local chapter of the Florida Trail Association

www.hillsboroughcounty.org/parks/parkservices - Hillsborough County trails

www.pinellascounty.org/park/ - Pinellas County parks

www.floridatrail.org - The Florida Trail Association

www.floridahikes.com - Hiking expert Sandra Friend's guide to Florida's trails

http://americanhiking.org - American Hiking Society.

www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/index.htm - Florida's Greenways and Trails Guide to urban and rural trails

www.floridastateparks.org - Guide to state's 160 state parks

www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation - Southwest Florida Water Management District guide to hiking and camping