Outdoor Recreation: Gear Maintenance, Safety & Fitness

Leisure activities like kayaking or rock climbing provide significant wellness benefits when coupled with proper gear maintenance and safety skills.

Hiking and Backpacking

10 Hikes That Will Make You Fall in Love With Winter

Published Nov,22 2017 | By Paige Brettingen

Don’t let a little snow keep your hiking boots from treading the trails till springtime. Walking in the fresh air — even if said fresh air is freezing — has substantial health benefits, such as improving circulation, strengthening immunity, reducing the risk of depression and even keeping your memory sharp.

Paige Brettingen is a freelance journalist based in Boulder, Colorado. In addition to Livestrong.com, her work has been published in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Mom.me, MSN.com, 5280 Magazine, Refinery29.com, LivingHealthy.com and Takepart.com, among others. She has her M.A. in journalism from USC and her bachelors in communication from Northwestern University and co-founded Mamasteps.com, a wellness website dedicated to helping moms "eat cleaner, live greener and find their stride."