Monthly Hikes 2022

This year, I thought of a fun goal: to go for a hike once a month. Greg and I love hiking – day hiking and backpacking alike – but unless we put in an effort, weeks go by without making it into the woods.

I was telling a friend about my goal and she asked what I had decided counted as a “hike”. Basically, a walk in the woods where your shoes might get dirty. It didn’t have to be an overnight trip through the backcountry each month, but it had to be more than just a walk in a neighborhood.

We were successful in hiking 9 out of the 12 months! The months we missed we were just so busy. But when I look at the calendar, we were busy other times and still pulled it off. So I know if we hadn’t had this goal, that number would definitely have been less. I’m setting the same goal for 2023 and I hope to reach all 12 months!

Some hikes were just the two of us, and some were with friends and family. A vast majority were in Shenandoah National Park; the south entrance is only 8 miles from our home. The goal pushed us to hike in all different seasons and weather and I’m so grateful we were able to get out as much as we did!

February

Turk Mountain, Shenandoah National Park