Exercise

First time I hiked up above Moraine Lake I was a college kid. It was the summer of 1969 or '70. My first mountain hiking. My first glacier viewing. Cool. No training or preparation. Just hit the trail. Now I wondered how the old bones would feel on the same old trail to a a very cool and profoundly beautiful place.

If you live on or near the East Coast of the United States, you're probably not far from the historic Appalachian Trail. From Georgia to Maine, this 2050-mile National Scenic Trail winds along the backbone of the Appalachian Mountain Range. Here in western Massachusetts, they call their section of the range The Berkshires.

Take a 3, 4 or 5-mile walk through The Rose Garden and The Edible Garden at the New York Botanical Garden. Or through a botanical garden near you. Burn a few ice cream cones worth of calories.

If you're still looking for your summer adventure hike, this is a great place to start. The landscape is breathtaking. So is the altitude. Here's the perfect morning-long getting-to-know-you hike. Spectacular open views of everything. An orientation tour at a glance.