Adrian and I are enjoying a new and fun hobby, hiking with the pups! We are lucky enough to live in an incredible part of the country; with the Ozarks to our sw, and the beautiful cavework created by the Meramec River/watershed, Missouri is home to hiking trails galore. Yesterday, we took a hike through a local nature preserve with Crash and Six, saw some great views of the Meramec River, rock formations, squirrels (the dogs enjoyed that part), and got some solid exercise over the 1 hour jaunt up and down some steep hills.
If you’re looking to find some great hiking trails in your area, check out http://www.traildatabase.org/ , an international database of trails, hiking websites, and information. Be sure to check that dogs are permitted before you take off for your destination. Also, make sure you leave prepared, with plenty of fresh water for you and your dog, baggies for clean up, a high energy snack for you and the dog, backback/first aid kit/dog boots/gps/camera are optional depending on the difficulty and length of your trail.
Me, Crash, and Six at the Grand Canyon of MO!
I cannot speak highly enough about hiking…………..if you are looking for a fun way for you and your dog to get some exercise, crosstrain for frisbee, and see some exceptional places, then get out there and take a hike!
