Get Outside People

Equipment & Apparel: Whenever you are planning to go on a hike, there are a few things that you should bring along. Firstly, you will want to have the proper equipment. Shoes that will be able to withstand rocks and roots are a must. I recommend hiking boots or trail running shoes. Next, quality socks are advised but not absolutely necessary. Wearing thick socks will help prevent blisters on all of the trails and help you if you are going longer distances. Other apparel choices such as upper wear and lower garments are less important, but personal comfort is key. Once apparel is taken care of, provisions are the next order of business.

Provisions: Having the right amount of food and water depends on the trail you plan on completing. Generally speaking, I would say that a liter or two of water should be plenty for the trails that I have mentioned on this site. These values may fluctuate depending on the season, but you should always bring a little more water than you need, in case something happens. Finally, snacking material is another aspect of hiking that depends on the difficulty and duration of the trail. For South Kingstown Land Trust trails, bringing a little snack for afterward is most suitable.

Personal Care: Other than the equipment and provision recommendations above, if you experience anaphylactic shock from bee stings or anything else, it is strongly advised that you hike with an EpiPen. With all of that taken care of, the most important thing is having fun on the trails and enjoying the experience.

The purpose of this travel guide is a simple one, I want people to get outside more and enjoy some of South Kingstown’s best trails. After spending a lot of time inside the last two years with Covid-19 and quarantine, I feel an urgent need to promote outdoor activities, specifically hiking. I want people to feel rewarded by completing trails and getting outside, but most importantly, I want them to feel empowered to explore more difficult trails or trails in different parts of the state. As the composer of this piece, I want the outcome to be that people realize how much South Kingstown has to offer when it comes to hiking. While I would love it if everyone enjoyed the trails as much as I do, I realize that this hobby is not for everyone. For that reason, the outcome I am striving for is one where readers can understand the benefits of getting outside and hiking, and maybe even try some of the trails for themselves. To sum up why this project is important to me, I take the words from Thomas Beery and Ingemar K. Jönsson's “Inspiring the Outdoor Experience: Does the Path Through a Nature Center Lead Out the Door?” They state that "there is a growing concern for both the decline of direct experience people have with nature and the quality of that experience," continuing to say that "this diminished experience may have negative consequences for public awareness and concern about biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, and at the same time it appears to have a substantial negative impact on human well being." Overall, I feel like interacting with the natural environment is very important, especially now, considering how the past few years have been.

Image Property of the South Kingstown Land Trust