By Alena Aranda
Hiking is a really good activity for the body and mind. People from around the world enjoy it. It is a very therapeutic activity and very personally rewarding.
Teenagers should be able to find activities and extracurriculars to help with depression and anxiety. Hiking is one of these activities, being fun any type of weather as long as you are well prepared
Exercise is a crucial part of your day in life, and a lot of people forget or lack that, especially in America. 1 in 4 Americans do not get the exercise that they need weekly. Not only is the aspect of exercise and health wildly important, but making sure that you can absorb nature and create a healthy mindset around the outdoors is extremely crucial. Having an outlet like hiking, camping, and/or backpacking as a release is a really smart idea as a teenager. These are some easy access and great hikes in the Bay Area for teenagers who are trying to get more interested in hiking!
#1 Lands end: Lands end is located in San Francisco in the north region of the Golden Gate Park. It shows a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge and has a lovely easy trail with beautiful views. It is highly rated, having no bad reviews posted. It is approximately 3.4 miles long and loops back to the beginning of the trail.
#2 Carson Falls Trail: This trail is a bit farther from the Benicia area, but it has amazing waterfalls and a trail that is about 3.9 miles long. It takes an average of 2 hours and 11 minutes to complete and is elevated, making it a bit of a challenge for some! There is easy access to parking, and it is a very straight forward trail. Although there have been some complaints about mud due to the waterfalls, if you are comfortable with that, then you should definitely go for it!
#3 Sequoia Bayview Trail: This trail is a little bit longer and more secluded. Most reviews say that it is very quiet and a nice place to debrief with friends and family. It is said that it is very easy to park on the side of the road and realistically hike anywhere. It is 7 miles long. If you are up to a challenge, this trail is located in Oakland.
beniciapaw.com 