Planes, Trains & Automobiles: Hiking South Creek Greenway
So you want to move your body but you don’t want a long drive to get to a trail—thank heavens for urban parks. There’s one within a few miles of most of us and they’re so much more than a few benches and some pretty flowers (although see the picture above—they have that too!). That’s Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park in the pic, my easy access point for Springfield’s South Creek Greenway. The Ozarks Greenways Organization describes this trail as six miles of mixed asphalt and concrete paved surfaces, with minimal to moderate inclines and the map at their website shows its path as this:
Full confession, I’ve never been able to tell for sure where one trail starts and another begins but does that really matter? Maybe the path that winds around the park’s lake is part of the South Creek Greenway and maybe it isn’t, but the views are lovely, you’ll find lots of benches to rest on while you soak in the nature, and the trees provide plenty of shade for warm days. Plus if you choose your timing wisely, you’ll share your hike with some beautiful companions:
Companions are another advantage of urban hiking. Have you ever noticed how people give you a worried look when you tell them you’re off to hike solo through the woods? If you find yourself alone on an urban hike, it won’t be for long. The butterfly may not be much comfort, but there is safety in numbers and all the couples and families you’ll pass in the park should put to rest any safety worries you might have. Plus the kids are even more adorable than the butterflies and giving them a smile and wave as you pass by is good for the soul.
Which all leads to the trains, planes and automobiles of our heading. Yes, you’ll likely see or hear all three on this hike if you follow the trail west of the park. First it will take you through a tunnel that ducks under South Scenic, with cars rattling overhead. Then you’ll skirt the edge of Horton Smith Golf Course, which apparently is under the flight path of jets coming and going from Springfield-Branson National Airport. And then, elevated just off to the trail’s south, are railroad tracks.
Sorry, but I didn’t spot John Candy or Steve Martin on the trail so this is where the comparison to their beloved movie ends. But if the deep, dark woods creep you out then what more could you ask from a trail than that it give you plenty of people to pass and at least a little traffic zooming, flying or chugging by? How about asking that it work off some of the day’s calories without stressing your body too much? Here’s how a good urban hike does exactly that:
1) Gentle, well-maintained trails place less stress on your knees, hips, feet and back than uneven trails might. So you’re able to move your body with fewer aches and pains later.
2) Being outdoors improves your mood and nearby urban hiking gives you more opportunities to get out there, without the stress of a long drive.
3) Every mile walked burns between 80 and 100 calories for the average woman. Want to walk just half of the six miles of the South Creek Greenway? Those three miles add up to about 270 calories. Make that same hike three times weekly for a month and you’ve lost just short of a pound. Over a year? You’re 12 pounds lighter.
4) Urban paths like the South Creek Greenway make it easy to keep track of your miles walked with markers like this one:
Have a favorite urban hike near your home? Tell us in the comments and it might be our next featured trail! Happy hiking and stay safe out there!