After a local writer interviewed me about New Hampshire trails, some readers asked me how my adventures got started. So here’s how I became a Granite State walker, and I can hope this helps inspire soon-to-be-walkers everywhere. (Links updated June 2026.)

Getting started

I’m writing with my age-60-plus contemporaries in mind, but anyone can take the information and make the most of it.

I’m supposed to start with “get the OK from your health care provider.” I confess that I did not get the OK from anyone when I took up recreational walking.

Next, get good shoes. Think of them as a prescription: high priority, worth the price, and essential to health. I’m a thrift-store shopper, but when it comes to footwear for hiking, I head straight for the local specialty shoe store with a staff accustomed to working with active adults. Look for the discount racks featuring last year’s shoe designs.

If you’re exploring trails in New Hampshire, get a Hike Safe card online from New Hampshire Fish & Game, and read the Hike Safe website.

I keep a rain jacket handy, along with ice-gripping cleats that I can strap to my shoes. I maintain an inexpensive gym membership so I have access to a treadmill. Some Medicare Advantage plans even cover gym memberships; check with your insurer.

If your mobility is impaired for any reason, even temporarily, work with your health care provider to create a routine that will help you stay active.

Where to walk

Walk in your neighborhood. Even a short ten minutes on pavement beats ten minutes of looking at a screen.

If you rely on assistive devices for mobility, look for trails that are paved (like the Windham and Londonderry trails) or are otherwise well-surfaced. Ask friends and health care providers if they know about any accessible places. Check with your local senior center, where you might find volunteers familiar with nearby recreational areas.

Do some online research. Look up your town’s Parks and Recreation department and Conservation Commission. Both are likely to have properties with trails and trail maps. Check out state parks, too.

The Fire Tower Quest sponsored by New Hampshire Forests and Lands led me to towers near and far, from Federal Hill in Milford to Mt. Magalloway in Pittsburg. Want a Tower Quest patch? Visit five towers, and in southern New Hampshire, that’s not too hard. Bring a friend or a child or a grandchild. The views are worth the uphill walks.

The Forest Society has properties all over New Hampshire, many with marked trails. Find out about properties and download maps at https://www.forestsociety.org/visitor-guide. A few of my favorites are Dame Forest in Durham, Madame Sherri Forest in Chesterfield, and the Merrimack River Conservation and Education area in Concord.

I’m a year-round rail trail fan. Browse the New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition website, nhrtc.org.

What’s the difference between a hike and a walk? Very subjective. To me, if I need boots, that’s a hike. Don’t let yourself think you’re not a hiker just because you’re not on the way to the summit of Mt. Washington.

Safety

I let a family member know where I’m going and when I expect to be home. I carry ID.

I say this as someone who prefers to hike alone: it’s a good idea to hike with a partner. When I choose to travel solo, I’m choosing not to have someone around who can summon help if I’m injured and unable to fend for myself.

Go to hikesafe.com for information on what to carry on a hike. Be responsible for your own safety to the greatest extent. New Hampshire Fish and Game offers a list of the Ten Essentials. Even on a local walk, I’m sure to have my phone, keys, a whistle, a small flashlight that hangs on my keychain, and ID. If I’m on a trail, I have a printed map.

I always bring my phone, and I never stake my life on it. My smartphone has a compass and can store maps, but only if the battery is charged. Batteries run down fast outdoors, especially in cold weather or if the device is searching for a cell signal. Calls might be impossible and texts might be sketchy. As for the phone’s flashlight, using it will burn through the phone’s battery in no time.

Why bother?

Why create a walking habit in the first place? I started out for my own mental health. As I pace, I can pray, mull over a problem, or learn from what I see around me. When I was a young mother, I found the walks refreshing. They didn’t do my kids any harm, either.

Physical health has become a more significant concern as I age. “Movement is medicine,” says a friend who’s a licensed massage therapist. She’s right.

Walking teaches me to appreciate where I am, without comparisons. I am no Olympic athlete. My aerobic capacity is not comparable to that of a distance runner. I will never set a speed record beyond the ever-challenging Personal Best. I’m a walker and a hiker anyway. I’m grateful for every step. Gratitude gets easier with age.

A walking pace suits me. I see things that a runner or cyclist or motorist would miss. Along the way I’ve grown to appreciate the work of all the people who build and maintain trails.

Your goals and your style of walking might be different from mine, and that’s fine. Just lace up your shoes and get started.

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