Get Active with a Hike, Bike or Walk

As Bob Jennerjohn got older, he wanted to keep hiking, but he began to worry about doing it safely. AARP in St. Louis had a solution: Trail Trekkers.

The program offers monthly guided group hikes of 3 to 5 miles, as well as shorter alternatives.

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“It turned out to be exactly what I was looking for,” says Jennerjohn, 78, who now co-leads the hiking program. “It’s not too long or difficult, but still enough to be a challenge.”

Trail Trekkers is one of three AARP outdoor programs in the St. Louis region that encourage older adults to stay active physically — and socially. Walk with a Doc offers shorter, easier walks in Forest Park, while Boomers and Bikes hosts group bicycle rides.

Trail Trekkers hikes rotate among a number of sites in the St. Louis area. The local chapter of the international Walk with a Doc program meets the second Saturday of every month at 9 a.m. Co-coordinator Andrea Williams, a retired nurse, leads a walk through Forest Park, with a health talk by a medical professional beforehand. In case of bad weather, the group walks indoors at the Saint Louis Galleria mall.

Williams, 74, says the walks have been a success because of the fellowship they create.

“People are talking to each other, laughing, having a great time,” she says.

It gives people a chance to talk about what’s happening in their daily lives and helps them stay mentally alert, Williams notes.

Boomers and Bikes offers guided rides that explore different trails each month, April through November.

Volunteers lead each activity, says Amber Nicholson, AARP in St. Louis’ associate director for outreach and engagement. “People know it’s a safe environment,” Nicholson says. “They’re going to take care of everyone.”

Go to aarp.org/events/find to locate upcoming activities.

More on Healthy Living

• AARP Resources to Help You Stay Fit
• 4 Types of Exercise That Are Essential as You Age
• What the Father of Aerobic Exercise Wants You to Know About Healthy Aging