Discover how running in the Windy City, and embracing its often challenging elements, builds the resiliency and mental toughness to take on the world. As prioritizes self-care throughout the seasons, the focus on wellness ripples outward to her work connecting with the city鈥檚 other passionate runners.

Independent since 1906,听听empowers people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world.

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鈥淐hicago is one of the best places in the world from May through October, with all its festivals and events,鈥� says Dave Zimmer, 鈥渁nd the running scene is vibrant year-round.鈥� The Chicago-area native should know. Zimmer and his wife, Lisa, spent the last 28 years opening Fleet Feet stores across the city. And though he admits, 鈥測ou have to be kind of hardy,鈥� to run through the winters, when it comes to routes, races, and other intangibles, Zimmer says, 鈥淐hicago is just fantastic.鈥�

Running the Windy City starts with the bustling Lakefront Trail. Extending 18.5 miles along the Lake Michigan waterfront, north and south of downtown, the smooth, flat, and car-free path is a road runner鈥檚 paradise. Numerous running clubs offer organized group runs at all hours, seven days a week. The air coming off the lake provides a (slight) respite from humid summer heat, and there鈥檚 even a series of hydration stations on weekend mornings from June through October, staffed by Fleet Feet and the Chicago Area Runners Association.

Beyond the lure of the Lakefront, there are downtown loops under towering buildings and past iconic landmarks, plus endless targeted neighborhood runs, from touring street art in Pilsen to connecting hip eateries in Northalsted.

Routes

: It can be accessed from many parts of the city and run in either direction, north or south. 鈥淵ou have the spectacular Lakefront South,鈥� says Zimmer, 鈥渨here, as you are coming from the South Side towards downtown, the city opens up in front of you.鈥� Locals call the mishmash of paths intertwining just to the south of the city the 鈥渟paghetti bowl.鈥� Zimmer recommends heading south from there and through Museum Campus, past the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, etc. 鈥淥nce you get past McCormick Place,鈥� says Zimmer, 鈥渨hen you turn around, all you see is the skyline in front of you.鈥�

The North Side, Zimmer explains, has runners up against the water. And, he adds, 鈥測ou have Ohio Street Beach, North Avenue Beach, Belmont Harbor, all the way to the end of the path.鈥�

: This refurbished rails-to-trails system just north of North Avenue is an elevated path that extends just over three miles. 鈥淭he beauty of it,鈥� says Zimmer, 鈥渋s there are parks that you can peel off into.鈥� If you just take a chance and give it a look, he adds, 鈥淚t鈥檚 gorgeous, and so well done, such a great use of space.鈥�

: This suburban soft-surface trail lines the Des Plaines River for just over 34 miles in 颁丑颈肠补驳辞鈥檚 Lake County, one of its many suburbs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 beautiful,鈥� says Zimmer. 鈥淎nd you can just keep on going north until you hit Wisconsin.鈥�

More Options: Probably the most popular of the suburban running areas, according to Zimmer, is the trail system within the Palos Forest Preserve, or just Palos. Some 350 miles of trail weave through the area, varying from paved to gravel, and include notable elevation gain and loss otherwise hard to come by in Chicago. On the west side of the Windy City is the Prairie Path, which cuts through, you guessed it, prairies.

Events

: This smaller-scale event, held near St. Patrick鈥檚 Day each year, is always festive and kicks off the running season in Chicago, says Zimmer. Race weekend includes an 8K run, a two-mile walk, The Mile one-mile race, and no shortage of folks wearing green on the course. All events start and finish in Grant Park.

: With a start and finish line on 颁丑颈肠补驳辞鈥檚 West Side, in the Garfield Park neighborhood, this race travels through the boulevards, which are green-area medians that link neighborhoods. (The entire boulevard system spans 26 miles.) 鈥淚t鈥檚 just spectacular,鈥� says Zimmer of the race.

: This ten-mile race on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend sends runners through Museum Campus and along the Lake Michigan lakefront before finishing on the 50-yard line of Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears and Chicago Fire FC. Runners can watch themselves on the jumbotron as they cross the finish line.

More Options: The Charity Run starts near the home of the Cubs and finishes right in front of the iconic Wrigley Field marquee. Says Zimmer: 鈥淰entures Endurance puts on really cool super-local events like the Bucktown 5K, which goes to the neighborhood of Bucktown. And the Ravenswood 5K on the North Side helps sustain a food pantry.鈥� The Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA) Ready to Run 20-Miler is a point-to-point noncompetitive event along the waterfront and serves as a marathon training run for many.

Resources

Clubs

: A Chicago staple among running clubs for 25 years, this team is open to all and has coached workouts on Wednesday evenings in the Old Town neighborhood. An Elite Team option is also available.

: This group hosts seven different group runs in the three-to-six-mile range throughout the city on various days of the week. Brands often demo gear to participants.

: The local chapter of this national running group meets once or twice a week, and always on Monday mornings to start the week off on a good foot.

Stores

: This specialty run store carrying all New Balance goods is known for its excellent customer service.

: Dave and Lisa Zimmer鈥檚 eight Chicago-area stores serve runners and walkers of all ability levels under the motto 鈥淩unning changes everything.鈥�

: The locally owned, independent NRC has three locations, plus a track club and a reservable space called the Underground for events like cross-country team pasta parties. Head to the Annex location for closeout deals and limited-run merchandise.

: Located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood and connected to Heartbreak Boston, this store hosts group runs throughout the week and offers a specialty run shopping experience.

Independent since 1906,听听empowers people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world.

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On Sunday October 8, some of the fastest distance runners in the world鈥攁long with 47,000 others鈥攚ill toe the line at the 45th edition of the . Runners start in waves at 7:20 AM C.T. in Grant Park and make their way down the closed streets of 29 neighborhoods and past 1.7 million spectators before finishing where they started.

This flat and fast course, well-timed for favorable fall conditions and boasting the allure (and appearance fees and prize purse) of an Abbott World Marathon Major, Chicago always attracts some of the most elite runners in America and the world. This year the race is perfectly timed for Americans looking to get in one more marathon before the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon on February 3, 2024, in Orlando, Florida, as well as for elite amateurs seeking that coveted Olympic Trials qualification standards.

RELATED: The Road to the Paris Olympics is Four Months Away. Here鈥檚 What You Need to Know.

With Olympic Trials qualifiers, Olympic standards, and national and international records on the line, the pointy end of the field will be captivating. But that鈥檚 just scratching the surface of this iconic race, which also serves as the 2023 age group marathon world championships.

Here are the top 10 things you need to know before the gun goes off on Sunday morning.

1. The Chicago Marathon Will Surpass 1 Million Finishers in 2023

The 45th running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will take place on October 8 with a field of about 47,000 participants, up considerably after smaller post-pandemic fields in 2021 (30,000) and 2022 (40,000). If all goes well, the race will surpass its all-time high for finishers of 45,956 set in 2019 and record its 1 millionth finisher. Since the inaugural race in 1977, approximately 960,000 participants have crossed the Chicago Marathon finish line.

2. Chicago Is Known as the Windy City, But it鈥檚 Also a Speedy City For Marathoners

The Chicago Marathon route is very flat and is considered a fast course when weather conditions are favorable. (The forecast is calling for auspiciously cloudy and cool conditions on race day, with lows in the mid-40s and highs in the mid-50s.) The race鈥檚 iconic route starts and finishes in Grant Park and takes participants through 29 vibrant neighborhoods on an architectural and cultural tour of Chicago, including The Loop, River North, Lincoln Park, West Loop, Little Italy, Pilsen, and China Town. Six world records have been set in Chicago, including three men鈥檚 records鈥擲teve Jones in 1985 (2:08:05), Khalid Khannouchi in 1999 (2:05:42), Dennis Kimetto in 2013 (2:03:45)鈥攁nd three women鈥檚 records鈥擟atherine Ndereba in 2001 (2:18:47), Paula Radcliffe in 2002 (2:17:18), and Brigid Kosgei in 2019 (2:14:04). Although world records set by Kimetto and Kosgei were broken, they remain as the Chicago course records. Dozens of runners racing in Chicago will be trying to qualify for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon (2:18:00 for men, 2:37:00 for women) on February 3 in Orlando, Florida.

3. Men鈥檚 Pre-Race Favorite Kelvin Kiptum Could be the 鈥楴ext Kipchoge鈥�

Kelvin Kiptum, a 23-year-old Kenyan wunderkind, is the pre-race favorite in the men鈥檚 race and he might be gunning for Eliud Kipchoge鈥檚 2:01:09 world record. 鈥淚鈥檓 heading for the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Get ready for the show,鈥� Kiptum wrote in a social media post recently.

Kiptum turned heads after he ran a pair of sub-60-minute half marathons as a 19-year-old in 2019. Then last December, he won the Valencia Marathon in his debut at the distance in 2:01:53, and followed that up by winning the London Marathon in April in 2:01:25鈥攖he second-fastest time behind Kipchoge鈥檚 world record. Only three men in history have run under 2:02, and Kiptum is the only marathoner to do it under the age of 35. Kiptum鈥檚 fiercest challenger is 2022 Chicago Marathon winner Benson Kipruto, who set a personal best time of 2:04:24 when he won the race.

4. Women鈥檚 Pre-Race Favorite Ruth Chepngetich Is Ready to Run Fast

Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich enters the race as the back-to-back returning champion. Last year she ran the second-fastest marathon in history, 2:14:18, to win her second consecutive Chicago Marathon. She ran under world record pace through 40K (mile 24.8) and ultimately finished just 14 seconds slower than Kosgei鈥檚 2019 mark of 2:14:04.

Breaking that Chicago record would be a tall order, but one that is not completely out of bounds. Chepngetich did go out guns blazing in her Chicago win last year, cruising to an opening half of 65:44 before the wheels fell off. If she were to maintain that pace, she would have run a 2:11:28 full marathon. The 29-year-old is coming off a third-place, 1:06:18 half marathon in Buenos Aires in late August.

5. There Could Be an Epic Duel Between Top Americans Emily Sisson and Emma Bates

Last year, finished second in the Chicago Marathon and set an American record of 2:18:29. The 31-year-old, who splits time between Flagstaff, Arizona, and Providence, Rhode Island, is back again this year. But she鈥檒l have competition from Boulder, Colorado-based Emma Bates, 31, who , and has since said she鈥檚 hunting the American record.

鈥淚 know that I have an American record attempt in me,鈥� Bates said in May. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not to say I’m going to run the American record, but I know that I have the capability to go out there and try for it.鈥�

Both women are considered to be top contenders to make the U.S. Olympic team on February 3 at the trials. Other top Americans racing in Chicago include Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel (2:24:42 personal best), and Des Linden (2:22:38), the 2018 Boston Marathon champion who at age 40 is chasing the U.S. masters record of 2:27:47, set by Deena Kastor at the 2015 Chicago Marathon. Nell Rojas (2:24:51), Dakotah Lindwurm (2:25:01), and Sara Vaughn (2:26:23) are other key Americans in the race.

6. Can Conner Mantz Repeat His 2022 Chicago Debut Success?

Hard-charging Conner Mantz, a second-year Nike pro who ran collegiately for Brigham Young University, is the top American in the men鈥檚 field this year. The 26-year-old Utah-based runner used an aggressive racing style to place seventh in Chicago last year in 2:08:16鈥攖he second-fastest U.S. marathon debut ever. He followed that up with a solid effort at the Boston Marathon in April (11th place, 2:10:25) and has been racing extremely well on the track and road this year, including a high-altitude win at the Bolder Boulder 10K in May and recent runner-up showings at the Beach to Beacon 10K in August and the U.S. 20K Championships in September.

Galen Rupp, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in the marathon, is also racing. The 37-year-old runner from Portland, Oregon, won the 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials听 and will vie for his fifth Olympic team next year. He won the Chicago Marathon in 2017 (2:09:20) and earned runner-up honors in 2021 (2:06:35). He hasn鈥檛 raced this year since his disappointing 17th-place showing at the NYC Half Marathon (1:04:57) in March. Other top American runners include Leonard Korir (2:07:56), Matt McDonald (2:09:49), and Eritrean-born Daniel Mesfun (2:10:06), who just received U.S. citizenship in May.

7. The World鈥檚 Top Age-Group Runners Will Be Crowned in Chicago This Year

This year, the Chicago Marathon will host听 the 2023 Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Championships. Approximately 2,700 top age-group runners from around the world will compete for podium positions in their respective age categories.

Among the top age-group competitors is Jenny Hitchings, a 60-year-old runner from Sacramento, California, who has run 33 marathons. She鈥檚 hoping to break the American record (3:11:57), if not the world record (2:52:01), as she enters a new age category this year. Hitching holds five American records and a world-best time of 2:45:32 for her previous age group of 55 to 59.

The on September 15 of next year. The world age group championships will visit its third continent since the inaugural race within the TCS London Marathon in 2021.

8. The Chicago Marathon鈥檚 Non-Binary Division Has Grown to 130 Entrants

The Chicago Marathon introduced a non-binary category last year, with 41 finishers in the new division. The non-binary division has grown to more 130 registered runners this year, including the 2022 non-binary division runner-up Cal Calamia, a sports activist and founder of a non-binary+ run club based in San Francisco; Justin Solle, the race director for the Front Runners New York Pride Run who trying to become the first non-binary person to run all six of the Abbott World Marathon Majors; and Jake Fedorowski, a non-binary inclusion advocate and executive director of Queer Running Society.

9. How to Watch the Broadcast and Track Runners

You can tune into the Chicago Marathon live on cable, the web, and from your phone. NBC鈥檚 Chicago affiliate and Telemundo Chicago will offer complete live TV coverage and live streaming of the 2023 Chicago Marathon in both English and Spanish. The live television broadcasts will air from 7鈥�11 A.M. CT and the livestream will be available at and .

Live broadcasts will also be available on the NBC 5 and Telemundo Chicago apps, and on the stations鈥� Roku and Apple TV channels from 7 A.M. to 3 P.M. C.T. A livestream will show the finish line from 11 A.M. to 3 P.M. C.T. on the websites and apps.

In addition to the broadcast, you can track runners鈥� progress via the livetracker. Download the Bank of America Chicago Marathon app on and devices. You can add up to 20 runners on the app by searching for a runner鈥檚 name or race bib number and adding them to your 鈥渇avorites鈥� list. The app also provides the day鈥檚 scheduled events, an interactive course map, and photos from the race.

10. How to Enter the 2024 Chicago Marathon

The 46th running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will be held on Sunday, October 13, 2024. 鈥嬧�婽he application for guaranteed or non-guaranteed entry to the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will open on October 17 at 10 A.M. CT. The application will close four weeks later on November 16 at 2 P.M. CT.听 Guaranteed entries are available to time qualifiers in the men鈥檚, women鈥檚, and non-binary divisions, legacy finishers who have completed the race five or more times during the past 10 years, finishers of all three races of the Chicago Distance Series, pregnancy and postpartum deferrals, international tour group participants, and charity entrants.

Runners who do not meet any of these guaranteed entry criteria can apply for a bib through the lottery. Visit for more details on how to apply for the 2024 Chicago Marathon.

The post 10 Things You Should Know About the 2023 Chicago Marathon appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Late one afternoon in the Chicago offices of 国产吃瓜黑料, I detected some consternation from down the hall, a glitch in the matrix. It was June 1990, and the new issue had just arrived. Marshall Sella, one of our junior editors, came to the door, clearly the designated bearer of bad news. None of the senior editors were going to take responsibility for this one.

鈥淛.R.,鈥� he said, 鈥淚鈥檝e got something unfortunate to tell you.鈥� In one of our recent travel packages, he reminded me, we鈥檇 published a photo of Earth taken from space, and somehow it had been reversed, making the enormous island nation of Madagascar appear to be off the west coast of Africa鈥攚hich, of course, it is not. Embarrassing enough.

We鈥檇 printed a clever but tortured correction, but now, two months later, someone had noticed that we鈥攊.e., Marshall鈥攈ad apologized for 鈥渟howing Madagascar to the east of Africa,鈥� which is where, in fact, Madagascar is. So, we鈥檇 botched the photo, then botched the correction, and now we鈥檇 have to own up to that, too. In my mind, that would be three tainted issues we couldn鈥檛 submit for the National Magazine Awards, at least not for, you know, General Excellence. A steep price for 鈥渃lever.鈥�

Marshall gamely attempted to explain the unforced error. It had something to do with confusing the east coast of Africa and the west coast of Madagascar, I don鈥檛 remember the details, but I do recall his fascinating combination of candor, self-pity, remorse, growing acceptance, and 鈥� suddenly, redemption. His face brightened.

鈥淥r maybe,鈥� he offered, 鈥渨e didn鈥檛 really get it wrong. Madagascar is to the east of Africa! Maybe we don鈥檛 need to apologize for the apology we didn鈥檛 need to make!鈥� This, at least, was the kernel of a reason not to do anything, which I liked. But now he was thinking bigger鈥攁bout how he could turn this insight into an even more clever meta correction. 鈥淟et me see what I can do,鈥� he said, and scooted back to his office.

Marshall Sella, who died unexpectedly in December at 60, still so young, was as responsible as anyone for shaping the Chicago-era vibe of 国产吃瓜黑料. Founder Lorenzo Burke was the fearless captain of our ship. Brash storytellers like Tim Cahill, writer-adventurers like David Roberts, literary hotshots like David Quammen and his Montana neighbor E. Jean Carroll鈥攖hey set the bar early and high. But the supporting cast, the editorial crew鈥攜ounger, less experienced, and, as it turned out, extremely talented鈥攈elped shape 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥�s personality and its voice, and nobody more than Marshall. That voice was warm but sly, smart, and never cliquish. If there was a joke involved (and there usually was), you, the reader, were in on it.

Marshall joined us in 1988 as a grad school intern from Northwestern鈥檚 Medill School of Journalism, making an impression in his Eastern European military coat and English walking boots. But he was also the midwestern kid from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, who鈥檇 had the lead part in a Milwaukee Players production of Sherlock Holmes. (Maybe that鈥檚 where he got those walking boots.) He鈥檇 even sung a bit. In any case, he came ready to entertain, in print and around the office.

In those days all the editors, myself included, were works in progress, feeling a bit disconnected from the great outdoor world we covered from our urban outpost at Clark and Division. We had high aspirations for the magazine, we didn鈥檛 always meet them, and office life could get a little stressful. I shamefully cop to the label of being 鈥渄emanding,鈥� at times perhaps borderline insufferable. In any case, we needed all the fake-it-till-you-make-it energy and bravado we could muster, which Marshall supplied, every day, with his warm smirk, his sophisticated, Spy-influenced style, and his near hourly outbursts of laughter that I could hear from my desk.

After graduating, he came on full time and started editing product and travel packages and sidebars, cooking up quizzes, and writing house copy. You could discern his hand in everything from the table of contents to the back page Parting Shot. He worked his captions and short intros to insane, often hilarious precision. It鈥檚 easy to see how, by the tenth draft of that Madagascar correction, he鈥檇 have utterly confused himself.

Marshall鈥檚 office banter was so sharp and came so fast that 鈥渉e raised everybody鈥檚 game just trying to keep up with him,鈥� remembers his fellow intern and future author Dan Coyle. 鈥淗e had an ability to make other people their funniest, happiest selves.鈥�

A few days ago, more than a dozen of his colleagues got together on a Google call to remember Marshall, and I learned a few new things. He gave fellow editors nicknames like Cashew Head and performed droll impressions of our managing editor, Mark Bryant, and the actor James Mason鈥攊f Mason were a slowly sizzling piece of bacon. He claimed that Robert De Niro, with every movie he appeared in, always had a scene where he stomped on someone鈥檚 head. He would imitate that, too, with gusto. On the other hand, Marshall鈥檚 was the office you went to when you needed to have a little cry.

When Rob Story, a prominent ski writer and another intern from the early days, got married in Telluride, Colorado, Marshall was one of his groomsmen. Dressed in his tuxedo on the big day, and sensing the absurdity of his attire in the Old West mining town, Rob remembers, Marshall went up to the hotel clerk and asked, 鈥淐ould you tell me if there鈥檚 a nice clean hiking trail nearby?鈥�

He was the brother鈥攜ounger, older, it didn鈥檛 matter鈥攚e were drawn to and, honestly, adored. By definition, then, we were kind of a family, and he was the star.

鈥淚 think everyone had a crush on him,鈥� his friend and colleague Laura Hohnhold said. 鈥淎ll of us.鈥�

Marshall left 国产吃瓜黑料 in 1991 to be a full-time freelancer, then moved to New York in 1993. He slowly became a gravitational force again, writing for New York, GQ, Premiere, Elle, The New York Times Magazine. His friend Will Dana, the former editor of Rolling Stone, recalls him attracting crowds of both sexes at downtown writers鈥� parties. The staff at 国产吃瓜黑料, which moved to Santa Fe in 1994, were thrilled when he covered the national cheerleading championships for the first issue of Women 国产吃瓜黑料.

Marshall鈥檚 superpower, everyone seems to agree, was his ability to fiercely connect with and observe people, capture their quirks and tells, and shape those insights into powerful stories, even with only scraps to work with. His moving Times Magazine article 鈥�,鈥� published just weeks after 9/11, told the stories of victims through the flyers their loved ones posted all over the city. He profiled Sister Wendy, a British nun and art historian turned wildly popular PBS star, and was one of the very first to capture the populist essence and power of a new media outlet called . Its boss, the notorious Roger Ailes, was 鈥渁 pugnacious and jokey man,鈥� Marshall wrote. 鈥淗is pale blue eyes regard you suspiciously until you鈥檝e spent a lot of time together, and half-suspiciously after that.鈥�

Mark Adams, an old friend and author himself, admired Marshall鈥檚 ability to drop himself into stories鈥攕ubtly and unobtrusively, but to important effect. Not only was he connecting and explaining his subject, but he turned and connected to you, revealing himself along the way. Adams points to Marshall鈥檚 2013 story for GQ about the disgraced New York pol .

鈥淲riting a true profile is a genuinely weird endeavor,鈥� Marshall confesses in the middle of that piece. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like being in love without the love: You want to know every little thing about the subject. You will follow them anywhere, always wondering what they鈥檙e thinking or why they move their hands like that. You think about them when they are not around. During the reporting phase, if you鈥檙e any good at what you do, you鈥檙e a little bit insane. But you get time to cool off later: take the real measure, look at the experience from a distance.鈥�

That superpower, like superpowers do, also cost him. His older sister, Claire Meyer, remembers watching a post-9/11 episode of Ric Burns鈥檚 PBS series on New York City, which included a brief clip of Marshall reporting 鈥淢issing.鈥� 鈥淗e鈥檚 holding one of those flyers, looking at the photo of a victim,鈥� she says, 鈥渁bsorbing the loss not only of an individual, but in its totality.鈥� She remembers watching her brother put his hands to his face, stricken.

By the early 2000s, Marshall had more magazine work than he could handle. According to Dana, 鈥淓very editor he worked with wanted to work with him again.鈥� Each piece needed to be perfect and on time, and he expected his editors to get what he was trying to do. Later in his career, his friends say, he鈥檇 decide if he wanted to work with someone based on whether he thought they鈥檇 cut his jokes.

Marshall鈥檚 only thwarted ambition, Adams and others say, was to become a successful humorist, a Will Rogers type or a comedy writer for Letterman. That combination of high-wire wit and a big stage would have been worthy of his talents. He had to settle for being one of the best magazine writers of his generation.

Finally, he was also a great and thoughtful friend. Adams, an early riser, would get morning texts from night-owl Marshall wrapping up his workday at 5 a.m. Long before Facebook, Adams remembers, 鈥淢arshall would find out your birthday and call or send you an email every year.鈥� He was close to his family back in Milwaukee鈥斺�渉e was the coolest uncle in the world, my role model,鈥� his nephew, John M枚rk, told me鈥攁nd kept in touch with his 国产吃瓜黑料 family. We all got one of those birthday greetings every year.

One of the nice things about being around for the early days of a magazine, or any organization, is that you have a chance to set a tone, a sensibility. If it works, it can carry on, like a regional accent, for generations. Reading 国产吃瓜黑料 today, I hear Marshall鈥檚 voice still coming through from a group of smart, young, ambitious editors and writers who were likely toddlers when Marshall was crafting that sound, testing it, taking it to the next level.

Not long before he left 国产吃瓜黑料 and Chicago, Marshall wrote what turned out to be a fitting send-off, for the magazine鈥檚 15th anniversary issue. Titled 鈥淎tlas Shrugged,鈥� the short piece captured our early days perfectly: self-aware, not afraid to fail, ready to delight.

鈥淢agazine editing, like faith and seismic shifts, can move mountains,鈥� he wrote. “And over the years, 国产吃瓜黑料 has moved a few of them鈥攏ot to mention the odd rainforest, country, and ocean.鈥� His piece recounted the magazine鈥檚 most boneheaded location muffs and, in a final meta touch, named his Madagascar 鈥�翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥�s most ambitious gaffe of all time.鈥�

鈥淣o one is fired for the incident,鈥� he wrote about that day in my office, 鈥渢hough the man responsible for the 鈥榗orrection鈥� is later forced to write an article about geographic errors for 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥�s 15th anniversary issue.鈥�

Well done, Marshall.

The post The Funny Man appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If you haven鈥檛 discovered at least a dozen hidden gems in your backyard and hometown since the start of the pandemic, you鈥檝e been doing it all wrong. But don鈥檛 worry, there鈥檚 still time to build that list. For those of us living in cities, there are plenty of weekend-long detours that will make you feel as if you鈥檝e escaped the grind, without having to had to travel very far at all.

If You鈥檙e in Seattle or Portl补苍诲听

Go to Sisters, Oregon. 罢丑别听听(from $125), three hours from Portland or five from Seattle, has everything you want in a quick summer getaway: a lake with kayaks, canoes, and SUPs on loan, a bar serving up lakefront cocktails, mountain bike trails nearby in听, and musicians playing music around the campfire most nights. Stay in one of 11 newly restored lodge rooms or 16 rustic cabins on Suttle Lake.

If You鈥檙e in San Francisco or Los Angeles听

Go to Mammoth Lakes, California.听It鈥檚 a six-hour drive from San Francisco, or听five hours from Los Angeles. 听is staying open for skiing through Memorial Day; then the resort offers lift-accessed mountain biking, hiking trails, and scenic gondola rides. Need a camping rig?听听has rental campervans you can pick up in L.A. or San Francisco. Or check in to the听听(from $169), which has independent chalets.

If You鈥檙e in Boston or New York听

Go to North Adams, Massachusetts. A听three-hour drive west of Boston and a 3.5-hour haul from New York City,听the northern Berkshires in the spring is a good place to be: the summer crowds haven鈥檛 arrived yet and hiking on a stretch of the Appalachian Trail is good to go. For birdwatchers, you鈥檒l find plenty of action at the Audubon Society鈥檚 in Lenox, which has seven miles of hiking trails. Stay at , 1.5 miles from downtown North Adams, which has 100 lakeside and wooded sites for RVs, campers, and tents (from $25). Pick up barbecue and a growler of craft beer at in town.

If You鈥檙e in 础迟濒补苍迟补听

Go to Ellijay, Georgia. Less than two hours from Atlanta, this is a mountain biker鈥檚 dream spot, but there鈥檚听plenty to do here鈥攆rom hiking to fly-fishing through听鈥攊f you don鈥檛 ride听bikes. Stay in a cabin or park your van or RV at听听(from $70 per person) and you鈥檒l have miles of singletrack and gravel riding from your door.

If You鈥檙e in Chicago

Go to , Illinois.听Its waterfalls and wildflowers come alive in the springtime, and the park鈥檚 campground and lodge see relatively fewer crowds. Hike into the sandstone canyons or scenic bluffs via 13 miles of marked trails or fish for white bass and walleye in the Illinois River. Less than two hours by car from Chicago, the park has a sprawling (from $25) and a (from $120), built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

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Imagine seeing the vast expanses of Glacier National Park or the Grand Canyon from a different vantage point than听everyone else. Instead of hiking the most popular trail, you鈥檙e traversing听the park by dogsled or pedaling a fat-tire bike across the snow. Instead of driving the same scenic route as other cars, you鈥檙e floating or flying above it all in听a hot-air balloon or helicopter. Here鈥檚 how to make that happen.

Travel by Train

Skip driving and hop aboard a train. This year听the company 听will introduce a new听route on a glass-domed train听between Denver and Moab, Utah. The two-night journey will begin near Rocky Montain National Park听补苍诲听overnight at Glenwood Springs, Colorado, before arriving near 听补苍诲 National Parks (from $1,250).听To see听, book a听 (from $1,059) with .听You鈥檒l disembark at Montana鈥檚 East Glacier Park station, then spend three nights at the historic听, built by the Great Northern Railway.听 offers many trips to national parks, including a听 (from $1,325) that starts in Chicago and ends at the听, with lodging at the听 补苍诲听.

Go by Dogsled

At Alaska鈥檚听, stay in a log cabin at听 (from $189) and you can sign up for the lodge鈥檚听 (from $140), the only approved dog-mushing operator within the park. You鈥檒l travel across the snowy tundra toward the north face of 20,310-foot Denali. In Wyoming,听 leads daylong dogsled tours (from $250) through听 or for overnight stays听at听a backcountry yurt. Longtime Montana-based musher leads tours (from $150) on the edge of听, where a team of huskies race you down听a path through听Stillwater State Forest.

Downhill-Ski Inside a National Park

Plenty of national parks have backcountry terrain in the wintertime听where you can earn your turns (though be sure to check for avalanche warnings), but did you know you can ride a chairlift inside three national parks in the U.S.?听 (tickets from $45), located inside Washington鈥檚听, isn鈥檛 huge鈥攋ust听two rope tows and a Poma lift鈥攂ut the place gets an average 400 inches of snow each year. In California, Yosemite National Park鈥檚听 is closed this winter due to COVID-19, but normally听the area operates five lifts (tickets from $30). You can also听ski in Ohio鈥檚听 at Vail Resorts鈥� , which are just five minutes apart听(tickets from $49, advance reservations required).

Fly in a Hot-Air Balloon

You can float over Utah鈥檚听Canyonlands听补苍诲听Arches National Parks in a hot-air balloon with听 (from $299). You鈥檒l take off at sunrise from a launch pad just outside Moab.听 (from $300), out of Winter Park, Colorado, flies hot-air balloons year-round into the skies above听 for early-morning views of 14,259-foot Longs Peak.

Pedal a Bike

Mountain biking isn鈥檛 permitted in all national parks, so check access, trails, and conditions before you go off-road. In the wintertime, fat-tire bikes are allowed at select parks, including on ungroomed trails within听. , in Bar Harbor, Maine, has a small fleet of fat bikes for rent (from $40) during the snowy months. For guided trips,听 leads half- or full-day guided winter fat-bike tours (from $280 for two people, including bike rental) into听.听

Explore from Underground

in Kentucky offers year-round and seasonal (from $20) of its听vast underground caverns for small groups. Not into dark, cramped spaces? You can also hike above-ground trails within the park, with signage indicating the natural history of the cave passages below your feet. At听 in Nevada, the limestone can be toured with a guide (from $12). Book tours at both parks in advance to reserve a spot.

Get High in a Plane or Helicopter

For a splurge,听luxury-tour operator is offering a new winter 听by private charter plane (from $29,900 per person for ten听days) for small groups of 4听to 12 people. You鈥檒l jet听to up to six national parks, including Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Bryce Canyon, staying at high-end properties and enjoying听guided adventures that range听from snowshoeing to wolf tracking along the way.听

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Whether you鈥檙e looking for a riverside treehouse or a log hideaway in the mountains, there is an ideal weekend retreat听not too far away.

West

Sierra Nevada, California

In just three hours from the San Francisco Bay Area, you can find yourself smack in the middle of nowhere in the eastern Sierra. The new听听hotel听(camping from听$45, cabins from $200)鈥攚hich used to be called Sorenson鈥檚 Resort but听reopened this summer under new ownership鈥攊s spread across 165 acres along the west fork of the Carson River, south of Lake Tahoe. Choose between 30 quaint and revamped cabins, seven yurts, a restored 1951 Spartan trailer, and 13 campsites听(cabins from $200; camping from $45). Hiking along the Pacific Crest Trail, mountain biking, and soaking at听听are all within an hour鈥檚 drive of the property.

Northwest

Stanley, Idaho

Most people visit Stanley鈥攁 nine-hour drive from Portland, Oregon, or six hours from Salt Lake City鈥攖o ride the area鈥檚 extensive network of mountain-biking trails, including听the popular 11.5-mile Elk Mountain听Loop, as well as to paddle the Salmon River听补苍诲 fish and swim听at Redfish Lake. (I go for the pecan sticky buns at the .) Stay in one of ten听log cabins at 听(from $150), where you can play cornhole on the lawn with a听backdrop of the Sawtooth Mountains.

Mountain West

Cuchara Valley, Colorado

Southern Colorado鈥檚 Spanish Peaks have all the draws of the Rockies鈥攗nspoiled views, endless trails, mountains to summit鈥攂ut none of the crowds. Check out the small towns of La Veta and Cuchara, which are about three hours south of Denver by car, for hiking,听mountain biking, and an artsy-meets-ranching Old West vibe. Book one of the nine historic cabins at the 听(from $105), a 100-acre estate in the Cuchara Valley.

Southwest

Taos, New Mexico

Stay at the听40-acre 听(from $89), the only large-scale goji berry farm in the U.S.,听which also grows other fruits and vegetables and raises free-range chickens, goats, and alpacas in northern New Mexico鈥檚 Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The site鈥檚 ten听historic cabins, which are heated with wood-burning stoves and powered by solar electricity, are named after the famous writers who once stayed here, like D.H. Lawrence and Aldous Huxley. You鈥檒l find plenty of hiking trails, hot springs, and rafting nearby.

Midwest

Cobden, Illinois

Two hours southeast of听St. Louis, or five hours south of听Chicago, Cobden听is a gateway to , home to sandstone cliffs, over 400 miles of trails, and one of the state鈥檚 most Instagrammed听attractions, the rock pillars of . Overnight听in听one of five 听(from $95)鈥攚ell-appointed chalets with massive windows and vaulted ceilings鈥攖o be minutes from the hiking trails and outdoor wine-tasting rooms along the .

Southeast

Landrum, South Carolina

罢丑别听 (from $125) sits on a 12.5-acre property less than an hour from听Greenville, South Carolina,听补苍诲 Asheville, North Carolina. A restored 19th-century log cabin, it鈥檚听the ideal base camp听for biking and hiking in the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. The main cabin sleeps up to four in two bedrooms, while a studio apartment with its own entrance is perfect for a couple. Or rent the whole thing for up to eight people.

Northeast

Taberg, New York

At the听 (from $79), located 50 minutes from Syracuse, New York, stay听in one of seven accommodations, ranging from treehouses and knotty-pine cottages to a renovated school bus. A former hunting camp turned nature sanctuary, this 60-acre riverfront property has tubing, swimming, or angling听on Fish Creek, as well as swimming at Oneida Lake and trekking听in the Adirondacks, both of which are听within an hour鈥檚 drive.

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On May 29, Brianna Noble was one of thousands of people who attended an Oakland,听California, protest in honor of George Floyd, who鈥檇 been killed by a white Minneapolis听police officer four days earlier. But unlike the other protesters, Noble hadn鈥檛 come on foot. Instead, she held her fist high as she rode through downtown on the back of her horse, Dapper Dan. A cardboard sign that read 鈥淏lack Lives Matter鈥� hung off Dapper Dan鈥檚 flank. Without even knowing it, Noble says, the crowd started following her, and drivers stopped in their cars to honk and stick their fists out in solidarity. Where she went, they went. Where she stopped, they stopped.

In one already-iconic from that day, Noble wears an expression of solemn tranquility as she and Dapper Dan lead the crowd. Behind her, protesters raise听their signs 补苍诲听fists high. Local street artists have since this visual听on a boarded-up storefront in the center of the city.听

Noble, 25, is the owner and founder of , an equestrian business听where she trains and sells horses听and teaches beginner听riding lessons. This wasn鈥檛 her first time standing up against police brutality鈥攁t age 14, she听organized youth town halls to discuss the issue in response to the 2009 killing of by a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)听police officer in her hometown. But May 29听was her first time protesting on horseback, and the image sent a striking听message. 鈥淚f you look at a textbook, you usually see someone leading an entire army into war with a horse,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd I think me standing at the front of that protest was just a revamping of those images in our textbooks.鈥澨�

As protests against police violence听swept through all 50 states and more than 60 countries, Noble wasn鈥檛 the only one to show up on horseback. On June 2, at least听30听members of , an urban trail-riding group for Black听equestrians in Texas, joined a protest in Houston. On June 7, the , a collective of Black cowboys in Southern California, organized and led a march of thousands through their hometown. In all,听more than a hundred Black equestrians have joined protests听in the U.S.听in the past month, emerging as a powerful force in the fight against police brutality.听

A few days before Noble rode Dapper Dan through Oakland, Adam Hollingsworth, who calls himself , drove his horse听from Chicago to Minneapolis to ride in the streets with others听in solidarity. Hollingsworth witnessed police officers teargassing and shooting rubber bullets at protesters, he says, but as he entered the sea of 3,000 people in front of a Minneapolis police station, everyone stopped what they were doing. People cleared out the walkway, made a circle around him, and gave him a bullhorn. It was as if he had been leading the protest all along.听

Hollingsworth鈥檚 nickname,听the Dreadhead Cowboy,听is a听nod to the Black cowboys who鈥檝e played an important role in American history. Black trail-riding groups have existed for centuries as a way for Black equestrians to subvert their exclusion from White cowboy culture;听in , they trace their roots back to the 1700s. After the Civil War, herding was one of relatively few job options available to recently freed Black people, and ranchers badly needed their skills. Historians estimate that 19th-century cowboys were Black.听

Despite this history, Black cowboys have often been left out of popular media narratives of the Wild West. Before he started riding in his early thirties,听Hollingsworth, like many other residents in 颁丑颈肠补驳辞鈥檚 Englewood neighborhood, had only ever seen a horse at a circus, in a movie, or with a police officer seated on top. During the Minneapolis and Chicago protests that Hollingsworth attended, children and adults alike stopped him to ask whether he owns his horse and why he decided to buy one. In the past, he鈥檚 even been asked if he was a cop.

In Chicago, mounted police patrol the city daily. Their horses, labeled 听by the police department, are used to make officers look more approachable to the public. But mounted police also have a dark history of racial injustice, one that鈥檚 often ignored in the TV shows and films that lionize forces like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, known as the Mounties, and the Texas Rangers.

鈥淩angers and Mounties听were thought of as a way to wrest control of portions of the plains from their native inhabitants and were used to police people of mixed ancestry,鈥� says historian Andrew Graybill, author of a about those听two police forces.听Rangers in particular have a long history of racial animus and violence. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, they hundreds of Mexicans and Mexican Americans, hunted enslaved people who had run away, refused to investigate lynchings, and tried to force the NAACP out of Texas. 鈥淚t was an open secret that an untold number of Rangers held Klan sympathies, if not memberships,鈥� reporter Doug Swanson writes in ,听an account of听the Rangers that came out earlier this month.听

Most mounted forces have a more ceremonial role today, but they鈥檙e also used to break up civil unrest. Since Floyd鈥檚 death, have shown up at protests in several cities, charging at civilians and dividing crowds.听In both and , police horses听even trampled protesters, leaving people hurt and scared.听

The shift in power dynamics is not lost on protesters, as Black equestrians join their ranks in the fight against police brutality. They鈥檙e sending a message that, as Hollingsworth says, 鈥測鈥檃ll aren鈥檛 the only ones with horses out here.鈥�

Hollingsworth says听riding on horseback also allowed him to protect his fellow protesters. At the Chicago demonstration听he attended, officers seemed to be taking extra care not to harm his horse, so he stood in front of the crowd to shield others听from rubber bullets and tear gas听补苍诲听used his position to de-escalate situations. 鈥淚 stopped a lot of people from getting hurt that night,鈥� Hollingsworth says.听鈥淢y horse is Batman, and I鈥檓 Robin.鈥澨�

In the days since those initial protests, Noble and Hollingsworth have received a flood of attention, and their images have circulated all over the internet. Recognized trainers have even reached out to Noble, asking her how they can help Mulatto Meadows. Emboldened by the听outpouring of support, Noble and Hollingsworth both want to train youth of color to hold the power that comes from mounting a horse. 鈥淔rom a very young age, I had two dreams鈥擨 wanted to be the first Black woman to jump in the Olympics, and I wanted to have a program to help inner-city people of color get into this sport,鈥� Noble says. Beyond the fact that riding is often associated with White people, the costs associated with it can be astronomically high, making equestrian sports out of reach for many.听

Noble grew up riding horses, a rare hobby for a Black girl in Oakland, she says. When she and her sister were young, they worked at stables to help pay for lessons at a听United States Pony Club. At 14, she adopted a horse who鈥檇 been abused, persuading his owners to give him away for free. Noble would travel three hours each way by BART, bus, and on foot to reach the barn where she kept him听补苍诲 spent what little money she had dragging bales of hay onto public transportation to take to her horse.听

After making so many sacrifices just to be around horses, she wants to crack the gates open for young kids of color and help close the income gap听in the equestrian world. 鈥淭here are low-income听programs just to help kids get into听basketball, but there鈥檚 nothing like that in the horse world in my community. I could only go so far, because I didn鈥檛 have the money to sponsor a horse,鈥� Noble says.

Through Mulatto Meadows, she is now developing听, a project that will open a fully-funded training program for kids from marginalized communities. Noble听says she鈥檚 inspired by the success of other nonprofit programs that provide free equestrian programming for urban youth, such as the , run by the Compton Cowboys, and . She鈥檚 currently听听for the initiative on GoFundMe. For his part, Hollingsworth has been training kids from the barn outside听Chicago where he stables his horses,听补苍诲 he hopes to eventually open his own barn in the city.

Noble knows that system-wide upheaval doesn鈥檛 happen overnight.听

鈥淲hat鈥檚 the chance that I鈥檓 going to be able to change the fact that police unjustly kill us?鈥澨齭he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge issue, and it鈥檚 a systemic problem, but I am going to change what I can control, and horses are my thing. Maybe one of these kids will be able to change the world because we were able to change their story and their lives听through these horses.鈥�

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According to KOA鈥檚 , more people are pitching tents closer to home. And that鈥檚 even more true now as we navigate state-by-state reopenings听from coronavirus shutdowns. Luckily, there are more urban places to camp than you鈥檇 think, like these sites鈥攁ll within 100 miles of big cities.

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park

A smattering of 34 islands and peninsulas just off the coast, this park has no shortage of activities, including swimming. We recommend , one of four that offer camping, for its hiking and views of the harbor. Seven primitive sites (from $8) are tucked into the woods and walkable from the beach. While most visitors take the ferry from Boston, those looking for a challenge can kayak an hour to reach the island. Note: the park is currently closed. Check for updates.

Phoenix, Arizona

Lost Dutchman State Park

Lost Dutchman has the same dramatic landscape as the region鈥檚 Joshua Tree and Saguaro National Parks鈥攖hink classic Sonoran Desert full of majestic cactus鈥攂ut without the crowds. Forty miles east of downtown Phoenix, the 320-acre park serves as a well-appointed trailhead for Tonto National Forest. At the RV-friendly campground, to get a site with views of the Superstition Mountains (from $25).

Atlanta, Georgia

Panola Mountain听State Park

Atlanta is famous for suburban sprawl, but tucked amid all the chaos is Panola Mountain State Park, a 1,635-acre swath of wilderness 15 minutes east of downtown. You鈥檒l have to hike half a mile to reach (from $22), which sit next to a pond filled with bream. There are 36 miles of hiking trails and a tree-climbing program that will have you reaching the tops of 100-foot red oaks. Time it right and you can sleep in the canopy during one of the park鈥檚 overnight climbs.

Chicago, Illinois

The Vaudeville Urban Farm

Sometimes you don鈥檛 even need to leave the city to pitch a tent. A 9,000-square-foot farm tucked into 颁丑颈肠补驳辞鈥檚 East Garfield Park neighborhood, this has five campsites (from $48). Gather eggs, feed the goats, and use the prime location to explore the city. Run or pedal the 606, an abandoned rail line that鈥檚 been converted into a 2.7-mile-long park; kayak along the Chicago River; or take the train to Lake Michigan and run or bike the Lakefront Trail.听

San Francisco, California

Angel Island State Park

The best view of San Francisco鈥檚 skyline听is from a tent in the middle of the bay. The 740-acre has 12 campsites (from $30). Catch a ferry听to reach the island, or kayak to one of听two sites accessible from shore. Rent a bike from the Angel Island Company听补苍诲 ride nine miles of car-free roads, or hike the Sunset Trail to the top of 788-foot Mount Livermore for 360-degree views of downtown San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Alcatraz.

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Walking might be the . OK, it鈥檚 not as flashy as its cousins, running and hiking, but that a moderate walk is just as effective at battling high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease as a vigorous run or an uphill trek. And it does the job with a lower risk of injury. Some even suggests that walking can make you more creative. One of its听advantages听is that you can do it just about anywhere, but some routes听are more beautiful than others.听Here are ten听of the most scenic trails that听allow access greenery without leaving the听city.

Spanish Moss Trail
Beaufort, South Carolina听

Charleston gets all of the love, but the smaller coastal town of Beaufort, an hour and a half to the southwest, has just as much southern charm, with a fraction of the tourists. And it鈥檚 incredibly walkable, thanks in part to the , a ten-mile paved path that follows the former Magnolia rail line through the best of South Carolina鈥檚 Low Country听landscape. The trail starts in an old rail station near Depot Road and carries you over creeks, through expansive wetlands, and amid听stately neighborhoods shaded by live oaks thick with the iconic Spanish moss.

Jack A. Markell Trail
Wilmington, Delaware听

This paved path combines culture, history, and wildlife on its eight-mile journey from downtown Wilmington to the historic town of New Castle. Start听at , explore听open-air markets and seafood restaurants, and听finish听at New Castle鈥檚 , a sprawling green space on the Delaware River with a new pier that overlooks听a replica of a听Swedish merchant ship from the 1600s. In between, the trail dips into the , one of only a handful of urban wildlife sanctuaries听in the U.S., home to听a 212-acre marshy听preserve听for fish and other fauna听in the heart of the state鈥檚 largest city.

Boardwalk Trail at Lady Bird Lake
Austin, Texas听

The 听isn鈥檛 like anything else in Texas. It鈥檚 a 7,250-foot-long concrete pedestrian bridge hovering above the water on the edge of Lady Bird Lake. The views are stunning鈥攜ou have the lake itself, full of people听in kayaks and on stand-up paddleboards, as well as Austin鈥檚 skyline just beyond the shoreline鈥攂ut walking this听boardwalk is also a听deep dive into听an exploration of听Texan听culture. Keep an eye out for an installation of 36 bronze western-style belts integrated into railings etched with song lyrics from Texas artists.

The Scioto Trail
Columbus, Ohio

The first greenway to be built in Columbus, follows the river of the same name for more than 12 miles, connecting the city鈥檚 neighborhoods with its expansive park system. The most beloved stretch of the trail is the Scioto Mile, which cruises along the downtown waterfront through a series of green spaces and city landmarks. Keep walking听补苍诲 you鈥檒l hit , a wildlife sanctuary where thousands of migrating birds make a pit stop听on their way south. The 120-acre park, which has its own system of walking trails that pass beneath the tree canopy and through restored wetlands, features one of the largest free-climbing walls in the nation听a massive man-made arch covered with holds set against the听backdrop of the Columbus听skyline.

The California Coastal Trail
San Francisco, California

This is one of the most dramatic in the country, spanning 1,200 miles along the Pacific Ocean. For a shorter option, focus on the 2.4-mile section near the Presidio, in San Francisco, which hits a collection听of the city鈥檚 landmarks. Start on the south end of this segment, and you鈥檒l pass the rocky bluffs of Baker Beach right out of the gate before hitting the Marin Headlands and ending at the Golden Gate Bridge. 罢丑别听shoreline is a near constant companion and a number of connecting paths meander into the Presidio.

Bert Cooper Trail
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma听

Ten听miles north of downtown Oklahoma City,听 is a 2,500-acre reservoir with a yacht club and a lighthouse. The forms a 9.5-mile loop around the lake and offers lots of听water views. Birders in particular love this trail because Hefner marks听an important stopover for migratory species. Start at , at听the southern end of the reservoir, and amble听through forested areas and neighborhood streets. Be sure to walk the peninsula out to the lighthouse, which makes for the perfect picnic spot.

Lakefront Trail
Chicago, Illinois

On one side of the 18-mile-long , you have Lake Michigan, unfurling into the horizon like an inland sea,听补苍诲 on the other, you have the city of Chicago and its towering skyscrapers. You could spend an entire day along this trail, bouncing from beaches to parks and back again. Just make sure you hit , with its听traditional Japanese garden 补苍诲听a koi pond, as well as the , a 100-acre park full of prairie grass and trees.

Lafitte Greenway
New Orleans, Louisiana听

This 2.6-mile 听opened in 2015, and in just a few short years, it has become a听major artery for pedestrians and cyclists moving about New Orleans. The paved path runs from the French Quarter to the neighborhood of , offering a string of nature in the heart of one of the South鈥檚 most vibrant metro areas. Shaded by live oaks, bald cypress, and pecan trees, the route passes along the Saint听Louis Canal before crossing over Bayou Saint听John. From the northern trailhead terminus, it鈥檚 a quick walk to the 1,300-acre City Park itself, full of green space and wetlands, while the southern听terminus is听, on the edge of the French Quarter.

The East Coast Greenway
Washington, D.C.

When it鈥檚 eventually completed, the will run for 3,000 miles from Florida to Maine. More than 30 percent of this massive walking and biking trail is currently built, and some of that听passes through Washington, D.C. It cuts through听the National Mall and crosses the Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River into Virginia, where it connects with the . While the capital鈥檚 monuments听are big attractions, be sure to make stops along the trail at the 听补苍诲 the , the oldest continuously operating public garden in the country,听with more than 65,000 tropical and subtropical plants.

The High Line
New York City, New York

If there鈥檚 such a thing as the most famous U.S. greenway, it鈥檚 . This elevated trail, a repurposed听abandoned freight line on听Manhattan鈥檚 West Side, is an infusion of nature in the most populated听city in the country. The 1.45-mile bridge is designed听with public art, interesting architecture, and edible gardens. Various overlooks give you a bird鈥檚-eye view of some of the borough鈥檚 most iconic neighborhoods, while certain sections feature听a full canopy of trees, providing an escape from the cityscape. Hang out on lounge chairs on听the sundecks, enjoy views over the Hudson River, and catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty.

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