Let's Move Outside

Logo by Hugh Dunnahoe

Let's Move Outside and improve our physical and mental health. Hot Springs National Park will help you get started and meet your personal goal of improving your quality of life. And, you will earn free incentives for walking and hiking the trails in Hot Springs National Park.

Here's how the "Let's Move Outside" program works. Pick up a walking record card at the park visitor center to keep notes on your progress, and the amount of time and the trails you walked. Each time you walk in the national park you record it. When you reach 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 hours, bring the walking-record booklet back to the park visitor center to receive your free incentive. For walking 5 hours in the park you will be awarded a water bottle that you can use during future walks.

Children can participate with the walking card, but especially for children, the park is has a new Junior Trail Ranger program. Children may pick up a program guide at the visitor center and complete walking at least three designated trails and complete five activities. They will then return to the park visitor center to receive an award pin.

"Let's Move Outside" is a national program to promote activity in the outdoors. Numerous studies have shown that exercise has many health benefits and just being in a natural setting has been shown to lower blood pressure. This program focuses on time spent on the trails because most studies show exercising at least 30 minutes a day several times a week is most beneficial. These programs are sponsored by the National Park Foundation, Unilever, and Eastern National.