If you can walk you can hike, and the southern region of New Jersey offers a variety of terrain and scenery to explore on foot. Joining a hiking club has several advantages over hiking on your own, and there are clubs in both New Jersey and nearby Philadelphia that regularly schedule group hikes in southern New Jersey.
Geography
The geography of southern New Jersey has a great deal of variety to offer hikers of all skill levels. You'll find plenty forests, wetlands, fields, rivers and lakes, hills, beaches and even bushwhacking, if that is your preference. Hiking clubs offer a wide range of hikes, and hike leaders bring added safety, experience and even education about flora and fauna you come across.
Health
Studies have shown time and again that physical exercise improves health. Walking is the most basic exercise there is, and hiking is simply walking with the benefit of the natural world around you. Whether you struggle with heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, excess weight, back pain or diabetes, low-impact hiking can improve symptoms and the progression of disease. Southern New Jersey is known for its gentle, non-mountainous terrain and contains many suitable trails even for those who cannot manage or do not want a high-exertion hike. Check with your physician before starting any new physical fitness program.
Social
It can be tough to meet new people, especially in our increasingly solitary, Internet-oriented world. Hiking clubs offer a place to meet people who value a healthy lifestyle and appreciate the outdoors. All hiking clubs in southern New Jersey emphasize the social aspect of hiking and most offer social gatherings of other types as well, some even involving other outdoor activities such as kayaking.
Volunteering
Besides friendship and exercise, hiking clubs provide the opportunity for positive eco-citizenship. Most clubs in southern New Jersey offer regular opportunities for volunteers not only to assist with club functions and lead hikes but to act as protectors of nature. The South New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club in particular provides guidance and encouragement for those members who wish to actively participate in preserving the natural areas in which they hike.
Types
Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia are home to several hiking clubs, and each has its own flavor. Besides the Sierra Club, which is a national organization with a local chapter, the Outdoor Club of South Jersey is probably the best known, having begun as a group of friends planning hikes together in 1966. They offer regularly scheduled outdoor activities all over southern New Jersey, as well as hikes in the more mountainous regions to the north. Smaller clubs in the area cater to Christians, singles and families. Whatever you are looking for in a club, chances are you'll find it in southern New Jersey.
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