We live on one of the largest freshwater bodies in the world. The Great Lakes make up 20% of the world's fresh water supply. In a separate series, we look at what we can do to keep the Great Lakes and our environment clean and safe for everyone. But that's there. The point of this post is to get you out and taking advantage of them!
Wisconsin has an amazing variety of things for people to get out there and do. With roughly a quarter of the state covered in woodlands, a third of which is accessible to the public, over 15,000 lakes and streams, and over 1000 miles of beachfront, not to mention numerous parks, trails, festivals, museums, theatres, etc., there is so much to do and see throughout the state, and especially in the Milwaukee area. It would be a shame to not take advantage of what we have to offer. So with that being said, let's take a look at some of the amazing things we can do around here this summer!
In addition to the amazing amounts of lakes and rivers in and around our state, we also have a significant amount of forest and walking/hiking/biking trails, most being free and freely accessible and the rest mostly being very inexpensive.
Studies show that sunshine and fresh air, even just a little, helps to fight depression, improve energy levels, strengthen the immune system and bones, focus the mind, reduce stress, improve sleep and sight, help with various skin conditions, and a host of other things both big and small. I know I use it as an excuse to get exercise in, which also helps with depression, focus and weight loss. Otherwise it is so easy to come up with an excuse as to why I can't, won't or shouldn't. Plus, it just feels right to be out there and connected to the world around us. We isolate and separate ourselves enough as it is, not that that is the point of this post.
You don't have to go far to find somewhere to walk, hike, or bike. The Brown Deer Library is just yards away from the Oak Leaf Trail and a little south of the Ozaukee County Interurban Trail. The Schlitz Audubon Nature Center and its trails are not too far away, near the east end of Brown Deer Road. All three of which are free and the library keeps free maps stocked for your convenience. The Mequon Nature Preserve is just a little northwest on County Line. And there are any number of smaller parks, parkways and preserves in the area. There are any number of beach paths along Lake Michigan as well, not to mention all of the almost 2000 miles of converted railroads to trails. If you want to spread your wings a little, there are various legs of the Ice Age Trail or the beautiful hills and bluffs of the Devils Lake trails just a little farther afield. And don't forget the wonderful organizations that you can rent equipment from for little to no charge sometimes for as little as a $60 membership (i.e. the Urban Ecology Center).
You don't need to be all that ambitious either. Whether it is simply a few minutes around the block / neighborhood or to the neighborhood park, a leisurely stroll along the lakefront, or a dedicated hike through the hinterlands, it all counts. The important part is getting out there, enjoying the weather, and discovering something new. Well, that last part just adds to the enjoyment.
We Have An App For That
How often have you heard that phrase? But it's true. If you want to track where you have hiked or biked, or if you want to discover more trails in the area, you might consider downloading one of numerous free or inexpensive hiking apps. Below is a selection of what hiking enthusiasts have deemed the best of the best, divided by category. Some of the best include:
Best for All-Around Function:
Name: AllTrails
System: Android, iOS, and Computer
Price: Free with the option of a yearly subscription for offline map perusal
AllTrails has the largest collection of detailed, hand-curated trail maps so you can hit the trail with confidence. Anytime. Anywhere. All maps are searchable and available through the computer or app while online or using data. They were also community created. As with most hiking apps, if you wish to download your maps for offline use, you will have to get a subscription, but even that isn't so bad. If you can afford it, at $29.99/year or $2.50/month, having a great all around trail app can be really handy. Plus, as one of the most often referenced hiking websites and apps, chances are you've already seen some of their maps. I've read dozens of articles comparing the best known apps out there, and AllTrails almost always comes out on top in the all-around category.
After we talk about AllTrails, the sites start to diverge as to which apps are best for which functions. But we do have one other in the All-Around category, and in some ways is even better than AllTrails, it's limited by your phone's operating system.
Name: Green Tracks
System: Android only
Price: Free with no registration required
Unlike most hiking apps, Green Tracks is completely free, requires no registration, and you can access their maps while offline. It is extremely easy to use as well. Unfortunately it is only available on Android devices with no computer access and the graphics do look a bit like, as one professional reviewer put it, the app was straight out of the 90's. There is also a slight issue with not readjusting the view of the current GPS location once you touch a map until you click on the re-center button, but otherwise everything else pretty much makes up for that issue. Let me remind you, if you are doing more rural or rugged areas, cell reception and GPS can be dicey. Actually, I can think of a few areas in the city of Milwaukee where GPS and cell reception can be an issue. Having an easy to use app with the ability to download maps to your phone for offline use can be extremely useful. Doing it for free is darn near priceless.
Best for GPS:
Name: Gaia GPS
System: Android, iOS and Computer
Price: Free or two levels of paid yearly subscriptions
Another stellar hiking app. You can find your next hiking trail, plot your route, find where to camp, etc. Free gets you the Gaia map collection while using data. Basic paid yearly membership gets you access to your maps offline, and the premium subscription adds the entirety of the National Geographic Map Collection to your fingertips.
Name: Avenza Maps
System: Android, iOS and Computer
Price: Free & In-App Purchases
Avenza claims to have the world's largest map collection and all maps can be downloaded for offline use. They also provide real-time GPS positioning even offline. There are ways to record your GPS hikes as well as save photos & notes to specific locations.
Best for Inspiration & Discovery:
Name: Hiking Project
System: Android, iOS and Computer
Price: Free
One of the best crowd-sourced hiking apps around and run by one of the foremost sporting goods companies around. In addition to functionality similar to AllTrails, it collects information like trail reviews, descriptions, and photos, all of which is then vetted by the REI in-house team. Think of Hiking Project as a living guide book fed by people like you and kept .
Best for National Parks & Longer Trips:
Name: National Park Service
System: Android, iOS and Computer
Price: Free
While you won't find some of the tracking functionality of other more commercial apps, this is put out by the National Parks and so does have the most complete, accurate, and up-to-date information on the National Parks and their trails.
Name: Recreation.gov
System: Android, iOS and Computer
Price: Free
Another great app if you are planning on visiting national parks or government land in general. This app has all the information and resources you need to find and book tours, campsites and more. A perfect pairing with the trail info of the previous app.
Best for Identification:
Name: Seek by iNaturalist
System: Android and iOS
Price: Free
If you've ever wondered what you were seeing while on the trail, this app can help you figure it out. Everything from bugs to plants to birds and other critters, with the snap of your phone's camera, you could be figuring it out. Created by the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society, you can count on a quality experience.
Name: Star Walk 2
System: Android and iOS
Price:
Nighttime strolls will never be the same with this app. With Star Walk 2, you can easily identify constellations and other celestial objects. You can track them across the sky and figure out where to look for any stars or planets you are interested in. With real-time maps, 3D constellation maps and more, this is a must-have for any astronomy nerds out there, myself included. There's even a VR mode!
Name: PeakVisor
System: Android and iOS
Price: Free & Yearly Subscription Available
If you've ever been out and wanted to know what hill or mountain peak you are looking at, this is the app for you. Using GPS and image recognition on the camera on your phone, PeakVisor can recognize over 1 million peaks worldwide. It can even go through your previous photos and determine what they were looking at as well. Of course, like a number of apps listed previously, offline is only available through the premium subscription plan. But if you're willing to use your data, it's all free!
Honorable Mention:
Name: Pokémon Go
System: Android and iOS
Price: Free with in-app purchases available
Surprisingly enough, a number of communities mentioned using Pokémon Go for use as a hiking app. With their GPS capabilities that allow for the VR experience as well as the fact that they partnered in 2015 with the National Parks Service to celebrate the parks and so has crazy accurate maps on the locations, this is actually a fun app to use on your hikes. Besides, you never know what pokémon might be around the corner that you just need to catch!
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