5 Hikes to Burn Off Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is over and you’ve woken from your food coma. Rather than succumbing to the post-holiday wobble, why not lace up your hiking boots, grab family and friends, and hit the trails or streets.

Here are five hikes throughout the U.S. to get you moving and burning off that turkey.

Adams Morgan Walk, Walking Washington, D.C.

1.3 miles

If you think that D.C. is all about money and politics, think again. Adams Morgan has been arguably the hippest hangout since the 1980s. Stroll through this artistic, multicultural neighborhood and check out all the restaurants and shops. Be sure to pause near the employee entrance to the National Zoo—you can see a geological fault from the fault zone that lies beneath the zoo.

Adams Morgan, National Zoo, Walking Washington, D.C.

Downtown Highlights, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Cleveland

3.2 miles

Whether you have out-of-town guests or you haven’t been downtown in a while, this hike is uniquely Cleveland. With stops at stately Public Square, the anything-but-square Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Terminal Tower observation deck, you’ll get a great feel for the city.

Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation, Cleveland, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles Cleveland

Bird Berry Trail and Lake Loop Trail at Fort Yargo State Park, Afoot & Afield: Atlanta

6.1 miles

Escape the city for the weekend and head out to view some wildlife. These trails are easy, convenient, and a prime spot to observe birds and other wildlife that inhabit the wetlands on the north shore of the Marbury Creek Reservoir. Be sure to visit the Fort Yargo blockhouse built in the 1700s.

Bird Berry Trail, Lake Loop Trail, Fort Yargo State Park, Afoot & Afield: Atlanta, post-Thanksgiving hikes, Atlanta hikes, Wilderness Press

Mount Tamalpais, 101 Hikes in Northern California

6.8 miles

Visible throughout the Bay Area, the long spine of Mount Tamalpais beckons the hiker with a few hours to spare and calories to burn. While this hike isn’t easy, you do get to bag a summit with premier views.

Mount Tamalpais, San Francisco, 101 Hikes Northern California, Bay Area hiking

Alameda Bridge, Walking Albuquerque

3+ miles

This walk provides a glimpse into small family farms, both reconstructed and active, while examining elements in a complex water system that runs between them. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can continue to either the Paseo del Bosque Trail or Bachechi Open Space.

Alameda Bridge, Albuquerque, Walking Albuquerque, hiking in Albuquerque