Fact #1: Frequent trips to the woods have been proven to reduce stress, increase endorphins, improve your immune system and make you much happier.
Fact #2: If your hikes are limited to Runyon Canyon, those benefits will be about as superficial as the sea of Instagrammers damming up the trail.
A better way? Enlisting the help of Hikely, a new guided hiking service that’ll get you acquainted with the area’s best trails faster than any internet search.
Hikely was founded by Marly Benedicto, an adventure nut who also works with Columbia’s line of eco-conscious adventure wear, prAna. Already NOLS-trained and well-versed in the language of our city’s of dirt paths, Benedicto enlisted the help of the National Park Service and Virtuoso to start a company that would introduce intrepid outdoorsmen and women to L.A.’s lesser-known backcountry gems.
Each hike comes with gear (hiking poles, packs), water and snacks, and they’re categorized by difficulty level and and objective.
Want to digital detox? Take a Consciousness Hike. You’ll literally stop to smell and touch the various plants that line our trails while taking in the sounds.
Want to break a sweat? She’ll have you scrambling up rocks, shimmying down ravines and even jumping into the odd swimming hole.
Want to get better at snapping stunning pictures? She can help you there, too, with hikes that include photography lessons.
You let her know what you’re in for, and she’ll figure out where and when (sunrise or sunset?) to take you.
And it won’t be Runyon. Leave that one to the masses.
This article was featured in the InsideHook LA newsletter. Sign up now for more from the Southland.
