7 Scenic Trails for a Meandering Stroll in West Texas

Now that the sweltering summer days are gone, and we're considering donning our sweaters, hoodies, and coats, we might also be putting on our walking shoes. Fall is the perfect time to go for a walk.

Researchers at Duke University recently revealed in the New York Times Magazine that, "as the days get shorter, the nights get longer, and cooler weather prevails, we tend to stay indoors more, eat and do less, and that's where weight gain problems begin."

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While indoors, we're closer to the refrigerator and television, we sleep more, and we tend to participate in a lot less physical activity. It's really pretty simple; I've learned it from my trainers at the Fieldhouse. All you have to do to maintain a healthy weight is to ensure that you burn more calories than you're taking in.

If I take in more calories than I burn, I gain weight fast. However, if I burn more calories than I take in, I lose weight. The problem here is that during the fall and winter months, we tend to hibernate like bears. In order to stay more active, I need to spend more time in the great outdoors. I need to go for long walks. Fortunately, I love walking in our local parks.

Abilene and the Big Country have over ten paved walking trails and over ten more that are natural hiking trails. I put this list together of my favorite trails in and around Abilene. I hope it helps you as much as it's helped me burn more calories than I take in.