With spring just arrived, the great outdoors are a wonderful place to get some fresh air, sunshine and exercise! But there’s a few things to keep in mind and tips on planning ahead.

Make sure you go places where you can keep a good “social distance” – try to avoid super-crowded parks and trails and take your time to give people plenty of space to pass by you with a good six feet of distance.

Many facilities, like public park restrooms, could be closed. Not all places will be able to keep up on the cleaning/sanitizing methods that are critical right now, and many public facilities could be closed or in limited operation. Plan for the unexpected.

As tempting as it might be, playgrounds might not be a good option right now. The coronavirus has been shown to live up to several days on plastic and stainless steel (which is what most playground equipment is made of of.) Better to grab your bikes or tricycles and go for a ride in the neighborhood.

Our friends at the Washington Trails Alliance just published a wonderful article on safe hiking at this time, check it out here