Through the trees comes autumn with her serenade. Melodies the sweetest music ever played. —“Autumn Serenade”

Songwriters, poets, and novelists throughout the ages have extolled the virtues of autumn. And there’s no better way to enjoy the beauty of the season than by exploring the miles and miles of trails right here in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas. To make it easier to harvest the health benefits these trails offer, St. Luke’s University Health Network (St. Luke’s) and Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (D&L) have partnered to bring the community a family fun initiative: Get Your Tail on the Trail!

The “trail” is the nearly continuous 165-mile multiuse D&L Trail that begins near Wilkes-Barre in the mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania and follows three historic transportation systems (the Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Lehigh Canal, and the Delaware Canal) en route to Bristol, PA, just outside Philadelphia. By linking St. Luke’s healthy lifestyle expertise with the recreational and heritage leadership of D&L, members of our community can log miles to achieve their personal goals of health, fitness, and fun. Community members can participate in ongoing challenges by entering exercise miles in the online trail tracker and can attend special community events held by Get Your Tail on the Trail. All challenges and special events are FREE for participants. Incentives can be earned along the way to help you stay motivated to maintain healthy lifestyle habits with exercise and nutrition. The Get Your Tail on the Trail website, www.tailonthetrail.org, is a great resource that provides trail maps and information about upcoming events, such as walks and runs. There’s also a Get Your Tail on the Trail web app and Facebook page.

There’s still time to participate in the 165-Mile Challenge held each year from May to November. The challenge encourages participants to log a combined total of 165 miles of exercise at any time during the challenge period; so run, walk, hike, bike, or paddle. Every mile logged during one of the challenges counts towards great prizes, too. And you can use many locations in addition to the D&L trail. You can log miles anywhere you exercise—your local park, the streets in your neighborhood, or even cardio equipment at the gym. Research shows that exercising, especially outdoors, has numerous health benefits.

Get Your Tail on the Trail aims to connect people to the outstanding views along the D&L Trail while increasing health awareness and improving the overall health status of the community. Our St. Luke’s and D&L partnership provides individuals and families with nutrition and exercise programs that create and promote a culture of personal wellness and a sense of community. As part of our commitment to improving health in our community, St. Luke’s conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment every three years. During this process, we gather data, conduct surveys, and meet with community leaders to identify our community’s significant health concerns. Promoting healthy lifestyles and reducing chronic disease is one of the top three health priority areas in the Lehigh Valley.
Log your miles and earn free gear! To register, go to Get Your Tail on the Trail. Get Your Tail on the Trail to Enjoy Fall’s Beauty and Reap the Benefits of Exercise.