WALK

Favorite forays.

A WALK IN nature isn't good only for your heart, in the cardiovascular sense; it's also good for your soul (for more on that, turn to page 96). Barbara Ali, local author and vice president of Friends of Milwaukee County Parks, has been to just about every park in the area. Here are four of her favorite walks:

We’ll start off with a given: DOWNTOWN’S 3.1-MILE RIVERWALK is the perfect stroll “for any season,” Ali says. It combines skyscraper views with pockets of art and a view of the kayakers (or ice, depending on the lateness of our spring).

GRANT PARK’S SEVEN BRIDGES TRAIL is another all-season all-star that has been earning its reputation for over 100 years. You’ll take in 10 bridges (despite the name) if you follow the nearly three miles of paths.

At 3610 N. Lake Drive, the easy-to-miss SHOREWOOD NATURE PRESERVE features a steep path that leads you down to the lake. Along the way, you might just see yellow warblers and gobs of wildflowers, which will likely be coming into bloom this month. And the hike back up is the perfect opportunity for a little posterior toning.

Travel north along the Milwaukee River on a 1.5-mile trail through ESTABROOK PARK and you’ll eventually land in LINCOLN PARK. The river provides the eye candy, and then once you’ve made your way back to Estabrook, the beer garden there provides the post-walk refreshments.

BONUS HIKE! Head to LYNDEN SCULPTURE GARDEN on April 15 (check lynden sculpturegarden.org for more dates) and you can bring Fido, too, as part of their monthly Dog Days, where pups are allowed to be walking companions as you take in the art.