Here in Arizona, residents take hiking seriously. Many sources place Arizona as one of the top ten states for hiking. And for good reason. With mild winters and sunshine nearly year-round, anyone can find time to head to their local trail and enjoy time outdoors.
The health benefits of hiking have been widely studied, which is why Teravalis has made it a top priority to give every resident access to a trail or park. While we go over some of the amazing benefits of hiking, we also want to give you a brief overview of all the ways our community will include vast open spaces where residents can enjoy time on the trail.
Builds Strength and Overall Fitness
Teravalis is committed to providing miles of trails and open spaces to enjoy hiking throughout the community. Over 7,000 acres within the community will be set aside for outdoor space. Through an expansive connected trail system, every home will be within a 10-minute walk of a neighborhood park. Amenities like these are ideal for anyone seeking an active lifestyle. By providing accessibility to an expansive trail system, we also hope to help our residents reap the health benefits of hiking any time of day.
One of the most impactful health benefits of hiking that is unique from other forms of aerobic exercise is that it offers a full-body workout. Navigating your way through winding desert paths and making it to the peak of an uphill trail targets multiple muscles and stabilizers, strengthening areas that might be more prone to pulls and strains. Muscles strengthened during full-body workouts like hiking also help to perform everyday tasks like lifting grocery bags or carrying children.
As an aerobic exercise, hiking helps improve your heart health in nearly every way possible. Medical studies show that regular hiking greatly improves your cardiovascular health and reduces your risk of heart disease. Exercises like hiking raise your heart rate, improve circulation, and keep your heart strong. According to the American Heart Association, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week. For those taking up hiking as a major source of aerobic exercise, Arizona’s stable year-long climate makes it very easy to maintain a steady routine on the trail.
Regular hiking also has the added benefit of lowering high blood pressure and reducing the risk of diabetes. Aerobic exercise has similar effects on the body as medications designed to treat these conditions, so taking the time every day to hike or jog on local trails is one of the best ways to prevent or manage blood pressure and insulin levels.
Improves Mental Health
Another major reason why Teravalis has prioritized open spaces within the community is that nature has a unique way of grounding us and putting our minds at ease. For example, our amenity center will include dog parks, pools, and even more outdoor gathering spaces for residents to simply enjoy nature – from vibrant plant life to the smell of fresh air.
The feeling of the open air or the sounds of birds chirping can have a direct effect on our mental state. In fact, there have been several studies that show that people who spend just a few minutes enjoying the great outdoors experience reduced anxiety and depression.
The mental health benefits of hiking are due, in part, to the calming and tranquil effect nature has on us, but also the release of endorphins, the hormones responsible for reducing pain and increasing elation. Endorphins also help you process serotonin, a powerful hormone that helps fight depression.
Finally, regular aerobic exercise like hiking helps improve your sleep cycle, providing you with more energy throughout the day.
It’s a Great Way to Connect with Others
Every amenity within Teravalis will be designed to encourage connection between neighbors. From the many parks to our spacious amenity center, there will be an impressive range of places where residents can spend time with family and friends. Connection is vital to well-being in more ways than one.
Humans are social creatures by nature, and the need to connect and enjoy time with one another can have a lasting effect on our physical and mental well-being. According to the CDC, maintaining strong social bonds through friends, family, and neighbors can reduce the risk of several conditions like heart disease, dementia, depression, and anxiety.
Just spending a few minutes talking with others helps us to cope with everyday stress –and allows us to return that favor in kind to others we share that time with. The stronger the bonds throughout a community, the better overall health for its residents.
Hiking is a fantastic way to spend time with others. The quiet of the outdoors is the perfect backdrop to share a deep conversation or laugh about the day’s happenings. Spending time on the trail with others also provides extra motivation to continue hiking, helping you maintain all the health benefits we mentioned above.
Hiking In and Around Teravalis
Teravalis is also situated between the Belmont and White Tank Mountain Ranges, two popular hiking spots in Arizona. The Belmont Mountain Range offers several hiking trails covering all difficulties, whether you’re a seasoned hiker or just starting out. Hiking trails along the White Tank Mountains showcase massive rock formations, native wildlife, and ancient petroglyphs dating as far back as 500 BC.
Our mission is to not only nurture and improve our residents’ lives but also nurture the world around them by helping maintain the natural beauty of the Buckeye landscape. We want every resident to be able to experience the West Valley’s charm and wonder – and here in Arizona, hiking is one of the best ways to take it all in.
About Teravalis™
Teravalis is primed to be a 37,000-acre premier master planned community located in the West Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area, in Buckeye, Arizona. Translating to “land of the valley,” Teravalis is positioned between the White Tank and Belmont Mountain ranges and is committed to embracing the natural High Sonoran Desert beauty. Utilizing innovative technology and sustainable planning, the community will feature unparalleled amenities and wide-open spaces to explore and discover.
Teravalis is a community of Howard Hughes®, known for its mission to curate vibrant communities that elevate the everyday, creating meaningful moments in great places where people can live their best lives – and thrive for generations to come.