The Trail Begins Here
Some trails are just trails. Others have a way of meeting you exactly where you are.
At Active Abundance, we believe the wilderness isn't just a backdrop. It's where God does some of His most significant work. Whether you're in a season of grief, transition, uncertainty, or simply longing for something more, hiking has a way of moving things in you that nothing else quite reaches.
This page is for women who hike and for women who are ready to discover why it matters.
Physical Fitness
Hiking engages your whole body in a way a gym never quite can. Uneven terrain, elevation changes, and the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other builds real strength; in your legs, your lungs, and your endurance. But for women walking a hard season, there's something deeper that happens when the body moves. Strength built on a trail has a way of showing up everywhere else too.
Stress Relief
The wilderness has a way of putting things back in proportion. Fresh air, movement, sunlight, and silence work together in ways that are hard to explain but easy to feel. If you've been carrying more than you should, a trail won't fix everything. But, it has a remarkable way of lightening the load, even just for an afternoon.
Mental Wellbeing
Research confirms what women who hike already know: time outdoors reduces anxiety, lifts mood, and clears mental fog. But beyond the science, there's something spiritually true happening too. Stepping outside the four walls of your situation, literally, has a way of shifting your perspective on what's possible. You come back different. A little more grounded. A little more held.
Connection With Nature
There's a reason the Psalms are full of mountains, rivers, and open wilderness. Creation has always been one of God's clearest languages. On a trail, away from noise and screens and the weight of your to-do list, it gets easier to hear it. Women who hike regularly often describe a growing sense of awe, not just at the landscape, but at the One who made it.
Solitude and Reflection
Wilderness seasons, the kind marked by loss, change, or feeling stuck often need more than advice. They need space. Hiking gives you that. The rhythm of walking creates room for the kind of honest, unhurried conversation with God that gets crowded out everywhere else.
Adventure and Exploration
There is something in a woman that comes alive when she does something hard and finds out she can. Reaching a summit, finishing a difficult trail, pushing past the point where she wanted to quit. Active Abundance was built on the belief that women are not meant to survive their seasons. They're meant to move through them. The trail is one of the best places we know to practice exactly that.
Ready to hike with us?
Active Abundance leads women's pilgrimages into some of the most breathtaking wilderness in the country, including Zion National Park. We don't retreat from hard seasons. We pilgrimage through them, moving forward with intention, community, and the God who goes before us.
Trails We Love at Zion National Park
Every trail tells a story. These are some of our favorites. Hikes we walk together on pilgrimage.
Pu'ris Trail Easy | 1.7 miles | Zion Canyon Floor
One of the most accessible trails in the park. A wide, paved path that winds through open desert landscape with sweeping views of the Watchman formation ahead of you. Gentle, grounding, and a beautiful way to arrive in Zion for the first time.
Canyon Overlook Trail Moderate | Varies | East Zion
The trail has a big payoff; opening to a breathtaking overlook of lower Zion Canyon. One of our most loved hikes; challenging enough to feel earned, beautiful enough to leave you speechless.
Sunrise Hike Moderate | Varies | Zion Plateau
There is something that happens when a woman watches the sun rise over Zion canyon walls with her sisters beside her. This is one of our most cherished pilgrimage experiences. Not just a hike, but a moment of worship in the widest cathedral we know.
Watchman Trail Moderate | 2.7 miles | South Entrance
A steady climb with sweeping views of Springdale and the surrounding canyon at the top. The Watchman is a trail that rewards patience. You earn the view one step at a time, and it delivers every time.
Find a Trail Near You
Not sure where to start? AllTrails is one of the best free resources for finding hiking trails anywhere in the world. Search by location, filter by difficulty, read reviews from other hikers, and download trail maps for offline use; making it easy to find something that fits exactly where you are right now.
Before You Hit the Trail
Going outside is good for you. Going prepared is even better.
Tell someone your plan. Let a trusted person know where you're going, which trail you're hiking, and when you expect to be back.
Dress for the terrain. Layers, moisture-wicking fabrics, and sturdy footwear go a long way. Avoid cotton on longer hikes.
Bring more water than you think you need. Hydration needs increase significantly on the trail, especially in dry or high-altitude environments like Zion.
Know your limits. There's no shame in turning around. The trail will be there next time.
Respect the environment. Stay on marked trails, pack out what you pack in, and leave what you find.