How Does a Leisurely Hike to Canada Sound—Because at This Point, Who *Can’t* Use a Break From This Country?

Photo: Getty Images/Jordan Siemens
While no, you can't exactly tell your least favorite Supreme Court Justice to take a hike, the state of New York is at least making it a lot easier to take refuge in nature. The Empire State Trail, which is set to open in its entirety in 2020, will stretch from Battery Park in Manhattan all the way to the Canadian border. So pretty soon, you'll be able to amble right up to the Great White North to check things out in the event you have a hankering to find a different, super-peaceful country to call home (because, uh, things are looking hairy in this supposed land of the free).

Upon its projected 2020 completion, The Empire State Trail will be the largest multi-use trail in the nation at 750 total miles across 27 counties.

The Empire State Trail is the result of Governor Andrew Cuomo's $200 million plan to lay down 350 miles of new paths to connect with the intact trails that stretch the Erie Canalway Trail (which runs east to west) and the Hudson River Valley Greenway (which runs north to south). Upon completion of the project, it will be the largest multi-use trail in the nation at 750 total miles across 27 counties, reports the Rails to Trails Conservancy.

If you start the hike from its southernmost point, you'll begin at the Big Apple's Hudson River Park and will walk through New York City's urban landscape of skyscrapers, boutique fitness stops, bagels shops, and the occasional patch of greenery before reaching legit farmland, as well as forests and small towns farther upstate.

“For an organization that has been advocating for multi-use trails for 25 years, this is beyond anything we ever imagined! This puts New York on the map as the trail state," says Robin Dropkin, executive director of Parks & Trails New York. Indeed, more access to nature is always something to get excited about—whether you're seeking a change in citizenship, or a simple change in scenery.

Every next-gen outdoorswoman needs these 11 essentials before hitting the trails. Oh, and don't forget your Cheryl Strayed-inspired boots

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