Exercise: crowded rooms, sweaty people, dark lighting and smelly equipment. No wonder groans and moans are elicited whenever this word is mentioned. If on a Sunday day with blue skies, you feel that the idea of attending another spin, aerobics class or power yoga session sounds like a waste of beautiful California weather, then Palo Alto High School students should head to the great outdoors.

As Elle Woods so eloquently put it in Legally Blonde, “Exercise creates endorphins and endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t kill their husbands, they just don’t." So round up your friends, slap on your walking shoes, dig out your workout clothes, and take a hike.

The Dish

The Dish, located on Stanford Avenue and Junipero Serra in Palo Alto, is the perfect place for an afternoon workout. Equipped with a huge satellite dish, strict cops who will ticket you faster than you can blink, steep hills and beautiful views make the Dish a fun place to release some steam on a sunny day.

This is the perfect hike for an energetic walker who wants to quickly conquer a feel-good work out and generate some endorphins. With its close location and quick course, the dish provides a difficult hike and a great workout for those with minimal time. The steep hills are leg burners, and as an individual who spends most of my athletic time in a pool, I will admit that my body was embarrassingly sore after my jaunty walk up the Dish. The hills are steep and close together so an ambitious walker, or dare I say runner, can get all the burn they need in a brief period.

The views of the Dish are breath-taking. Once you have conquered the steep hills, you are welcomed by gorgeous views of the Stanford campus, spacious mountains and the San Francisco bay.

Windy Hill

Windy Hill, on Portola Road past Woodside Priory High School, is an eight-mile loop that is host to both sprawling forests and grassy fields. Though not as steep as the Dish, but far longer, Windy Hill is the perfect spot for an eager adventurer who wants to burn some serious calories.

Anyone who knows my dad will tell you he is a mountain man. He knows every hill, mountain and field in the Bay Area. As a child, he would lure me into hiking with him using candy and toys. Back in my day, I have been known to climb a hill or two for a Barbie. This particular hill is the sight of my first Barbie victory.

The hike provides an option at the very beginning to go left towards the forest or straight toward the high hills. If it is a cold day and you are seeking a more difficult workout, then you should go straight. The hike is practically straight up and down hills and under the blazing sun. For an easier route and in order to stay cool, go left. In order to avoid the pain and suffering of the sharp assent, you should first conquer the left and then dissent down the peak.

Although strenuous, Windy Hill has some of the best views that a Bay Area hike can offer. Stanford, Mount Diablo, the Pacific Ocean, and downtown Palo Alto can be seen peeking through the expansive trees or from atop the hills.

Arastradero

The Arastradero Preserve, on Arastradero Road is a quick and fun loop. With grassy golden hills and a bright blue lake, the scenery that is so often associated with the freshman TEAM garden, makes for a great hiking hot spot.

Hikers can park in the parking lot near the bathrooms and either cross the street or follow the gravel path toward the Arastradero Preserve hill. The preserve is a loop, and so there is no repetition, and it can be quickly accomplished. This hike is the perfect activity to do with attention-starved parents in need of some quality time with their offspring on a warm Sunday.

Far less steep than both the Dish and Windy Hill, Arastradero Preserve is a sppedy way to excercise, the best choice for an inexperienced hiker who is seeking a little fun in the sun. The golden grass, green hills, and shimmery aqua lake make up for the lack of expansive views present on the other two hikes.