---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hiking a ridge, a meadow, a river bottom…"
description: "\"Hiking a ridge, a meadow, a river bottom, is as healthy a form of exercise as one can get.\" — William O. Douglas"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/william-o-douglas-2931_bottom_hiking-a-ridge-a-meadow-a-river-bottom-i_1454451.jpg"
---

#  Hiking a ridge, a meadow, a river bottom, is as healthy a…

![“Hiking a ridge, a meadow, a river bottom, is as healthy a form of exercise as one can get.” quote by William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/william-o-douglas-2931_bottom_hiking-a-ridge-a-meadow-a-river-bottom-i_1454451.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/william-o-douglas-2931_bottom_hiking-a-ridge-a-meadow-a-river-bottom-i_1454451.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/william-o-douglas-2931_bottom_hiking-a-ridge-a-meadow-a-river-bottom-i_1454451.jpg)

> “Hiking a ridge, a meadow, a river bottom, is as healthy a form of exercise as one can get.”

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Physical activity in nature offers comprehensive health benefits, combining exercise with mental renewal.

**In simple terms:** Exercise outdoors is very healthy.

Key Takeaway

Spend time exercising outdoors.

Themes

health nature exercise

Mood

refreshing motivational

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- hiking
- outdoor sports
- wellness retreats

Key Concepts

holistic wellness environmental benefits

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you incorporate nature into your routine?
- What health benefits do you notice?

A Different Perspective

Not everyone has access to safe natural spaces.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bottom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Healthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healthy/) [Hiking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiking/) [Hiking Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiking-ridge-5014848/) [Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meadows/) [Ridge Meadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ridge-meadow-5239511/) [Ridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ridges/) [River Healthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river-healthy-5239510/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Walking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walking/)

## Related quotes

> [Hiking a ridge, a meadow, or a river bottom, is as healthy a form of exercise as one can get. Hiking seems to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/hiking-a-ridge-a-meadow-or-a-river-bottom-is-as-healthy-a-form-of/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [Some mountaineers are proud of having done all their climbs without bivouac. How much they have missed ! And the same applies to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-rebuffat/some-mountaineers-are-proud-of-having-done-all-their-climbs-without/)

[Gaston Rebuffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-rebuffat/)

> [A man on a hiking trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains came to the top of a hill and saw, just below the crest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-keller/a-man-on-a-hiking-trip-through-the-blue-ridge-mountains-came-to-the/)

[James Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-keller/)

> [When man ventures into the wilderness, climbs the ridges, and sleeps in the forest, he comes in close communion with his Creator. When man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/when-man-ventures-into-the-wilderness-climbs-the-ridges-and-sleeps-in/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [Inanimate objects are sometimes parties to litigation. A ship has a legal personality, a fiction found useful for maritime purposes. The corporation sole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/inanimate-objects-are-sometimes-parties-to-litigation-a-ship-has-a/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [ The Arctic has a call that is compelling. The distant mountains \[of the Brooks Range in Alaska\] make one want to go on and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-arctic-has-a-call-that-is-compelling-the-distant-mountains-of-the/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [Men need to know the elemental challenges that sea and mountains present. They need to know what it is to be alive and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/men-need-to-know-the-elemental-challenges-that-sea-and-mountains/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [Let me drink from the waters where the mountain streams flood Let the smell of wildflowers flow free through my blood Let me sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/let-me-drink-from-the-waters-where-the-mountain-streams-flood-let-the/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [Walk away quietly in any direction and taste the freedom of the mountaineer. Camp out among the grasses and gentians of glacial meadows, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/walk-away-quietly-in-any-direction-and-taste-the-freedom-of-the/)

[John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/)

> [The thrill of tramping alone and unafraid through a wilderness of lakes, creeks, alpine meadows, and glaciers is not known to many. A civilization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-thrill-of-tramping-alone-and-unafraid-through-a-wilderness-of/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [To be whole and harmonious, man must also know the music of the beaches and the woods. He must find the thing of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/to-be-whole-and-harmonious-man-must-also-know-the-music-of-the/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [May your trails be dim, lonesome, stony, narrow, winding and only slightly uphill. May the wind bring rain for the slickrock potholes fourteen miles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/may-your-trails-be-dim-lonesome-stony-narrow-winding-and-only/)

[Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/)

> [Poetry is like walking along a little, tiny, narrow ridge up on a precipice. You never know the next step, whether there's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-jacobsen/poetry-is-like-walking-along-a-little-tiny-narrow-ridge-up-on-a/)

[Josephine Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-jacobsen/)

> [He lowered the window, and looked out at the rising sun. There was a ridge of ploughed land, with a plough upon it where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/he-lowered-the-window-and-looked-out-at-the-rising-sun-there-was-a/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [The ascent of any route begins, in dreams at least, the autumn before. Our minds ring, involuntarily, with the alluring names of mountains, aiguilles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-rebuffat/the-ascent-of-any-route-begins-in-dreams-at-least-the-autumn-before/)

[Gaston Rebuffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-rebuffat/)

## More by William O. Douglas

> [The First Amendment makes confidence in the common sense of our people and in the maturity of their judgement the great postulate of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-first-amendment-makes-confidence-in-the-common-sense-of-our/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [Common sense often makes good law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/common-sense-often-makes-good-law/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [Inanimate objects are sometimes parties to litigation. A ship has a legal personality, a fiction found useful for maritime purposes. The corporation sole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/inanimate-objects-are-sometimes-parties-to-litigation-a-ship-has-a/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [Any test that turns on what is offensive to the community's standards is too loose, too capricious, too destructive of freedom of expression to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/any-test-that-turns-on-what-is-offensive-to-the-community-s-standards/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [I've often thought that if planners were botanists, zoologists, geologists, and people who know about the earth, we would have much more wisdom in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/i-ve-often-thought-that-if-planners-were-botanists-zoologists/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [I have the same confidence in the ability of our people to reject noxious literature as I have in their capacity to sort out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/i-have-the-same-confidence-in-the-ability-of-our-people-to-reject/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [The liberties of none are safe unless the liberties of all are protected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-liberties-of-none-are-safe-unless-the-liberties-of-all-are/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [A function of free speech under our system of government is to invite dispute. It may indeed best serve its high purpose when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/a-function-of-free-speech-under-our-system-of-government-is-to-invite/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [At the constitutional level where we work, 90 percent of any decision is emotional. The rational part of us supplies the reasons for supporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/at-the-constitutional-level-where-we-work-90-percent-of-any-decision/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [To be whole and harmonious, man must also know the music of the beaches and the woods. He must find the thing of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/to-be-whole-and-harmonious-man-must-also-know-the-music-of-the/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [Sunlight is the best disinfectant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/sunlight-is-the-best-disinfectant/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [We deal with a right of privacy older than the Bill of Rights-older than our political parties, older than our school system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/we-deal-with-a-right-of-privacy-older-than-the-bill-of-rights-older/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [It is our attitude toward free thought and free expression that will determine our fate. There must be no limit on the range of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/it-is-our-attitude-toward-free-thought-and-free-expression-that-will/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [The interests of the corporation state are to convert all the riches of the earth into dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-interests-of-the-corporation-state-are-to-convert-all-the-riches/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [There have always been grievances and youth has always been the agitator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/there-have-always-been-grievances-and-youth-has-always-been-the/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

[Explore all 145 William O. Douglas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

## More Bottom quotes

> [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [Filmmaking, like sex, isn't a polite enterprise. It involves a lot of mess and the bottom line is, if somebody ain't screaming, you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-woods/filmmaking-like-sex-isn-t-a-polite-enterprise-it-involves-a-lot-of/)

[James Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-woods/)

> [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/)

[Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/)

> [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/)

[Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/)

> [I plead with my Moonlight fans to give this show a chance if they let me give it a chance. I can’t do Moonlight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-o-loughlin/i-plead-with-my-moonlight-fans-to-give-this-show-a-chance-if-they-let/)

[Alex O'Loughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-o-loughlin/)

> [Well, the bottom line is that I'm extremely pleased with 'The Stupids.' I'm pleased that it's coming out, and it should look good. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis/well-the-bottom-line-is-that-i-m-extremely-pleased-with-the-stupids-i/)

[John Landis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis/)

> [Search for the seed of good in every adversity. Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/search-for-the-seed-of-good-in-every-adversity-master-that-principle/)

[Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/)

> [I would have had a clause in my contract; I would've definitely put some fine print in my contract that said, "If the president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-budden/i-would-have-had-a-clause-in-my-contract-i-would-ve-definitely-put/)

[Joe Budden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-budden/)

> [Of course the Dharma-body of the Buddha was the hedge at the bottom of the garden. At the same time, and no less obviously,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/of-course-the-dharma-body-of-the-buddha-was-the-hedge-at-the-bottom/)

[Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/)

> [When I hit bottom, I can attack the problem and get to where I want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/when-i-hit-bottom-i-can-attack-the-problem-and-get-to-where-i-want-to/)

[Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/)

> [If I had lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and in my first day as president the intelligence community came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-i-had-lost-the-popular-vote-but-won-the-electoral-college-and-in/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [The bottom line, in the professional level, no matter where you go, there's going to be competition. That's what it is. At the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-tolzien/the-bottom-line-in-the-professional-level-no-matter-where-you-go/)

[Scott Tolzien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-tolzien/)

> [Life is a climb and it's a struggle getting to the top but the drop to the bottom can be quick and so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/life-is-a-climb-and-it-s-a-struggle-getting-to-the-top-but-the-drop/)

[Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/)

> [One thing you learned as a Cubs fan: when you bought you ticket, you could bank on seeing the bottom of the ninth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/one-thing-you-learned-as-a-cubs-fan-when-you-bought-you-ticket-you/)

[Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/)

> [The political satirist usually votes against their own interests, but the bottom line is that it doesn't really matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-winstead/the-political-satirist-usually-votes-against-their-own-interests-but/)

[Lizz Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-winstead/)

[Browse all 2,558 Bottom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Hiking a ridge, a meadow, a river bottom, is as healthy a form of exercise as one can get.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William O. Douglas"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/hiking-a-ridge-a-meadow-a-river-bottom-is-as-healthy-a-form-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bottom"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/hiking-a-ridge-a-meadow-a-river-bottom-is-as-healthy-a-form-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/william-o-douglas-2931_bottom_hiking-a-ridge-a-meadow-a-river-bottom-i_1454451.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/william-o-douglas-2931_bottom_hiking-a-ridge-a-meadow-a-river-bottom-i_1454451.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/william-o-douglas-2931_bottom_hiking-a-ridge-a-meadow-a-river-bottom-i_1454451.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Hiking a ridge, a meadow, a river bottom, is as healthy a form of exercise as one can get.” — William O. Douglas",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "William O. Douglas",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Hiking a ridge, a meadow, a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/hiking-a-ridge-a-meadow-a-river-bottom-is-as-healthy-a-form-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/hiking-a-ridge-a-meadow-a-river-bottom-is-as-healthy-a-form-of/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
