Take a Hike Day
As leaves change colors and the temperatures get a little more manageable in the eastern United States, I always find myself wanting to spend more time outside. There’s something about the crisp fall breezes that draw me outdoors! I must not be the only one, because November 17 is National Take a Hike Day, otherwise known as National Hiking Day. Of course on the days when the weather isn’t cooperating or we can’t escape from the daily grind, we can instead celebrate nature through puzzles.
The first hiking-related puzzle I wanted to share with you is Hike in the Woods in 1000 pieces from eeBoo, with art by Miranda Sofroniou. If you read my mushroom-related blog, then it probably comes as no surprise that I started this puzzle by assembling the mushrooms! Then I moved on to the animals and people before filling in the larger trees, path, and finally the remaining foliage. The opportunity for animal sightings is one of the many reasons I enjoy getting out of the house, and I enjoyed the diversity of animals in this puzzle!
I particularly appreciate national and state parks for their well-kept trails. One of their iconic brown trail signs is captured in Pacific Coasting: Sunset Hike, a 1000-piece puzzle from Artisan Puzzles (Workman Publishing) with art by Danielle Kroll. I sure thought I would begin with that marvelous sunset, but instead I started with the birds and the trees and left the sunset for the end! There admittedly is quite a bit of green in this puzzle, but thankfully there are enough different leaf shapes and patterns that it is very sortable and doable. The pieces felt like typical “white-board” pieces, but the backing was actually pink!
One of the fabulous things about hiking is that it can often take you to places that vehicles can’t. Whether it’s up a mountain or along a beach, trails can take you to some really awe-inspiring places. There are a couple puzzles on my wishlist that I think capture the beauty of nature particularly well. The first is Forest Walk in 500 pieces from Lemonade Pursuits, with art by Meenal Patel. I love her serene expression!
The second is Hideaway in 500 pieces from Buffalo Games with art by Geneva Bowers, and wow those beautiful colors! I have been a fan of Geneva Bowers for several years, so I really hope we see more of her amazing artwork on puzzles!
Of course hiking often leads to other fun outdoor activities, like campfires and camping! I also love a good campfire, so this next puzzle really tickled my fancy.
This is Explore in 500 pieces from Buffalo Games and features some cute Squishmallows. The blocky art style was a lot of fun at this piece count, and the puzzle came together very quickly. If you’re like me and for some reason can’t get enough of these squishmallow puzzles, Puzzle Warehouse fortunately carries quite a few.
Speaking of camping, I also really enjoyed Let's Go Camping in 1000 pieces from Nathan with art by L. Lhuillier. Nathan puzzles are manufactured by Ravensburger, so you get the familiar and consistent quality of Ravensburger. As a habitual sorter, this puzzle made me happy. It was very easy to work section by section, though some of the individual sections were a little tricky. There are so many great camping puzzles, though perhaps that is a topic for another day!
Another puzzle that captures many of these outdoor activities is Ready To Roam in 1000 pieces from Lantern Press. I love the collage style of this puzzle, and each of the small images has so many fun details. This puzzle also brings in RV camping, and if that’s your jam, fellow ambassador Dawn has a great post about RV camping!
Even if you can’t get out for a hike on November 17, I feel like it’s in the spirit of the day to find a way to get out of the house, even if it’s just to walk your dog or have a picnic. And if you’re worried about being away from your puzzle table for too long, you can always take a MicroPuzzle with you!
- Gail, @jiggies_and_gems
