KY Harkey is a hiking guy and all-around adventure buff. His credentials include canoeing the desert canyons of the Rio Grande, hiking the four highest peaks of Texas in a single day and pioneering the Big Bend 100, a 100-mile backpacking route between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. In other words, Harkey loves himself a big adventure in a big way.

But as the former director of interpretation with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), Harkey understands that many Texans don't always have the sort of time such epics demand. That's the reason he can be counted among a burgeoning group of outdoor enthusiasts who celebrate “microadventures” as a convenient way for busy individuals and overscheduled families to connect with nature. “I love this new movement,” Harkey says.

“We spend so much of our time focused on the 9 to 5, and it's great to squeeze in some fun during the hours of 5 to 9,” he says. When he worked at TPWD, Harkey says, he made a point of backpacking at McKinney Falls State Park, next door to the TPWD headquarters, and also took an overnight bike trip to Pedernales Falls. “They were such perfect ‘school-night’ adventures,” he says, “and I made it back to work the next morning.”

Most people credit English explorer Alastair Humphries with coining the term “microadventure” in 2011 as “a shorter, simpler, cheaper, more local, more accessible version of what you deem to be an adventure.”

Humphries made a name for himself globally with a series of audacious trips, such as cycling around the world for four years and running across the Sahara Desert. But, after many years of derring-do, Humphries came to realize you can still capture the spirit of adventure much closer to home. “Even people living in big cities are not very far away from small pockets of wilderness,” writes Humphries in his book Microadventures: Local Discoveries for Great Escapes. That's certainly true across Texas, where a patchwork of state parks bolsters the opportunities to get out and explore someplace new. For some, that might mean tent camping for the first time and cooking over a campfire. For others, a great microadventure could be spending a few hours exploring a local prairie, participating in a bioblitz or doing some backyard birding to learn more about our wildlife neighbors. Trail runners, cyclists or paddlers can likewise test themselves along a new pathway or on a moonlight journey.

There are no strict rules for what makes a microadventure — it boils down to duration (it can take anywhere from a few minutes to a day), cost (it should not require a major cash outlay or gear beyond what you already own) and location (microadventures are first and foremost focused on local surroundings). Spontaneity stands out as part of the appeal of a microadventure. The payoff comes from getting outside one's comfort zone, building skills, embracing new challenges and making memories.

Getting Outside

Texans being Texans are always going to dream big. We are drawn to landscapes like Big Bend and the Big Thicket, and talk up our biggest canyon, Palo Duro, our highest peak, Guadalupe Mountain, and our toughest trips, like the Texas Water Safari, a 260-mile canoe race. There is no harm in that, says Jaime Gonzalez at The Nature Conservancy, who manages urban nature programs in Houston for the nonprofit's Texas chapter. But Gonzalez points to studies showing that getting outside for at least 20 minutes a day or two hours a week can help fight stress and loneliness, improve blood pressure and restore mental focus.

“We work 50 hours a week for two weeks of vacation,” Gonzalez says. He describes a series of concentric circles building outward from our homes that can be a starting place for microadventure — from growing houseplants to planting butterfly gardens to taking hikes. He also sees a great community benefit to microadventures, as parks and natural areas become gathering places, where far-flung neighbors can gather to watch birds, or bats, or the sunrise.

As Humphries, the godfather of microadventures, made clear: It doesn't take a special skill set to execute these decidedly small-scale experiences. Just break out a map — or check Google Earth or other software — for a bit of green space, pack a few items and head out. A microadventure should involve some physical or mental activity, but that could be as low-key as riding a bike to work for a change or as high-tech as using iNaturalist to identify all the flowering plants in your yard. Adventurers will know they are doing it right by the sensation of excitement they will feel at the start and the feeling of accomplishment that they feel when it's over. That's pretty much all there is to it.

Adventures Outside Your Door

Climb a Tree

Kids love to climb trees, and if you can do so safely, find a tree to climb. It will give you an elevated view of the area and allow you to be immersed in the natural world just a few feet off the ground.

Backyard Botany

Take a field guide, or download iNaturalist or another nature app to your smartphone, and catalog the plants around your home, or at a local park. As an added bonus, learn which are native to your area. Even better, plant a pollinator garden and see who visits.

Geocaching

Geocaching involves the hunt for hidden treasures worldwide using a GPS unit or smartphone app. Each outing will take you to a fun, creative or beautiful place outdoors. Geocaches are small containers ranging from very small, such as a film canister, to larger, such as a metal lunch box. Many are camouflaged, but they are not buried. Coordinates and hints can be found at geocaching.com. Austin, for example, has more than 3,000 geocaches. In San Antonio, popular geocaches can be found at Brackenridge Park, the San Antonio missions and the Japanese Tea Garden.

Try Fishing

TPWD's Neighborhood Fishin' program stocks local ponds with catfish in summer and rainbow trout in winter, giving anglers a good chance at a catch. Fish are delivered to 18 select city and county parks across the state. Kids younger than 16 years old don't need a license, and the fish are all large enough to keep and eat, a bonus when enticing new anglers just learning the sport. Several sites even offer loaner tackle.

Get Mindful

Whether heading out on a hike at a park or just around the neighborhood, embracing a sense of mindfulness will bring new enjoyment and benefits. Be aware of how the ground feels beneath your feet (take off your shoes if you want), notice the subtlety of colors in plants and focus on the patterns of your breathing.

Night Hikes

Per Ky Harkey, chief adventurer at online resource Lone Star Parks, nighttime can be the right time to add a microadventure. Even old familiar trails take on a fresh glow after the sun goes down, and a moonlit trip is a great way to add outdoor time after work or the school day. Bring a constellation tracker for stargazing, keep an ear out for owls or raise the bar with a campout.

Find Your County's High Point

Sometimes having a random goal is enough to get us going outside. Some list-keeping adventurers try
to climb all of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks or visit every state's high point. Every county has a high point, too. Find yours at peakbagger.com and see if you can visit it or get close.

Explore Every Park in Town

Expand your horizons by making a plan to visit all the parks in your city or town. Make notes of what each one is like. What's the history of the park or surrounding neighborhood? On your quest, you'll see different habitats and different parts of town as well.

Be a Rock Star

Since 2016, the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology has been encouraging Texans to discover the rocky landscapes that crisscross the state with roadside signs marking caves, karsts, springs, escarpments and sedimentary formations. Check the BEC map for the closest (www.beg.utexas.edu/geosign). Or brush up on your earth science closer to home, sorting rocks and pebbles by classification — igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.

Get On Your Bike

Instead of driving everywhere, use your bike to do short errands or explore nearby neighborhoods. Or map a safe route to work and bike there. Everything will look different at a slower pace with the sun on your face and the wind in your hair.

Backyard Camping

If you're itching to camp but are pressed for time, a trip to the backyard may be all you need. Setting up a tent and sleeping under the stars will feel like an escape even if your house is just a few steps away.

Get Birdy With It

With over 600 species of birds, Texas has more bird species than almost any other state in the United States. Start with your backyard. Add a birdbath or bird feeder and see what birds will visit. Beyond your backyard, author Jennifer Bristol says you don't have to go far for a birding adventure. In her book Parking Lot Birding, she recommends 90 Texas birding locations that are easily accessible by car. In Cemetery Birding, she suggests bird-watching at cemeteries for their peaceful, parklike atmosphere. For those who want or need movement, try birding by bike, on a hike, or from a canoe or kayak. Mobile phone apps like Merlin, which identifies bird calls, can turn a neighborhood walk into a rewarding birding outing.

Start Something New

Acquiring new skills or accepting a fitness challenge offers an entire menu of potential microadventures no matter how much time you spend outdoors. If jogging is your jam, try trail running. If you're a road cyclist, jump on a fat-tire mountain bike and hit the dirt. Never rock climbed? Find someone to show you the ropes or visit a climbing gym. Swim in a lake. Canoe a nearby stream. Take up surfing. Just remember, it's the time invested, not the money. Have fun!

Go Foraging

Do some research on edible plants and look for some around town to nibble on. Some might even be weeds in your yard. Dandelions, anyone?

Take Your Dog

If you need an excuse to get out, take your dog somewhere. Explore a new park, hit a new trail or discover leash-free areas to let your dog run unencumbered. Your dog may lead you to new discoveries.

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