Participants
hike/nature
RECRUITMENT
A convenience sample of adults (n = 53) was recruited in January 2021 using online methods, including posted advertisements on social media and emails sent to a database of individuals who had previously indicated interest in participating in research. Recruitment advertisements specified that participants would be asked to complete 3 online surveys during the 3-month study and would receive activity ideas and resources, including hike/nature walk locations and maps, access to social media groups, and the chance to earn prizes. Eligibility criteria included adults 18 years or older who were English speaking; had online access; lived in the Western New York region of the United States; were interested in receiving suggestions for ways to get outside, stay active, and stay busy during COVID-19; had no health problems precluding participation; and were not currently involved in regular (i.e. at least weekly) hikes or nature walks. Participants were ineligible if they did not meet these criteria, including having any health problems that would make it difficult for them to hike (e.g., recent surgery) or living outside of the counties of Western New York. 346 individuals completed an eligibility survey, 185 of whom were eligible. Fifty-three participants completed baseline procedures described herein and then were randomized to the intervention or control group, at which point the target sample size was reached, and enrollment ceased. Allocation to study groups was nearly equal (49% intervention). Mid-point surveys were sent to participants about 6 weeks after enrollment, and post-intervention surveys were sent about 5 weeks after that, at the end of the winter hiking challenge. The 41 participants who engaged in study procedures after baseline (i.e. by completing at least one additional study survey after baseline) were included in primary data analyses; we repeated analyses to examine whether results were consistent using all available data from all 53 randomized participants. Demographic characteristics of these samples are in Table 
Study 1: Demographic characteristics of participants at baseline94.3% white, 3.8% Black, 1.9% Asian and white5.6% Associate’s degree, 37.7% BA/BS, 56.6% graduate degree7.3% Associate’s degree, 39.0% BA/BS, 53.7% graduate degree77.4% married, 9.4% single,7.6% living with partner, 5.7% divorced45.2% none, 18.9% one, 22.6% two, 13.2% threeNote: BA/BS = Bachelor’s degree. Only categories that were endorsed are presented (e.g., no participant reported an income between $10,000-$49,999). In cases where percentages do not total 100, this is due to rounding. The analytic sample for primary analyses was all participants who engaged with study procedures at least once after baseline