Health is at the forefront of everyone’s minds at the start of a new year, and there are several wellness habits to consider adopting with 2025 around the corner. Outdoor recreational sports are an option that offers a trinity of benefits: physical, mental and emotional.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service says that exercise in green spaces supports physical health, leading to an increased life expectancy, better sleep and lower cortisol levels. Sunlight boosts serotonin and vitamin D. Most of all, the connection that comes from shared activities and experiences is a boost to the whole community’s health.

Outdoor recreational sports are vehicles for all of these benefits. Luckily, the Lake Area has options.

Mountain biking

At Sam Houston Jones State Park, 107 Sutherland Road, there are 10 miles (and counting) of trails. If you were to hike those trails, odds are that at some point, you would hear a friendly bicycle bell chime as you were passed by a mountain biker.

This is a common sighting at the park, and for good reason.

Founder and Vice President of the Lake Area Mountain Bike Organization (LAMBO) Tyler Churchman started riding bikes when he was 3 years old.

“When I grew up, that was all kids did, right? You rode bikes around the neighborhood and went to everyone’s houses and played outside.”

He upgraded to the mountain bike in middle school to spice things up after his friends invited him on his first ride. Complete with wider tires and suspension, mountain bikes allow for rides on rougher, varied terrain. In an area without extensive urban biking infrastructure, mountain biking is a good option, he said.

“I had never really been to Moss Bluff. … You get on this uneven terrain and it’s just this weird feeling,” he recalled. “I thought, ‘This is different. This is fun.’ And I was hooked.”

There are many variations of mountain biking (cross-country, trail, endurance, downhill). At parks like Sam Houston without many elevation changes, bikers can ride cross-country and trail.

Twenty-five years ago, Sean Newell, who is also with LAMBO, started mountain biking to recreate a runner’s high after a fun first trail ride with his friends.

He used to run but had to stop participating in impact sports after enduring disc-related health issues.

Mountain Biking is an age-accessible hobby that is easy on the joints, and Newell called it a cardio-fueled “long-term investment for health.”

“Feel better, sleep better, all the good stuff.”

The activity is like a serotonin supplement for mental health, he said, that builds confidence through goal achievement and skill building.

My wife will be like, ‘What do you need?’ I’m like, ‘I need to go ride,’” Churchman said.

“Getting in the woods, you check out from the stress of the day-to-day jobs, the work, the city, and you just get in God’s creation. … Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy you a mountain bike.”

At the very least, mountain biking can reconnect one with their youth, Newell said.

“I think there’s a reason also why a lot of older guys, like I’m 51, a lot of us older guys, you’ll see if you look around in the mountain biking community, is the key word.

“It’s hard to explain the connection that’s there. You can get on and ride with people that you don’t even know,” he said. “It just brings you together. The differences kind of melt away.”

Even if to just hit the trails on foot, entry to Sam Houston Jones State Park is $3 per person and free for seniors 62 and older and children 3 and under.

Golf

One way to get out in nature is to hit the greens. One place to do that is the National Golf Club of Louisiana, 1400 National Drive in Westlake.

Nestled on 7,000 yards with 14 lakes, 65 bunkers, 18 holes of golf and a practice area with a putting green, chipping green and a driving range, the Golf Club has options for every skill level. Austin Stewart, director of golf operations, has been golfing for 12 years. He considers golf a full-body exercise that helps time pass, but the main benefits of the sport are mental health boosts and community building.

Golfers approach each game with a purpose, honing in on every swing to perfect each shot.

“You’re trying to do the exact same swing every single time, but it’s pretty much almost impossible to do that. But it takes so much focus and you got to be really locked in to know what’s going on.”

This is an achievement that golfers get “hooked on.”

“You might shoot a 100 the first time, but you keep practicing with a goal. You want to shoot a 90, you shoot a 90 and it just makes you feel good about yourself.”

The Gulf Club is a place to make new friends. When the club is busy, golfers get paired blindly.

“They play together and maybe you get a friend afterward. Maybe next time you’ll play golf with them and they might find a bigger group. … There’s always ways to connect.”

Golf can be intimidating, but the Golf Club has a driving range that is a good fit for all skill levels.

“At the driving range, there’s not penalty for hitting a bad shot.”

Golfers, old and new, can take lessons from one of the four instructors at the golf course for lessons. The instructors charge $50 an hour.

“Monday through Thursday, golfers pay $48. On the weekends, they pay $60.

Since the Golf Club works with the Westlake Recreation District, women and children who live in city limits and hold a rec card can play golf for free. Monday through Thursday, men receive free entry and can play twice.

Pickleball

With a rectangular paddle and a plastic ball, players can experience the thrill of tennis without as much effort (and just as many volleys). 

Pickleball is an accessible recreational sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. It’s a great way for all ages and skill levels to get out on the court for an easier, but still competitive, paddle sport experience.

In 2023, the number of pickleball players increased by 15 percent, according to USA Pickleball. Lake Charles Director of Community Services Michael Castille said Lake Charles has kept up with the momentum.

The city’s three recreational courts — two at North Beach and one at Hillcrest Park — see dozens of players weekly, and that doesn’t include games that happen at Games 2 Life — a local recreational game and entertainment center — and the Ward 3 Recreation Center.

“It is a wonderful sight to see families gathered in our parks, especially on North Beach at the pickleball courts, and now on the courts at Hillcrest Park,” said Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter.

Accessibility and affordability are the names of the game, Castille said. The initial investment in equipment won’t break the bank, the court is smaller and the game allows for a large number of players of all skill levels to participate.

“With a short court and the implementation of the ‘kitchen’ [a buffer zone where volleying is not allowed], someone who is not as ranging can play with someone that can cover a tennis court.”

Pickleball in Lake Charles is an easy way to be outdoors, move and spend time with loved ones.

“There are a lot of hurdles preventing people from getting out and exercising, one of which is tightening household budgets,” Castille explained. “As the city of Lake Charles, we are proud to offer free, open spaces for our community to get out and explore.”

Dozens of parks in Lake Charles offer free space to move, an act that keeps folks mentally and physically healthy. Castille said an active ecosystem of accessible facilities signifies a “healthy community.” “We love to see residents out walking our boardwalk, going to a park, or playing pickleball.

“Usually, one person catches the bug to get moving and then they ask a friend to play them in pickleball or another activity and now that healthy activity has spread to others.”