Spring is the season of new beginnings, when plants and animals alike are renewed and the dull browns and greys of winter take a back seat to brilliant greens. Spring is also, in my opinion, the best season for hiking.

Anyone who has gone hiking in winter before knows how miserable it can be. Despite the beauty of snow-covered trails and the silence which follows a heavy snow, winter hiking is rife with dangerous and uncomfortable situations. Even packing for a winter hike is more highly involved and complicated, because you have to account for transient weather and dangerous cold.

Summer hiking is more fun than winter hiking, but it still involves more planning and preparation than Spring. In the summer, hikers must account for blistering temperatures, crumbling terrain and insects like mosquitoes en masse. That means water, sunscreen, bug spray and long sleeves are essential.

Spring is the perfect middle of these two seasons. In Spring, one can rely on a simple overshirt and jeans to keep them comfortable, and the only essential is a bottle of water. That is not even to mention the sights one is sure to see on a Spring hike. Animals with their new offspring, plants blooming for the first time since last season, and the welcoming din of a newly awakened outdoors.

So go out, get hiking, and do not be afraid to share your pictures with us on Twitter and Instagram!