The infamous Fort Hill Stairs at the Rocky River Reservation were designed to take people to a scenic view of the Fort Hill Earthworks, a set of ceremonial mounds from indigenous cultures from nearly 2,000 years ago.
However, many visitors are coming for the stairs themselves.
I was one of those visitors, huffing and puffing on each of the 155 steps to the top. Some folks looked just like me, leaning on the railing and cursing under their breath while trudging forward. Others were in good shape, easily jogging to the top, taking a moment to catch their breath before dropping their head and jogging back down the stairs.
Folks across Northeast Ohio, like Melissa Smith, climb these stairs as an alternative to their local gyms.
“I'm kind of hooked on them,” Smith said. “Well, to be honest, I do find it a little boring to do it multiple times, but throw some music in and it keeps you going.”
Smith visits the stairs twice per week. Her personal record is 15 times in one session, when she commemorated the first responders on Sept. 11.
“I thought I was going to die,” Smith said. “Honestly. Once I got past eight times, it's like your brain shuts down and you forget, ‘How many times did I go up?’ I can see why people keep track with counters and stuff, but it’s really good.”
New Year’s resolutions and fitness goals
As the new year begins, people are preparing their New Year’s resolutions. Surveys say health and fitness goals are the most popular.
In 2024, around 79% of all New Year’s resolutions were health or fitness-related. Young people ages 18 to 24 were more likely to have fitness-related goals, as 53% said they planned to exercise more.
Chris Faciana, program director for the Sport and Exercise Studies program at Cuyahoga Community College, has seen his fair share of haughty New Year’s resolutions, especially when he worked as a trainer.
“It was always a big rush around Jan. 1 to schedule appointments,” Faciana said. “A lot of times, we set these lofty goals for our New Year's resolutions, and as soon as we have a barrier, we feel that shame and guilt.”
Faciana recommended simpler goals, especially for those who aren’t regularly active. He said exercising outdoors is a great way to start an exercise journey.
“We have so many different options to exercise outside, from walking around the neighborhood to the trails,” Faciana said. “Cardio is going to be such a big component of reducing health risks and keeping a lot of those heart disease risk factors down.”
Gym membership or green exercise?
Americans are taking a new interest in their health. A new report shows that traditional gym check-ins rose by 60% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the prior year. Twenty-nine percent of new gym regulars are Gen Zers, as gyms are becoming a new "third place" for young people to seek community.
However, gym memberships can be expensive. The average gym subscription cost $52 in 2019, though most basic level memberships start around $15. Premium gym memberships typically cost more than $80 a month.
That can be a lot of money, especially if someone isn’t sure of their level of commitment. A survey from YouGov shows that 41% of those surveyed canceled their gym membership because it was "too expensive." While most gyms see a surge in membership in January, 92% of all resolutions are not followed through and 23% give up on their resolutions before the month is over.
Exercising outdoors can be a low-cost alternative to help meet one’s fitness goals, Faciana said.
“All you need is a good pair of shoes and just kind of get out there on the trails,” Faciana said. “Luckily, here in Ohio, we have lots of really nice ones.”
Exercising outdoors also benefits mental health. A study from the University of Essex in England shows that green exercise provides more psychological benefits than exercising inside. Something as simple as a 15-minute walk at a park can reduce the effects of anxiety and depression and improve one's memory.
Green exercise is crucial during winter months, because it's effective in warding off seasonal affective disorder, according to a study published to the National Library of Medicine. Access to sunshine produces endorphins to reduce pain and boost one’s mood.
After walking up all 155 steps, I had an amazing view of the entire park, including the Fort Hill Earthworks & Nature Preserve. Scenes like this reminded me how beautiful nature can be.
At the top, I met Erina Todd. She said she runs the stairs as part of a local health and fitness group called Onyx, based out of Parma. She works out at a gym before walking the steps, because nature is important to her.
"It's really important to preserve our wildlife and our natural resources at all cost because we're running out of them,” Todd said. “The fact that we have this in Cleveland — we have one of the biggest park systems in the United States — we're really blessed and very lucky to have that, and to be able to enjoy it whenever we want for free.”
If you’re looking to start your fitness journey this year, consider giving your local parks a try instead of a gym.
Now it’s time to make my way back down all these steps.
