It’s safe to say that all of DC Metro has been effectively scared paranoid by the Coronavirus. With cases breaking out in Northern Virginia and Maryland, many people are quarantining themselves to their homes.

We get it. We feel the same way. But instead of feeling like you have to lock yourself in a bubble, might we suggest getting out instead of in? By out, we don’t mean public places. We mean outside, as in nature.

You see, being outside helps you develop a stronger autoimmune system and resistance to allergies. And we all need to build extra immunity right now. Being indoors, on the other hand, puts yourself at risk for exposure to ever circulating germs and bacteria.

Here are four ways you can get outside in Montgomery County.

Hike the Billy goat Trail

The Billy Goat trail is one of the most popular trails in the DC Metro area. It contains three different sections that total eight miles, and it is the at the center of more than a half dozen trails and paths.

Hang out in Sligo Creek Park

This beautiful 10.2 mile-long and 8-feet wide is one of the oldest in Montgomery County. Not all quiet, access to the Wheaton Regional Park means traveling on neighborhood streets and crossing Arcola Avenue. But overall, it’s a magnificent way to spend a Sunday morning. Or any morning for that matter.

Pay Croydon Creek Nature Center a Visit

Picture this: 120 acres of forest preserve with open meadow areas and a winding creek bustling with reptiles, amphibians, and owls. You can visit the nature center without paying a dime and discover the natural world around you. Their watershed exhibit provides tours to the public and educates them how they can make a positive impact on the local earth. This place is sure to inspire you to get outside and breath in the fresh air.

Bike (or walk, jog, or rollerblade) Capitol Crescent

This shared off-road trail from Georgetown, D.C. to Silver Spring, Maryland, is one of the most heavily used trails in the nation. Walkers, joggers, bikers, and rollerbladers love that you can be in nature but still have access to coffee shops and restaurants in nearby downtown Bethesda or Georgetown. Because it is built on the 11-mile Georgetown Branch of the B&O Railroad, the trail is made of hard asphalt. It boasts six bridges and a tunnel with gentle gradients and grade-separated crossings at most roadways.