Employees, students and visitors to Auburn University are encouraged to incorporate exercise into each day and take a walk around campus. Auburn orange tiger paws have been painted around campus designating three walking trails - two 1-mile loops and one 3-mile loop.
"Our campus is so beautiful and has become more pedestrian-friendly in recent years, it just seemed logical to provide everyone with an opportunity to be healthy while they're here," said Tammy Hollis, coordinator of the Healthy Tigers Wellness Initiative, Auburn's employee wellness program.
Years ago, the campus had similar routes marked with tiger paws, but the paws have mostly worn away, making it difficult to know where a route begins or ends.
"The campus Health and Wellness Committee wanted a way for anyone interested in getting out to walk or to bike to do so along a designated route with a clear beginning and end, or to know the distance they traveled on the off-road pathways," said Hollis.
Route No. 1
This 1-mile route begins at the back of the Student Center by the Tiger Transit hub and goes north down Duncan Drive, past the Haley Center.
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At Thach Avenue, the path heads east (right) onto South College Street, and then south (right) to the intersection of Miller Avenue and Roosevelt Drive.
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Heading west on Roosevelt, the path follows what is now Heisman Drive to Mell Street.
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Across from Spidle Hall, head west (left) on Quad Drive until reaching the Student Center.
Route No. 2
This 1-mile route begins and ends at the Walker Building, home of the Harrison School of Pharmacy and headquarters for the Healthy Tigers Wellness Initiative.
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Head east along the Thach Concourse between Thach Hall and Haley Center.
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Turn south (right) onto the concourse in front of Haley. At the campus green space, head west (right) along Heisman Drive.
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Turn north (right) onto Beard-Eaves Court in front of the Auburn Arena, west (left) around Village Dining Hall and north (right) to the Thach Concourse.
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The Walker Building will be on the left.
Route No. 3
This 3-mile route begins from the northwest corner of the Haley Center, near the loading dock, and proceeds west along the Thach Concourse toward South Donahue Drive.
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Turn south (left) down Donahue all the way to Samford Avenue, where the bike/walking pathway on the other side of Samford leads to Lem Morrison Drive (pathway will be dirt for short distance on Lem Morrison).
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Head east (left) on Lem Morrison, north (left) on Duncan, and east (right) on P.O. Davis Drive to reach Mell Street.
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Turn north (left) and go past the President's home. At the four-way stop with Samford, head east (right) to College Street.
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Turn north (left) on College and proceed to Toomer's Corner at the intersection of Magnolia Avenue.
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Head west (left) along Magnolia to Tiger Street between Textile Engineering Building and the Shelby Center for Engineering Technology.
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Head south (left) until reaching Haley.
In addition to these routes, each off road walkway (Auburn's College of Veterinary Medicine, Samford Avenue and Donahue Drive) have painted tigers paws, with each quarter mile increment painted in large paws.
To learn more about the Auburn University Healthy Tigers Wellness Initiative and other programs, visit the Healthy Tigers Home page.
