Do you need some sort of concrete incentive – besides beautiful vistas, improved physical fitness and a sense of personal accomplishment – to get out and hike? Here are two local opportunities to structure a plan for yourself to spend more time on the trails, with prizes to be won at the end.

This 1.11-mile paved public path stretches from East Chester Street at Jansen Avenue to Garraghan Drive and 9W at Rondout Gardens, using a restored 19th-century railroad tunnel beneath the 9W arterial to create an automobile-free connection for pedestrians and cyclists between Midtown and the Rondout waterfront.

Sunday, Aug. 4: Studies are showing that even small periods of time spent in the forest reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol and lower blood pressure and heart rate. Trees release phytoncides into the air, which boost the immune system and stimulate production of white blood cells. Being in natural settings also activates our nervous system’s relaxation response, allowing us to recover from the chronic low-intensity “fight-or-flight” environment of daily life.

Aug. 3: In the fifth in a series of curious and heightened outings, attendees will meet trip leader Mathew Rymkiewicz at the Pond House, where lighting and other bait will be set up to attract the winged creatures of mention.

Friday, July 19: Walkway over the Hudson and the Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association present Walkway at Night, an opportunity to enjoy breathtaking twilight views and study the night sky with telescopes.

In our 21st century, more than half the world’s population lives in an urban environment, with natural nocturnal darkness a phenomenon many only read about. But we who live in a rural setting still mostly enjoy the natural night and its splendors. Still, there’s dark and then there’s really dark.