The Cleveland Metroparks’ 300 miles of hiking trails span 23,000 acres across Northeast Ohio, yet Lora DiFranco found herself only frequenting the ones closest to her home. So, the founder of Free Period Press created the Metroparks Mini-Guide ($8) to help Clevelanders like herself experience the full, natural glory of Cleveland’s outdoor playground. Collaborating with designer and illustrator Katie Daugherty and hike expert and author Diane Stresing, DiFranco spent six months formulating a comprehensive guide to all 18 reservations. Inspired by retro national parks posters, the book’s 44 matte pages are compact enough to fit in a small backpack or to comfortably carry when you hike. “I wanted to create kind of like a bucket list for the Metroparks to encourage people, including myself, to get out and explore all the different parks because they’re all different and really cool,” says DiFranco. “I think it’s good for us to just unplug and get into nature. Leave your phone on airplane mode for a little bit and just enjoy the Metroparks.” freeperiodpress.com
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