It’s cold and it’s already almost dark one recent Wednesday evening. But the Dallas Trekkers still set out for their weekly walk.

The group on this day is a small but pleasant trio that meet at a Richardson Whole Foods and hit the sidewalks for a 10k trek. It may be chilly, it may be rainy, but these trekkers are dedicated to getting their exercise.

They may be in a minority.

A new report shows that most people in Dallas do not walk much. Of the 51 largest cities in the United States, Dallas ranked near the bottom — 49th— of residents who do not walk to work. The report by the Alliance for Biking and walking says most residents’ drive to their offices. Dallas is just not a walkable city.

Dallas is a large, sprawling city that experienced most of its growth during the post-automobile period, Peer Chacko, assistant director of sustainable development and construction for the city of Dallas, said. Its growth was based on a driving model.

“Existing development patterns generally do not lend themselves to convenient walking, biking or transit use,” Chacko said.

The Dallas Trekkers tries to fill that void. The Trekkers is a non-competitive walking group that has been around for 32 years. The group is a branch of Volkswalking, which started in Germany and was brought back to the United States by soldiers in 1979. There are groups all over the U.S. now, and once a member you can travel and walk with any group. The walks are open to athletes and non-athletes and many walkers are former military and their families.

Kelly A. Richards, a Southern Methodist University fitness coordinator, believes exercise is crucial, even if that means walking. She encourages everyone to be active even if that just means just getting out for a walk.

Walking can be especially important for individuals who are unable to participate in high impact activities like running or jogging. Richards believes that walking offers health benefits such as decreased body weight, decreased resting heart rate, and increased aerobic capacity.

“Twenty minutes a day of activity can make an improvement in someone’s overall health. ” Says Richards.

The Dallas trekkers meet in different locations, including Richardson, uptown, downtown, White Rock Lake, SMU/Park Cities, Lake Highlands, Lakewood, Cedar Ridge Preserve and Waxachie.

Each walk is either a 5K or 10K and held at different times and on different days at each location. They also hold about eight annual walks open to anyone who wants to come out.

“We hold annual walks through out the Dallas area,” says Linda Mcdonald, who has been walking off and on with the Dallas Trekkers for eight years. “In March we are having a walk in the Highland Park area called the Azalea walk.”

Bob Rountree, 66, an 8-year member of the Dallas Trekkers has always enjoyed walking for exercise and also to see new sights. He travels to Europe where he also walks.

Rountree first heard about the Dallas Trekkers after reading about the group in the newspaper. He “decided to join them and go,” he said.

People of all ages attend the walks, but the typical trekker is over the age of 50 and many are grandparents who come with their grandchildren. Some people may come with their families as well.

“It is something that people can do for as long as they have the get-up-and-go,” says Helen Hull, the Vice President of the Trekkers.

Diane Duke, a 5-year member of the Dallas Trekkers believes that in order to walk in Dallas you have to go out and look for places to walk.

“That’s why we have these events,” says Duke

Duke leads the Richardson walks on Wednesday nights no matter how small or how large of a group “There’s usually five to ten people who come.” Duke adds, “We walk through all weather.”

Walks will rarely be cancelled due to weather. Hull could recall only one time that they had to cancel a walk.

“In one case, a walk in the Galveston area had to be cancelled after Hurricane Rita because the location had been closed for repairs,” she said.

Hull says some of her favorite things about the Dallas Trekkers are the friendships she has made with other walkers and the opportunity to see places that she did not know existed. There are so many sights in Dallas that you would never have discovered unless you know where to get out and go.

“The Trekkers have given me a new life after 60,” says Hull.

For more information on the Dallas Trekkers visit www.dallastrekkers.org.