Into the woods
The Japanese call regular walks through the woods shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing.” Part mindfulness, part exercise, the practice simply asks that you spend, ideally, an hour or more taking in the sights, sounds, and smells a forest environment provides. The reward is undeniable. Immersing yourself in nature this way can cut depression, anxiety, stress, and fatigue, while boosting energy and mental focus. Some of the best places in the U.S. to work on your shinrin-yoku:
Chippewa National Forest, Minnesota:
With 1,300 lakes and more than 900 miles of rivers and streams, the Chippewa Forest was established in 1908. It encompasses more than 660,000 acres— mostly water—with hiking trails, canoe routes, and opportunities to see bald eagles.
Sequoia National Park, California:
Tucked away in the southern Sierra Nevada, Sequoia Park spans 400,000 acres and is home to some of the biggest trees in the world. The world’s largest tree—named General Sherman and thought to be roughly
2,200 years old—is found there (and so is the second-largest, General Grant).
Maui Nui, Kauai, Oahu, and Hawaii Forest Reserves, Hawaii:
The Hawaiian Islands, the most isolated archipelago in the world, has high forested mountains and a multitude of climate zones. Forests here are traditionally revered as life-giving for the natural materials they provide and the spiritual needs they satisfy.
Adirondack Park, New York:
Stretching across 6 million acres of upper New York state and home to more than a hundred peaks and some 2,000 miles of hiking trails, the Adirondacks is the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States. Wish you could walk along the treetops? You can now, thanks to the “Wild Walk,” a 30-foot-high trail of bridges at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake, N.Y.
Or…you can live among the trees:
Airbnb, Vrbo, and Glamping Hub have treehouses of all shapes and price ranges available to rent, including a renovated fire tower in Fernwood, Idaho, and a rustic mountaintop retreat in Walhalla, S.C.