Mindfully walking in nature is a great way to practice mindfulness and realize its health benefits, while also enjoying the outdoors. Unlike seated meditation which often brings focus to our inner experience, mindfully walking in nature asks you to utilize all of your senses as you take in your surroundings. Noticing the feeling of a breeze on your cheek, the sound of rustling leaves, the smell of a wet forest floor in autumn, seeing the shape of clouds change as they float over a ridge, and even the taste of a blackberry plucked along the trail.

While these are all the kinds of things many people already do on a hike, in doing them mindfully we make time and space to focus our attention on each individual experience. An important part of being able to engage fully with our surroundings includes noticing the thoughts, and emotions that are happening internally, which can often pull our attention away from what is in front of us. As those thoughts and emotions pop up, take a moment to note them and return your attention to the object in nature you were engaging with on the trail.

Tips for starting your practice

Pay attention: Fall is a great time to observe the changing colors, but also an exciting opportunity to observe a tree that is starting to drop it’s leaves. You can practice by setting a 5 minute timer and simply paying attention to each leaf on the tree, one at a time, until a leaf falls and you can follow its path to the ground.

Make the familiar new again: An old trail might offer new features to notice in a different season with bare branches in winter, different time of day with the light of golden hour diffusing like a glow in the woods, or perhaps under a full moon where familiar trees cast unfamiliar shadows.

Focus on your breathing: Sit on a bench or naturally occurring seat with your back straight, but also relaxed. Notice the sensation of your breath moving in and out of your body. You can also focus on the sensation of crisp cool air, or warm humid against your nostrils as you inhale.

Hands on: There are so many wonderful textures, smells, colors, sounds and even tastes to explore in the woods if it’s berry season. For inspiration, think about the way a young child may pick up a stone and spend time feeling it’s rough texture with their finger. As adults, we are already professionals at identifying what an object might feel like based on how it looks. The next time you see a stone, pick it up, forget your texture credentials, and focus on the sensation of your finger as you move it across the stone. You might just come up with some new data, and practice mindfulness along the way.

Tillamook Trails to Try Out

Ideal trails will be quiet, uncrowded, and relatively flat. You can practice mindful walking on any trail, but the more tranquil the location, the easier it will be to focus your attention on the natural world and sensations around you. Try the following trails on the Tillamook County Trails and Recreation Map:

Area Trails:
Sitka Sedge State Natural Area
Kilchis Point Reserve
Bob Straub State Park
Nestucca Bay National Wildlife refuge
Nehalem Bay State Park
Mt. Hebo Campground Pioneer Indian Trailhead #1300

Mindful Walking Zine

Mindful Walking Zine (Printable Mindful Walking “how to” guide)