BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 20, 2023
A form of wilderness therapy developed in Japan, Shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing” has caught on in the United States in recent years as more people are turning to the outdoors to bolster their health and overall well being. The practice involves walking slowly or sitting in the forest, opening your senses to your surroundings and consciously seeking connections to nature. In Maine, the most forested state in the country, this practice is especially easy to pursue. Here are just a few places to forest bathe:
• Frank E. Woodworth Preserve in Harrington
• Bog Brook Cove Preserve in Trescott and Cutler
• Branch Lake Public Forest in Ellsworth
• Furth and Talalay Nature Sanctuaries in Surry
• Edgar M. Tennis Preserve in Deer Isle
• Fernald’s Neck Preserve in Lincolnville
• Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson
• Torsey Pond Nature Preserve in Readfield
• Moose ponds loop near Greenville
• River Pond Nature Trail near Millinocket
• Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge