Add This to Your List of Nature Activities: Forest Bathing

If you’re the kind of person who hikes for the view, swims for the plunge, or wanders a trail to get your heart rate up, forest bathing might feel like the lazy cousin of outdoor activities. There’s no finish line, no step count, and no peak to summit. Just you, the forest, and a slower rhythm than you’re probably used to.

Moreover, before you ask, no, forest bathing doesn’t involve stripping down and frolicking through the trees (though if that’s your thing, we’re not judging). The “bathing” part is purely metaphorical: you’re bathing in the forest atmosphere, not a woodland hot tub.

Still, this gentle, mindful practice has been growing in popularity across Canada, drawing hikers, healers, and skeptics alike into its quaint vibes. So what is forest bathing exactly, and why are so many people getting lost in the trees?

What It Is (and What It Isn’t)

Forest bathing, or Shinrin-yoku as it’s called in Japan, translates literally to “forest bath.” But don’t picture eucalyptus steam and towels; think of it more as a sensory soak. You stroll through the forest, paying attention to what you see, hear, smell, and feel. You might stop to touch bark, listen to birds, or notice how light filters through the leaves.

The key is slowness. It’s not hiking or camping or a workout; you’re not trying to reach a destination or set up for the night. You’ll probably move less than a kilometre an hour, and that’s plenty. And it’s definitely not nudism, unless you’ve really misunderstood the assignment.

At its core, forest bathing is mindfulness in motion—a way to ground yourself, calm your mind, and reconnect with nature. For many, it’s also a way to balance the overstimulation of modern life. The forest becomes a kind of natural nervous system reset: less dopamine scroll, more chlorophyll.

Where It Comes From

The roots of forest bathing go back to Japan in the early 1980s, when Shinrin-yoku emerged as part of the country’s public health movement. At the time, Japan was facing skyrocketing stress levels, long work hours, and rising burnout rates. Sound familiar? The Japanese Forestry Agency began promoting Shinrin-yoku as an antidote to urban life, encouraging people to reconnect with the country’s ancient forests. The call was for a gentle, present, and restorative way to preserve a sacred connection between people and nature.

Doctors and researchers began studying its effects on blood pressure, immune function, and mood. What emerged was a clear reminder that nature heals in ways science is only beginning to measure. Spending unhurried time in nature lowered stress hormones, reduced heart rate, and boosted mood. One study even found that forest bathing increased natural killer (NK) cell activity, part of the immune system’s defence against viruses and cancer (Li et al., 2010).

In the decades since, Japan has designated dozens of official Shinrin-yoku trails. The practice has become both a health intervention and a cultural ritual—meditation meets forest therapy.

From there, it spread globally, finding receptive audiences in South Korea, Scandinavia, and North America. These are places where people already have a strong connection to the outdoors but were hungry for something slower, softer, more intentional.

Why People Do It

On the surface, forest bathing sounds almost too simple: go outside, walk slowly, look at trees. But that’s exactly why it works.

It asks you to slow down, to step out of doing and back into being. You give your mind permission to wander, your body permission to rest, and your senses permission to wake up.

Here’s what tends to draw people in:

1. Stress Reduction

Studies show that being in a forest environment lowers cortisol levels, your body’s primary stress hormone. Breathing in phytoncides, aromatic compounds released by trees and plants, has been shown to reduce blood pressure and promote relaxation (Park et al., 2010).

It’s essentially a full-body exhale.

2. Mental Clarity

If your brain feels like a browser with too many tabs open, forest bathing can close a few. It invites you to slow your thoughts, focus on the present, and clear mental clutter. People often describe feeling grounded, focused, or simply lighter afterward (Morita et al., 2007).

3. Sensory Reconnection

In cities, our senses go numb. Constant noise, fluorescent light, exhaust, notifications. In the forest, your senses recalibrate. You start noticing the subtle things — the crunch of moss underfoot, the smell of pine, the rhythm of wind through branches.

Research supports this shift. Studies show that spending time in natural environments helps the brain recover from overstimulation, improving focus and sensory awareness. One study found that interacting with nature restored attention and memory more effectively than time spent in urban settings (Berman, Jonides, & Kaplan, 2008).

4. Community and Belonging

Many people try forest bathing through guided sessions, sometimes in groups, sometimes solo. Certified guides (yes, that’s a thing!) lead people through gentle invitations to notice, reflect, and connect. These sessions can be surprisingly social, not in a chatty way, but in a shared human way.

5. It Just Feels Good

You don’t have to be spiritual, scientific, or sentimental about it—being in nature just feels good! It’s both grounding and freeing; a reminder that we’re nature too, not separate from it.

Where to Go Forest Bathing in Canada

Forest bathing has quietly become one of the most accessible and affordable wellness practices in Canada. With nearly 40 percent of the country covered in forest, we’re essentially sitting on a natural therapy empire. From BC’s mossy rainforests to Ontario’s sugar maples and Quebec’s Laurentian pines, there’s no shortage of places to slow down, breathe deeply, and let nature do what it does best.

Certified forest therapy guides have popped up in most provinces, offering sessions in provincial and national parks, botanical gardens, and even city green spaces. Even the federal government has taken note. Health Canada and Parks Canada have supported “Nature Prescription” programs, where doctors can prescribe time outdoors to patients experiencing anxiety, depression, or chronic stress.

If you’re ready to try it yourself, here are a few stunning spots across the country to get inspired:

British Columbia

• Pacific Spirit Regional Park (Vancouver): Coastal rainforest trails, towering cedars, and birdsong that feels cinematic.
  
  
• Tofino’s Rainforest Trails: Wet, mossy, and deeply sensory — the perfect Shinrin-yoku landscape.
  
  
• Whistler’s Lost Lake Loop: A mix of lakeside calm and soft pine trails, often used by local guides.

Alberta

• Banff National Park (near Johnston Canyon): Early morning or dusk walks offer a quiet that feels ancient.
  
  
• Kananaskis Country: Try Troll Falls or Heart Creek Trail, both easy walks with immersive forest energy.

Ontario

• Royal Botanical Gardens (Burlington): Home to Canada’s first certified forest therapy trail.
  
• Algonquin Park: Classic Ontario wilderness, ideal for a self-guided forest bathing session.
  
  
• Mono Cliffs Provincial Park: Peaceful and under the radar, with dense forest and limestone cliffs.

Quebec

• Spa Eastman (Eastern Townships): Offers guided forest bathing as part of its wellness retreats.
  
  
• Mont-Tremblant National Park: Expansive forests with quiet walking paths perfect for sensory immersion.

Atlantic Canada

• Fundy National Park (New Brunswick): Red spruce and mossy trails, with the sea’s hum in the background.
  
  
• Cape Breton Highlands (Nova Scotia): Ocean air meets forest calm, a stunning dual experience.

The North

• Yukon’s Boreal Forests: If you ever wanted to know what deep quiet feels like, this is it.
  
  

How to Try It (No Guide Required)

You don’t need an official certification or retreat booking to try forest bathing. All you need is a patch of green space and a willingness to go slow.

Here’s how:

1. Choose Your Spot

Pick a natural area with trees, ideally one that feels calm and safe. It could be a city park, a riverside trail, or a forest you’ve always loved. If you’re heading somewhere remote, bring a friend or let someone know where you’ll be.

2. Leave the Tech Behind

Turn off your phone, or at least silence it. This isn’t the time for playlists or podcasts. You’re tuning into nature’s ambient soundscape: wind, birds, footsteps, your own breath.

3. Move Slowly

Walk as if you have nowhere to be. If you see something interesting, stop. If you want to sit, sit. The point isn’t to move far, but to notice what surrounds you.

4. Engage Your Senses

Ask yourself:

• What do I see?
• What do I hear?
• What do I smell?
• What can I touch safely?
• How does the air feel on my skin?

5. Pause and Breathe

Find a place to stop. Sit or stand quietly for a few minutes. Breathe deeply. Observe how your body feels, how your thoughts shift, how the forest subtly changes while you stand still.

6. Reflect

After 20–60 minutes, you’ll likely notice a calm you didn’t start with. Maybe your shoulders drop, your breathing slows, or your eyes soften. That’s the bath working its quiet magic.

Branch Out & Slow Down!

For some, forest bathing is an awakening; for others, it sounds a little mystical. But most who try it agree that something shifts. Maybe it’s not the trees themselves but the attention we give them, the act of being present in a world that constantly pulls us away. In a culture obsessed with doing, forest bathing feels quietly radical —a reminder that slowing down, breathing deeply, and looking up at the trees can be their own kind of healing. Next time you’re adding hikes, bikes, swims, or skis to your list of nature activities, pencil in something slower.

Sources:

Li, Q. (2010). Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15, 9–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3

Park, B.-J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Kasetani, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2010). The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): Evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-009-0086-9

Morita, E., Fukuda, S., Nagano, J., Hamajima, N., Yamamoto, H., Iwai, Y., Nakagawa, T., Ohira, H., & Shirakawa, T. (2007). Psychological effects of forest environments on healthy adults: Shinrin-yoku (forest-air bathing, walking) as a possible method of stress reduction. Public Health, 121(1), 54–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2006.05.024

Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008). The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting with Nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207–1212. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02225.x