There are many ways to be in nature: gardening, walking around your local park, visiting a botanical garden, going on a bike ride, paddle boarding, or even simply sitting on your patio. The research is abundant in proving that nature is good for our mental health.
Because we are lucky enough to live in Colorado (assuming you are a client of mine), I'm going to focus on a form of being in nature particularly beneficial for our mental health: hiking. Here you will find more on the benefits of hiking, advice on how to hike safely, tips to make your hike a healing practice, simple ways to make hiking a habit, and hikes around Denver to get you started.
Benefits of Hiking (see referenced articles at bottom of this post for more)
Enhances emotion regulation
Improves memory functioning
Improves attention and focus
Fosters a sense of meaning and purpose
Increases empathy and cooperation
Enhances problem solving skills
Boosts creativity
Improves ability to be present
Induces a state of peace
Lowers blood pressure
Reduces anxiety, depression, anger, and stress
Boosts self-esteem and vitality
Improves sleep quality and reduces insomnia
Improves social well-being and connection
How to Hike Safely
Plan your hike in advance. Choose your trail, check the weather, and pack enough food and water.
Stick with the trail signs and markers. Stay on the trail. Don't be afraid to ask for help from fellow hikers when you are unsure if you're on the right path.
Stay hydrated and eat protein rich snacks to stay nourished before, during, and after your hike.
Protect yourself from the sun, insects, and wildlife by wearing appropriate clothing, sunscreen, insect repellent, and carrying a whistle or bear spray.
Invest in safety equipment such as an emergency beacon.
Know your limits and listen to your body by adjusting your pace, taking breaks, and turning back if you feel unwell or unsafe.
Join a community of hikers as an awesome resource for asking questions so you can feel prepared.
Download a hiking app such as AllTrails to help you plan, prepare, and navigate.
If you are hiking alone, always make sure to tell a friend or family member which hike you are hiking and when to expect you to be back.
How to Make Hiking Healing
Put away electronics and give yourself time to hike alone even if you are hiking with a group. Taking away the distraction of a conversation or your phone gives your mind the space it needs to soak in your experience.
Be mindful of the experience. Take in what you feel, hear, smell, and see. Notice the temperature of the air around you, the warmth of the sun on your face, your heart rate, the sounds of the wind or the birds, the smell of the pine needs, the beauty of the alpine lake in front of you. Observe. Describe. Participate. (ODP -- a DBT skill)
Practice gratitude on your hike. Thank yourself for taking time for you. Thank the trees, flowers, and wildlife for this healing experience. Dedicate a portion or all of your hike to only focusing on gratitude.
Practice grounding exercises on your hike. Take off the shoes and socks. Get your toes in some dirt. Put your feet in the ice cold creek. Literally hug a tree.
Try a slow calming butterfly tap while sitting and observing a mountain lake. Or try shifting your eye movement back and forth between trees to regulate any anxiety while focusing on taking in the peace and calm around you. (Bilateral Stimulation commonly used in EMDR)
Take a moment at the end of your hike to do a mental review of what you just experienced. Lock it into your memory so you can remember it later as a positive resource when you're under stress. Pair a mantra/word/saying to this memory to help access this state of calm.
Make Hiking a Habit (using James Clear's Laws)
Make it Obvious: Schedule your hike on the calendar. Chose a specific time and trail and write it down.
Make it Attractive: Find a hiking buddy or join a hiking group. Accountability is a big motivator.
Make it Easy: Prepare a pack to keep in your car or by your front door (make it visible) to make it easy to get on a trail. Pack it with socks and hiking shoes, granola bars, water, extra layers, gloves, and sunglasses.
Make it Easy (again): Start small. Tackle a simple hike that is short and close to home first. Go even when you don't feel like it and give yourself 15minutes to try it. If the 15 minutes are up and you're still not finding satisfaction, simply go home.
Make it Satisfying: Make a hiking vision board or bucket list that you can check-off each hike you accomplish. Take photos of a favorite view to remember later. Pack a snack you are excited to enjoy on the trail.
Trails to hike in Colorado to get you started:
Pick a few from this list to get you started. Some days you may need a simple easy hike you can find peace and be mindful on. Other days you may need something hard to help you work through stress and get you out of your mind. Listen to your body and pick what feels right for you!
Easy Hikes
Bear Creek Trail to the Castle (Morrison): 2 Miles, Out and Back
Bruin Bluff Trail Loop (Morrison): 1.5 Miles, Loop
High Line Canal Loop Trail (Englewood): 4.2 Miles, Loop
Moderate Hikes
Mayflower Gulch (Breckenridge): 6.1 Miles, Out and Back
La Deux Reservoirs Trail to Ice Cave Creek Loop (Monument): 3.9 Miles, Loop
Lost Lake via Hessie Trail (Roosevelt National Forest): 4 Miles, Out and Back
Silver Dollar Lake and Murray Lake Trail (Arapaho Nat. Forest): 4.2 Miles, Out and Back
Straight Creek (Silverthorne): 6.7 Miles, Out and Back
Apex and Enchanted Forest Loop (Golden): 3.7 Miles, Loop
Turkey Trot (Morrison): 3.2 Miles, Loop
Chavez and Beaver Brooke Loop (Genesee): 5 Miles, Loop
Chief Mountain (Idaho Springs): 2.8 Miles, Out and Back
Arthur’s Rock Trail (Fort Collins): 3.2 Miles, Out and Back
Perham Creek Trail (Carbondale): 8.8 Miles, Out and Back
No Thorough Fair Canyon (Fruita/Grand Junction): 5.6 Miles, Out and Back
Bear, Nymph, Dream, and Emerald Lake (RMNP): 3.8 Miles, Out and Back
Brainard Lake from Gateway Trailhead (Past Boulder): 5.7 Miles, Loop
Red Rocks and Morrison Slide Loop (Morrison): 3.2 Miles, Loop
Green Mountain via Green Mountain/Hayden Trail (Lakewood): 4.6 Miles, Loop
Maxwell Falls Trail (Evergreen): 4.1 Miles, Loop
Hard Hikes
The Manitou Incline (Manitou Springs): 4 Miles, Loop
Royal Arch Trail (Boulder): 3.3 Miles, Out and Back
Upper Chicago Lake via Chicago Lakes Trail (Idaho Springs): 2.4 Miles, Out and Back
Herman Gulch Trail (Loveland Pass near Silverthorne): 6.5 Miles, Out and Back
Mount Sniktau Trail (Loveland Pass near Silverthorne): 3.6 Miles, Out and Back
Mount Sanitas Trail Loop (Boulder): 5 Miles, Loop
Are you needing more support with your mental health? Give me a call. Therapy could help. In sessions with me we explore ways to make these practices habits, and I can help you work through what is keeping you stuck.
*Disclaimer: Hiking and tips in this blog are not a substitute for therapy if you need it. You know you best. Take things at your pace. Listen to your body. You are responsible for your own safety. If you try anything in here that does not feel right or good or healing, then please stop.
I want to give a big shout out to the women in the Women Who Hike Colorado Facebook group for helping me compile these ideas and recommending many of these hikes. If you are a woman in Colorado, consider joining this group for a fantastic community of hikers committed to self-care and connection over their love for nature.
Finally, here are a vast number of articles and links used to compile this post for further exploration.