The Benefits of Taking Nature Walks

 

Anyone that knows me in real life, knows that I love nature walks.  Basically, I define a nature walk as a walk through any nature area whether it's a park with plenty of trees and birds to see, or a small trail or hidden gem that takes you through the woods.  I try to take these walks every week or so when I can.  But there are so many benefits to a nature walk versus just a walk down your street so today I wanted to explain them to you.  



You have less distractions. 

When you go on a nature walk, you don't need to worry about cars, neighbors, bikes, dogs, etc.  It's just you and nature.  It takes you away from the "real world" if only for an hour.  And keep your phone away! I know regular walks can be boring and I see so many people on their phones.  But with a nature walk you can just enjoy nature with less "real world" distractions. 

You can find cool animals and plants. 

You'd be surprised how much wildlife and plant life you'll find on a nature walk.  I've seen bird nests, deer families,  and really beautiful flowers and trees.  Sometimes I take photos of what I find so I can look up what it is when I get home.  If there's a stream, I peek under rocks to see what critters come out from under them. 

You burn calories. 

If you are on uneven terrain or the trail you're on has little hills or inclines, you're burning calories and working out your muscles because your body has to adapt and rebalance over all the unique terrain.  It's even better on your feet and joints since you're not on hard concrete sidewalks. 

 
You connect with the Earth. 

When you take a nature walk, you get to just connect with the Earth. You can hear the sounds of nature, see the sights, smell the flowers and the dirt, and enjoy the natural beauty all around you.  It's very relaxing and it's a sort of therapy for so many people.  It's a great break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

 

You can learn about your area.
Exploring your home area can show you the types of natives plants and animals that live and thrive there.  I've found areas where there are tons of native plants just covered with native insects like beautiful butterflies and bumblebees.  Some nature walk areas can have signage explaining different things about the trees, plants, and other natural things. 

 

Nature walks are so amazing and I highly encourage you to do some research on what natural areas are around you.  I've even went to parks where there are creeks and instead of staying on the paved path, I just walk along the water the whole time. It's so fun! 

 

Do you go on nature walks currently or are you going to start?

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