Welcome! You’re at a Penn State Behrend Nurture in Nature wellness trail location. We encourage you to use this trail to engage in intentional moments of connection with nature, using marked invitations located along the trail. You can follow the self-guided activity in each invitation, or adapt it to your own needs. 

Station 1  

The Nurture in Nature trail is not about trying to get somewhere. It is just about being present in nature, letting go of day-to-day concerns and enjoying your time in the woods.

Here at the Wintergreen Gorge trailhead, we invite you to start by being mindful in this moment. Take a few deep, slow breaths. Notice how your feet connect to the surface of the ground. Open your senses to the environment around you.

As you continue on the path, acknowledge that you’re entering a pre-existing natural space. Feel free to gently touch plants, but be respectful. Remember to leave no trace behind you.

As you follow the trail to the next invitation, pay attention to how the sounds, sights, and smells change as you enter the woods. What do you notice changing?

Station 2 

Our senses evolved in nature. They helped keep us safe. The smell of a wild animal, the slight rustling of bushes, and the sound of footsteps warned us of potential dangers. But our senses have become dulled by living indoors. Work to strengthen them by using them in their natural environment once again.

Focus on the sense of smell. Take some pine needles or dried leaves and rub them in your hands. Enjoy the earthy aroma. 

As you walk to the next station, pay attention to the changing scents around you. What do you notice?

Station 3 

Humans have a reciprocal relationship with nature. It is a partnership that involves give and take—nature provides everything we need to survive, and we in turn now attempt to protect it. 

Consider: What does this interdependence with nature mean to you? How can you express your appreciation for what nature offers you?

As you walk to the next station, pay attention to what you can see. What do you notice with the sense of sight?

Station 4 

Briefly stand still and take in the sounds around you. What can you hear? Choose one sound and move toward it. Notice how it changes. Respond with a sound of your own, if you like.

As you walk to the next station, pay attention to sound. Notice how the soundscape changes as you move along the trail.

Station 5 

Take a few moments and allow yourself to touch moss, leaves, bark, or anything that catches your attention. Notice the texture, temperature, roughness, or smoothness. What do you notice about this object?

As you walk to the next station, pay attention to the sense of touch as your feet repeatedly make contact with the earth.

Station 6 

Pause here for a few moments and open up all of your senses. What is most prominent to you? What do you notice most strongly? 

Focus on another sense and see what presents itself to you. Wander around and see what changes. 

As you continue forward on the trail or return to the trailhead, try to keep your senses open. When a thought distracts you, try to let it go and return your attention to your senses. There will be plenty of time for thinking when you are out of the woods—just continue to enjoy nature and be present here and now.