4 minute read
Outdoors
Nighttime forest bathing with A Greener Mind
In this two-hour Nighttime Forest Bathing session, the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy trained guide Josh Schwartz of A Greener Mind will walk you through sensory invitations to help you slow down, awaken your senses, and reconnect with nature.
The event will run from 8 to 10 p.m. Aug. 12. Tickets are $25.
Forest bathing is a practice that supports health and wellness through guided immersion in forests and other environments to promote the wellbeing of both people and the land. It is inspired by Shinrin-yoku, a Japanese practice where people spend time in forested areas to enhance health, wellness and happiness.
On forest bathing walks, participants are guided through a clearly defined sequence of invitations to slow down, allow the senses to open, and experience the environment to deepen the reciprocal relationship between people and the forest.
This event will take place on Fox Haven Farm in Jefferson in its three-acre heritage apple orchard located about one-fourth a mile from the big red barn. To enter, walk up the mowed path behind the big red barn and around the fence on the righthand side. The gate entrance is on the right.
Participants are required to wear masks and maintain proper social distancing during the event. If you are experiencing any COVID-19 related symptoms or may have come into contact with someone who has COVID, let Fox Haven staff know and you will receive a refund.
This event will be held in most weather conditions. If the event must be canceled due to inclement weather, guests will be notified as soon as possible via email with tickets refunded.
See foxhavenfarm.org for additional information.
Courtesy photo
Does forest bathing enhance your well-being? Try it and see for yourself.
When family or friends travel to Central Oregon to visit, I sometimes feel pressure to provide them with the best outdoor adventure experiences.
So when my friend Tony Barnes came over for a weekend earlier this month and mentioned he was bringing his mountain bike, I set the wheels in motion for a tour of some of the latest and greatest singletrack our area has to offer.
My dad was also in town, and he was willing to give us a ride to Wanoga Sno-park so we could ride nearly 30 miles mostly on trails all the way back to my house in Bend. Because I normally do loop or out-and-back rides that require quite a bit of climbing, a shuttle would be a special treat, making most of those miles downhill.
The plan was to start from Wanoga and ride the Tiddlywinks, Kiwa Butte, Tyler’s Traverse and Deschutes River trails back to Bend.
From Wanoga, Tiddlywinks took us through some rocky sections and a deep forest before we began climbing toward the Kiwa Butte junction. Once on Kiwa Butte, the ride was fast and rolling as we approached the junction with Tyler’s Traverse.
The 8-mile stretch of singletrack that includes the Dinah-Moe-Humm and Kiwa Butte trails was designated a state scenic trail by the Oregon Recreation Trails Advisory Council and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission in 2014. The section of trail was completed in 2011 and on clear days includes numerous views of snowcovered Cascade peaks.
We stopped at a spot along the Kiwa Butte trail to take in sprawling views of Broken Top, Tam McArthur Rim and the Three Sisters. Another mile or so and we reached the junction with Tyler’s.
At the junction, some signs read “Do not enter,” while others read “One way.” The Central Oregon Trail Alliance has done a remarkable job over the past few years of implementing a directional trail system with signs that are clear and unmistakable. While most singletrack mountain bike trails in Central Oregon remain open to two-way travel, a select few are designated as uphill or downhill.
Tyler’s Traverse includes both uphill and downhill routes. We turned onto the downhill path, but we had to climb some challenging rock sections before we could start descending.
The sustained downhill seemed to last forever as we caught some air over several jumps and cruised through the forest. While upper Tyler’s Traverse can be classified as more of a free-ride trail, its features are modest enough that intermediate riders should feel comfortable on it. But it is fast and does require some technical free-riding skills. One stretch in particular is quite steep and includes an array of banked corners and medium jumps.
After the long downhill stretch, we arrived at another junction. We could continue to lower Tyler’s Traverse or ride the Duodenum Trail to Royal Flush. I chose the latter option.
By the time we reached my house in southeast Bend, we had ridden 30 miles in 3 ½ hours, descending 2,000 feet in elevation along pristine singletrack — the perfect two-wheel adventure tour of Bend.
— Mark Morical, TNS
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