Shinrin-Yoku along the Appalachian Trail

I didn’t know I needed a bath. Like most young kids, I would have argued with my parents that I didn’t need one, nor wanted one. But looking back now, I was filthy. I desperately needed a bath, but not the normal kind…

My family’s day began later than we had anticipated. It was after noon before we started onto the trail. This was my first backpacking trip of the summer and my body wasn’t used to the weight of my pack. My first few steps down a narrow stone staircase were wobbly. And with shattered glass scattered across the wet, slippery stone, there was no room for error. A misstep here, was the end of a trip before it had even begun.

By the time we had finished hiking the short connector from the parking lot to the Appalachian Trail, I was getting my balance. Luckily for me, this was just in time to start climbing the 700 ft mountain. I took a deep breath in and my first step forward. The ascent took longer than we wanted, having to stop a few times to catch our breath, drink water, and adjust our packs. By the time we reached the top, we were drenched in sweat from the midday heat and wondering what we had gotten ourselves into. Nonetheless, we had made it to the top, for now.

After a quick snack break, we continued forward down the windy path along the mountain ridge. With each step, small changes undertook my mind. I began to notice the way the sunlight shaded the tree leaves different colors of green. I felt a slight breeze caress my skin. Carried with the breeze was the smell of fresh mountain air and the possibility of rain in the far distance. I could hear the low hum of the 17-year locusts reverberating through the valley and up to the top of the ridge. Through small breaks in the treeline, I caught glimpses of the houses and roads that dotted the valley down below. My heart rate seemed to slow down. The pack, nestling into position on my body, felt lighter. My smile grew bigger and my steps fell into a rhythm.  

Feeling a shift in the trip’s mood, my mother walks up beside me and asks if I have ever heard of the Japanese word for forest bathing. I have spent months living in Japan and took Japanese in college, but I had never heard of such a term. She explained that in the Japanese language Shinrin-yoku means to immerse oneself in the forest; a forest bath. A person enters a forest and bathes their 5 senses in their surroundings for any given amount of time. Researchers have found statistically significant evidence that Shinrin-yoku helps lower stress levels and blood pressure.

As my family continued along the trail, my mind toyed with the saying and its benefits. During this time, the once blue spots between the tree canopy grew darker. A stronger breeze cooled my sweat-soaked skin and drew a shiver down my spine. We knew a rainstorm was supposed to blow through the area around 9 pm, but tiny droplets of rain suddenly dripping through the trees proved that the storm had come hours earlier than planned. Picking up our pace, we decided to hike through the allegedly short rainstorm and continue onto the lean-to we were going to spend the night in. After all, our trail map told us it was only a few more miles away. 

The sounds of the forest quieted. The smell of freshly damp wood filled my nostrils. The droplets washed away the coating of sweat and sunscreen on my skin. The forest was now filled with colors of deep green and dark browns. Everything seemed to stand still except for us and our hiking boots that were squishing around in the increasing mud.

We stopped briefly at a stream to fill up on water. We had a small filter that pumped fresh mountain spring water into our bottles. It tasted delicious, far better than the city water I had gotten used to drinking from the tap back home.

Shinrin-yoku

As we hiked on, the warm rains grew stronger. I used my rain jacket to cover my pack and left myself fully exposed to the storm. Eventually, we realized that the map my dad had printed out was wrong. The lean-to that should have taken only a few more miles to get to was still a ways off. However, we all agreed that we would keep pressing on through the storm. We were slightly lost and drenched to the bone, yet I was happy. So happy that I sometimes danced or sang a tune to keep the mood going. 

Shinrin-yoku 

Right before we found the lean-to there was a fork in the trail. I was leading my family and stopping every once in a while to break out into dance while we waited for the family members in the back to catch up. Once everyone was caught up, I began to lead again. Suddenly my mom yelled, “snake!” I jumped back and looked down just in time to see a venomous copperhead lunge at the spot my leg was just in. With my heart beating fast, I backed up a little further.

Shinrin-yoku

Sometimes forest bathing can be a little scary.

Unfortunately, the lean-to was filled with thru-hikers who were trying to stay dry. So we pitched our tents in the rain, crawled in, changed into our dry PJs, and waited out the storm. Luckily for us, it ended in time to start a fire and eat s’mores. 

That night I laid in my warm, dry sleeping bag, listening to the sounds of droplets against the tent begin to quicken in pace. The sounds and smells reminded me of the many nights I laid awake in my basement apartment trying to sleep as I listened to a Youtube video of a rainforest. This time it was the real deal and it relaxed me far more than any Youtube video ever could.

Shinrin-yoku

The new day brought the sunshine and a chance for us to hike up to some of the best viewpoints in Pennsylvania. I bathed in the sun’s warmth atop mountains and its golden beams through the trees. The filth from the stress, demands, changes, and awful work-life balance that 2020 brought washed away from my mind and heart. I had taken a two-day forest bath. While dirt covered my skin, I emerged from the forest cleaner and lighter than I had been in a long time.

If you are interested in reading about great hiking spots in Pennsylvania, check out my blog post Top Day Hikes Around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In that post, I explain where the great views are that I mentioned in this post.