Forest Bathing in Ontario
Quiet Trails to Practice Shinrin-Yoku
Forest bathing, known in Japan as shinrin-yoku, is a therapeutic practice that is less about hiking distance and more about slowing down in a natural setting. The practice emerged in Japan the 1980s as a way to encourage people to spend more time in forests for mental and physical wellbeing. Instead of focusing on exercise or reaching a viewpoint, forest bathing encourages a slower pace and using all five senses to pay attention to the surrounding environment.
Ontario’s resort regions are well suited to this kind of experience. Many resorts are located near protected forests, conservation areas, and long-established trail systems that wind through hardwood stands, along escarpments, and beside inland lakes. These quieter paths create space for a slower walk, where the goal is simply to be present in the landscape.
Before heading out, a few simple practices can help shift a typical hike into something more restorative.
Simple Ways to Practice Forest Bathing
A few simple shifts in how you move through the forest can turn an ordinary walk into a more mindful, restorative experience.
Slow your pace
Forest bathing works best when you move slowly. Instead of covering kilometres, focus on a short section of trail and allow time to stop frequently.
Engage your senses
Notice the scent of pine or damp leaves, the sound of wind moving through branches, and the changing textures of bark, rock, and soil.
Pause often
Find a log, rock, or clearing and sit quietly for a few minutes. Stillness often reveals birds, insects, and small movements in the forest that are easy to miss while walking.
Breathe deeply
Take a few slow breaths through your nose, allowing the natural scents of the forest to fill your lungs.
Leave distractions behind
Turning off your phone — or at least silencing notifications — helps keep your attention on the surroundings rather than a screen.
Where to Practice Forest Bathing
Across Ontario, several well-known resort regions offer trails that naturally lend themselves to this slower, more mindful approach.
Muskoka
Muskoka’s forests grow across ancient Canadian Shield granite, creating trails that weave between rocky outcrops, hardwood stands, and quiet lakes.
Nearby resorts: Lumina Resort, Port Cunnington Lodge, and many others (search by map)
Haliburton Highlands
The Haliburton Highlands are among Ontario’s most forested regions. Maple and pine forests stretch across rolling terrain, creating extensive trail networks that invite unhurried exploration. Just north of the region is Algonquin Provincial Park, which provides even more opportunities for forested trails.
Nearby resorts: Dimensions Retreats, Heather Lodge, Killarney Lodge, Bonnie View Inn, Buttermilk Falls Resort
Collingwood and South Georgian Bay
Here the Niagara Escarpment shapes the landscape, creating forest trails with elevation, caves, and dramatic viewpoints.
Nearby resorts: Living Water Resort & Spa, VanderMarck Boutique Hotel, Georgian Bay Hotel and Conference Centre
Prince Edward County
Prince Edward County’s trails combine shoreline landscapes with wooded paths and wetlands, making them well suited to slower, contemplative walks.
Nearby resorts: Waring House Restaurant & Inn, Hay Bay Resort, Cherry Beach Resort, Isaiah Tubbs Resort
Ste. Anne's Spa, which is between Toronto and Prince Edward County, offers a good place to stop to add water therapy to the benefits of forest bathing.
The Kawarthas
The Kawarthas are known for their network of lakes, but the region is equally rich in quiet forest. Mixed hardwood and pine forests line the rolling hills and shorelines, and many local trails pass through protected conservation areas where the sounds of water and birds replace the noise of everyday life.
Nearby resorts: Beachwood Resort, Elmhirst's Resort, Eganridge Resort, Pine Vista Resort and many others (search by map)
Forest bathing does not require special equipment or long distances. A quiet trail, a slower pace, and a willingness to pause are often enough. Ontario’s resort regions — surrounded by forests, escarpments, and lakes — offer countless places where a simple walk in the woods can become something deeper: time to notice, breathe, and reconnect with the landscape.
Great Escapes Magazine is a publication of Resorts of Ontario, a not-for-profit organization that advocates for resorts, lodges and inns of Ontario's tourism industry.
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