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The City of Edmonton’s Community Forestry Program offers guided Forest Bathing sessions throughout the year in parks across the city.
Forest bathing, also known as forest therapy or Shinrin-yoku, is the practice of spending time in a forest or natural area to enhance well-being.
Led by certified Shinrin-yoku practitioners, this program invites Edmontonians to participate in and experience mindful connection to nature in our urban forest.
All sessions are free, but pre-registration is required.
New sessions for July, August and September will be posted in June. Sessions can be booked on Move.Learn.Play.
New to forest bathing? Rooted in the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, this forest bathing session focuses on sensory immersion in nature. Learn to engage with your senses and connect with the unique features of our urban forest. Our guides lead you through invitations and activities designed to help you feel grounded and calm.
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday May 14 | 9-11am | Capilano Park |
| Wednesday May 27 | 5:30-7:30pm | Whitemud Park |
| Thursday June 11 | 9-11am | Northeast River Valley Park |
Feeling rundown or stressed? Forest bathing focuses on improving your physical and mental health through thoughtful interactions with our urban forest. Learn simple techniques to boost your immune system and clear your mind. Use these skills to start your own personal wellness practice.
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday May 19 | 1-3pm | Twin Brooks District and Nature Park |
| Tuesday June 2 | 1-3pm | Twin Brooks District and Nature Park |
Feeling adrift or disconnected? Reset and reboot by returning to the rhythms of nature. In this session, you will use your imagination and senses to find a deeper connection to the forest. These activities help you gain a new perspective and reduce mental fatigue. Reconnecting with nature can increase your overall happiness.
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday May 23 | 9-11am | Northeast River Valley Park |
| Saturday June 6 | 9-11am | Capilano Park |
| Saturday June 20 | 9-11am | Whitemud Park |
Want to benefit from the urban forest while helping sustain it for future generations? Join Root for Trees and our certified Shinrin-yoku guides to experience a reflective tree planting event. Learn about and plant trees, shrubs and wildflowers native to the Edmonton area and participate in an Introductory forest bathing session. Local herbal tea will be served.
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Friday May 15 | 5:30-7:30pm | Jackie Parker Park |
| Thursday May 28 | 9-11am | Twin Brooks District and Nature Park |
| Friday June 12 | 5:30-7:30pm | Hermitage 2 |
| Thursday June 18 | 9-11am | Secord |
Immerse yourself in nature without leaving the city! Join the Edmonton and Area Land Trust (EALT) and a certified Shinrin-yoku guide at Larch Sanctuary, an area jointly conserved and monitored between the City of Edmonton and EALT, for an immersive forest bathing experience. You will be guided through activities that will allow you to slow down, reflect and connect.
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Jun 16 | 1-3pm | Larch Sanctuary |
The City of Edmonton offers a variety of tranquil treed spaces ideal for relaxation, restoration and mindful connection with nature.
This site offers a secluded grove of mixed aspen parkland and spruce trees, providing clearings for group reflection or solo exploration.
Approximate length of trail (one-way): 200 meters - level ground
Surface: Maintained turf
Parking: Nearby parking, drop-off adjacent
Amenities:
Nestled between the Whitemud and Blackmud Creek ravines, this unique, street level park has a mix of naturalized hills, tree-lined trails and stunning views.
Approximate trail length: 1.5 kilometre loop
Surface: Gravel, hard-packed earth, maintained and naturalized turf
Parking: Nearby parking
Amenities:
Note: No onsite washroom facilities are available.
Features a gradual descent from an aspen stand to a grove of towering spruce, with trails running alongside the creek and multiple footbridge crossings.
Approximate length of trail (one-way): 1000 metres - moderate slope
Surface: Granular trail, wooden bridge deck
Parking: Street parking at top-of-bank trailhead
Amenities: Picnic table along route
Please note: No onsite washroom facilities are available.
Centrally located, this popular trail system offers sheltered groves of trees and peaceful river vistas from the boat launch or bridge.
Approximate trail length: 550 metres (one-way) - relatively even with some steep sections
Surface: paved, gravel, hard-packed earth, wooden bridge deck
Parking: Plentiful parking, including tour bus/large vehicle parking
Proximity: Adjacent to the North Saskatchewan River
Amenities:
Forest bathing sessions are immersive 2-hour outdoor experiences. Edmonton’s urban forest offers diverse experiences for all participants.
Your guide facilitates safe, comfortable and accessible activities such as:
What to wear: Dress in layers with long pants, a hat, and sturdy, closed-toed shoes. You may encounter thistles, sticks or garbage.
What to bring: Sunscreen, bug spray, and any required medications. Water and snacks are optional.
If you can no longer attend, please cancel your registration on Move.Learn.Play or email forestbathing@edmonton.ca no later than 2 days ahead of session to allow for other participants to register.
Weather cancellations will only occur when conditions are made unsafe. Light rain or wind may not lead to cancellation and may enhance certain sensory aspects of a forest bathing experience. Weather cancellations include:
Certified Shirin Yoku guides are members of the Community Forestry team who bring expertise to the Forest Bathing program.
Katelynne began her City of Edmonton forestry career with the Root for Trees team, collaborating with volunteers to plant native trees, shrubs and wildflowers.
Now with the Community Forestry team, she delivers engaging programs that highlight the urban forest canopy's value and trees’ role in shaping healthy, connected communities.
Allyn became a certified Shinrin yoku Guide in 2025. As a lifelong Edmonton resident, she has witnessed her relationship with the urban forest evolve from a childhood playground to a source of adult calm and clarity.
A member of Community Forestry since 2024, Allyn is passionate about sharing the extensive benefits of the urban forest with all Edmontonians.
Studies indicate that spending time in nature has positive effects on reducing stress, lowering blood pressure and improving overall well-being. Forest bathing may also increase present moment awareness and nature connectedness.
While some Forest Bathing sessions are situated near natural water features, no actual bathing in water is involved. Instead, participants immerse themselves in the forest, as one would immerse themselves in water while bathing.
Your Forest Bathing guide is certified by the Shinrin-yoku Association to facilitate Forest Bathing sessions. In this role, they work to create a safe and comfortable space to explore and connect. It is important to remember that while this is therapeutic practice, your guide is not a mental or physical health professional.
Forest Bathing invitations are gentle suggestions for engagement that involve sensory experiences to deepen one's connection with nature. Invitations are intended to help us open up to the benefits the forest can share.
As we move through the session, there will be opportunities for you to direct the nature of your session. There is no right or wrong way to participate in an invitation. It is important that you trust your intuition as you move through the invitations.
While all trees have something to offer, aromatic trees such as conifers release phytoncides and other active compounds that are beneficial to human health.
The City received $146,200 from the federal government to support the City's efforts to provide education and engagement opportunities for Edmontonians that promote the benefits and preservation of the urban forest. This includes the development of interactive workshops, community planting opportunities and developing and implementing a community-focused Forest Bathing program. This plays an important role in achieving the City Plan goal of 2 million new urban trees.