NEW HOPE WALKING TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Slow Light: Shinrin-yoku at Bowman's Hill with Sharon Lohse and Patty Kleiner
A 2.5-hour, slow-paced nature therapy walk at Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve that uses guided forest-bathing techniques to awaken the senses and reduce stress.
Slow Light: Shinrin-yoku at Bowman's Hill with Sharon Lohse and Patty Kleiner.
This is not a hike or a lecture; it is a deliberate, slow-paced immersion in the Preserve where certified guides invite you to wander, pause, listen and attend to the textures, sounds and life underfoot. The walk draws on the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku—forest bathing—to calm the mind, awaken the senses and support measurable gains in well-being.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Led by certified nature and forest therapy guides
Sessions are guided by Sharon Lohse— a psychiatric nurse with certifications in horticultural therapy, mindfulness and forest therapy—and Patty Kleiner, a certified forest therapy guide and Preserve naturalist who also photographs the natural world. Both guide the slow, sensory approach that defines the walk.
Slow, sensory, and unlike a traditional hike
Participants are invited to move slowly, to wander and pause, and to engage the senses rather than cover distance. The emphasis is on unplugging, calming the mind and engaging directly with the Preserve’s plants and landscapes.
Nature therapy with documented health effects
The experience is framed around nature-based practices shown in research to reduce stress and support physical and mental well-being, with the forest itself acting as the therapeutic setting while the guide opens the doors to that interaction.
What the day feels like
What the walk feels like
Over 2.5 hours you move at an unhurried pace through the Preserve, led through invitations to notice smell, sound, texture and light. Rather than an interpretive hike or a naturalist lecture, the flow relies on guided pauses and quiet observation: wandering, resting, reflecting and returning to the group as prompted by the guides.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who the walk suits — and who should consider other options.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The experience runs for 2.5 hours; check the Preserve schedule for the offered dates and start times.
Meet at Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve where the guides will provide orientation before the walk.
The walk emphasizes unplugging and sensory attention; plan for a 2.5-hour outdoor session and dress for the weather and terrain at the Preserve.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the walk?
The guided nature therapy experience is 2.5 hours long.
Where do we meet?
The meeting location is Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve.
Who leads the sessions?
Sessions are led by Sharon Lohse, a certified nature and forest therapy guide with backgrounds in psychiatric nursing and horticultural therapy, and Patty Kleiner, a certified forest therapy guide and Preserve naturalist.
Is this a hike or a naturalist walk?
No—this experience is different from a hike or a naturalist lecture; it is a slow-paced, guided forest-bathing immersion focused on sensory awareness and reflection.
Is the walk suitable for children and older adults?
The program is presented as appropriate for all ages.