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‘Forest Bathing’ in the Land of Waterfalls


One of the best parts about taking a vacation to Western North Carolina to visit The Greystone and Lake Toxaway is that you’re just steps away from some wonderful places in nature.

It’s easy to fill up your days here with all kinds of mountain activities, especially during the summer months of the year when the sun rises early and sets late, and the temperatures are mild enough to enjoy the outdoors even during the hottest part of the day. Our guests love to get out and explore!

There’s one activity that you may not know about—forest bathing.

What exactly is forest bathing? Per TIME Magazine, forest bathing is “bathing in the forest atmosphere, or taking in the forest through our senses.” It isn’t a type of exercise like mountain biking, hiking, or kayaking and it isn’t even an afternoon fishing along your favorite river in the Appalachian mountains. It is simply being in nature. Sure, you might need to take a short walk to your favorite spot but once you’re there… it’s sitting down, relaxing, and breathing in everything that nature has to offer your senses.

You don’t even have to be in a forest to appreciate forest bathing. You can sit down along the shores of Lake Toxaway, close your eyes, and allow your senses to take in all that is Lake Toxaway. You can feel the soft, damp earth beneath you and listen to the gentle lapping of the lake waters as you hear the birds chirping in the trees. You might hear a fish jumping out of the water and coming back down with a soft splash. Your nose will detect the fresh, mountain air and maybe, if it’s close to dinnertime, your nose might even pick up the delicious smells coming from our Lakeside Dining Room.

We’d love to know—where’s your favorite place to go in nature when you visit with us? Do you like to hike to a waterfall to sit at the edge of the water and take in its beauty? Or do you prefer to find a quieter place off the Blue Ridge Parkway where you can take in the view over the Blue Ridge Mountains? If you don’t have a favorite place yet, stop by our front desk. We’ll be happy to point you in the direction of a place we know you’ll love. This summer, share your photos of ‘forest bathing’ with us on social media by tagging @thegreystoneinn!

Read more about forest bathing in Time Magazine’s article here: https://time.com/5259602/japanese-forest-bathing/

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