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Nature’s power to calm and soothe is something we modern folks sometimes forget. For neurodivergent people, hiking in nature is an especially therapeutic choice, but it can be hard to find the right spot. Six months ago, a state park in Silver Lake, New York, created an Autism Nature Trail to help make the benefits of the great outdoors more inclusive.
As reported by Travel + Leisure, this trail is part of the offerings at Letchworth State Park, one of a dozen parks that claims to be the Grand Canyon of the East. The Autism Nature Trail is for everyone, but is especially geared for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder. It opened in October 2021 and is a one-mile trail with eight sensory stations. There’s a cut-through path to quickly return to the trailhead if the trail becomes overwhelming.
At the Reflection Knoll, for instance, a circle of boulders presents a place to sit down and listen to nature under a canopy of trees. The Meadow Run and Climb provides a more physical way to engage with nature. The Sensory Station has two gazebos where people can touch, count, sort and small various things found in forests, like pinecones, rocks with fossils, seed pods and bark. There are five other stations, including the Celebration Station at the end, to reflect back on the journey with chalkboards where visitors can leave messages or drawings for others. There’s a trail map to keep.
The benefits of hiking are well known for people with autism. Although this may be the only such trail in the US, the website hikingautism.com focuses on sharing trails. Writer Lisa Louis created the site ‘for millions of families like hers with an autistic family member to experience the joy of nature,’ she says. Her younger son Sean, she writes, has been able to experience the joy of snowfall in Yosemite, when previously he would not be able to leave his room.