The Thain Family Forest is 50 acres of uncut old growth in the middle of the Bronx — tulip trees older than the United States, the Bronx River running through it — and NYBG built a guided meditation to slow you down enough to notice. Four audio tracks walk you through intention-setting, sensory awareness, reflection at the water and impermanence, on your own schedule with no group to keep up with. There is a wheelchair-accessible route as well. If you need an hour that is not the city, this is t
What to expect
You pick a route, put in headphones and walk at your own pace as the tracks guide attention to sound, smell, light and texture. The main path includes stairs and uneven terrain; the accessible route uses the Sweetgum Trail and Stone Mill View. Expect roughly an hour, or 20 minutes if you stop after track two.
Good to know
- Take Metro-North Harlem Line to Botanical Garden, or the B/D/4 to Bedford Park Blvd
- Bring headphones and download the audio before you arrive — forest signal is patchy
- Garden admission is required to access the Thain Family Forest
- The wheelchair-accessible route runs via the Sweetgum Trail and Stone Mill View
- Wear shoes with grip; the main pathway has stairs and uneven ground
- Best early in the day when the forest is quietest
Common questions
What is forest bathing?
Shinrin-yoku, a Japanese practice of slow, attentive time among trees — here guided by four audio meditations.
How long does it take?
About an hour for the full experience, or roughly 20 minutes if you finish after the second track.
Is there an accessible route?
Yes — a wheelchair-accessible pathway runs via the Sweetgum Trail and Stone Mill View.