Healing on the Trail: One Step at a Time

Trails and publicly accessible green spaces offer something powerful: a place to breathe, move, and reconnect — with nature and with one another. Research has shown that spending time in parks and natural areas can reduce stress, support heart health, and improve overall well-being.

Growing up exploring creeks and woods, Teresa has always felt drawn to the outdoors. After heart surgery and a difficult recovery, however, she wasn’t sure she would ever make it back to the trails she loved. 

When the Jingle Hike Challenge celebrated its 10th anniversary, she decided to participate officially for the first time, setting a modest goal of completing four relatively flat, accessible trails.

But something unexpected happened along the way. With encouragement from her husband, family, and fellow hikers she encountered on the trails, four hikes gradually became all twelve.

“I never imagined I’d finish them all,” Teresa said. “Just start, and you might find supporters you never knew you had.”

As someone responsible for caring for older generations, Teresa found inspiration in seeing folks older than herself out on the trails taking part in the challenge, saying it was a powerful reminder of how important outdoor spaces can be for both physical health and mental well-being.

Being outside again reminded Teresa why she fell in love with hiking in the first place. “It felt glorious, like being a kid again.”

Her journey is a reminder that our region’s trails are more than recreational spaces. They are places where healing can begin — physically, emotionally, and socially. Sometimes recovery starts with something simple: a walk outside, a shared path, and the quiet strength found in nature.