Make the outside your inside: begin 2026 connecting with your true nature

January is often a cozy month, marked by warm lights in the early evenings, blankets, and quiet routines settling in after the holidays. But it’s also one of the most rewarding times to step outside.

On January 1, your First Day Hikes showed us that beautifully.

A group of friends laughing on a mountain peak. A white-tailed deer peering through the trees. A post-sunset descent illuminated by headlamps. Frosty lakeshore strolls. These moments remind us that stepping into nature in the colder winter months brings a unique kind of calm and energy.

So, this month, we invite you to keep that feeling going.

When the season is still and quiet, winter parks offer open trails, soft light, and a pace that helps your shoulders drop and your breathing deepen.

Even short visits have measurable benefits on your health.

Research from PaRx, Canada’s national nature prescription program, shows that:

• Two hours a week in nature boosts overall health and life satisfaction.
• Just 10 minutes outside can lower stress hormones.
• Gentle movement in green spaces supports better mood, sleep, and concentration.

In the quiet of winter, nature offers us the space we need to reset and connect to ourselves without pressure and without performance.

BC’s parks and outdoor recreation areas are home to the things that sustain ourselves and our province:

• Ancient forests
• Rare species and wildlife
• Watersheds that support whole communities
• Trails and recreation areas that keep us active, grounded, and connected

These places stay wild, welcoming, and accessible because people care for them. Your outings—whether a weekly walk, a snowy lookout, or a quiet moment by the water—help you be healthier, and they also help keep these places healthy, too.

It's a joy to begin 2026 with intention and fresh air! Small steps make a real difference:

• Take one outdoor walk a week. Slow, brisk, whatever pace feels good.
• Notice one thing outside each day: a bird call, the winter sun, the smell of cedar.
• Share your favourite local trail with someone who could use a moment of peace.
• Give back to the places that support you, through care, attention, or a gift that protects nature for everyone.

This January, spending time outside in a safe and responsible way can help you feel peaceful, grounded, and invigorated. Please continue to tag us in your hikes in your favourite parks and recreation spaces, and sign up for our newsletter for stories about nature and health to inspire your adventures. We’d love to be a part of your 2026 outside.