Woman hiking in Oregon
lalunablue77, Flickr
While outdoor adrenaline adventures can be loads of fun, tranquil wilderness experiences afford the rare chance to appreciate nature on a deep level.
Enjoying wilderness in silence provides a host of benefits to you and to wilderness itself. Advantages include:
- Enhanced awareness of your surroundings
- Better chance of seeing wildlife
- Tranquil atmosphere for wildlife and other nature lovers
Where to find quiet
You will find the most peaceful spots in the country on designated wilderness areas of national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and Bureau of Land Management lands. The government provides special protection for these wildest of public lands, and does not permit noisy intrusions, such as dirt biking or ATV use.
Maintain the peace
You can help preserve tranquility for other visitors and wildlife.
- Avoid revving your engine in the vicinity of parks.
- Keep your group small, as large groups tend to ratchet up noise.
- Remind children that an outdoor voice should not be louder than a bugling elk.
Finding peaceful moments with children
Introducing children to the joys of natural sounds presents special challenges. With boundless energy and infinite questions, kids naturally want to talk. You'll have to put in some work to show a child the magic of truly seeing and hearing nature.
- Make a game of hearing as many different birds songs as possible.
- Give kids a mission: find animal tracks, hunt for wildlife, identify every smell, etc.
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