North Stars:

Wildlife Ecosystems

Community Support

Diversity & Inclusion

“My role is to offer space, time, permission, kindness, and understanding so people can discover their own connection with nature.”

The Azure Road Take

Between the towns of Sylva and Cullowhee, Jackson County is becoming a hub for forest therapy. The Jackson County Greenway and the lower loop at Pinnacle Park are now Certified Forest Therapy Trails through the Association of Nature & Forest Therapy, with the Greenway recognized as the first all-accessible certified forest therapy trail in North Carolina and the United States.

Forest therapy, often called forest bathing or Shinrin-yoku, began in Japan in the early 1980s as a form of preventive health care. It has since evolved into an international practice backed by research that shows measurable benefits from unhurried time in nature.

Here, the practice has a distinctly local shape. Certified nature and forest therapy guide and trails consultant Debby Singleton led the Greenway’s certification and created a self-guided brochure so people can try forest bathing on their own. Mark Ellison, who has been hiking Pinnacle Park since the late 1990s, guides year-round walks on the mountain trail.

Together, they have helped turn everyday county paths into an intentional experience. The Greenway offers a gentle, all-accessible way to enjoy the Tuckasegee River and its forest. Pinnacle Park offers a classic mountain trail. As Singleton puts it, her role is to offer “space, time, permission, kindness, and understanding” so people can discover their own connection with nature along the way.

Ellison sees that shift regularly on his Pinnacle Park walks. He recalls one participant from Miami who said the experience “took a sledgehammer” to the way they were living and convinced them to change by slowing down and being more present. When people walk away with that kind of reset, they are more likely to act as everyday ambassadors for places like the Tuckasegee and its surrounding woods.

Who’s it for?

Short answer: everyone.

From kids and teens to older adults, hardcore adventurers, and people navigating grief, stress, or big life transitions. Or anyone feeling a little burnt out by life, politics, or simply, their phones.

Sustainability Chops

On the surface, forest therapy appears as a wellness practice. In Jackson County, it is also a tool for long-term care of the land and water.

Both trails wend through living, active ecosystems. The Jackson County Greenway runs beside the Tuckasegee River, a designated Blue Trail with headwaters in nearby Panthertown Valley.

Pinnacle Park’s loop sits tucked between two creeks in a mixed mountain forest. All-season access means enjoying spring and summer flowers, fall colors, or the stillness of winter.

By pursuing Certified Forest Therapy Trail status, the county and local partners framed these landscapes as more than recreation facilities. Certification signals that these routes are designed, managed, and interpreted as places linking ecological health to human health. Making the Greenway accessible to all, furthers that goal. The paved, gentle path with benches, pavilions, and restrooms, lets people with a wide range of ages and mobility needs enjoy nature.

Location, Topography, and Highlights

Jackson County Greenway – All-accessible Forest Therapy Trail

The Jackson County Greenway, which opened as a Certified Forest Therapy Trail on December 6, 2025, features a paved, one-mile, all-accessible path managed by the Parks & Recreation Department. It remains open year-round.

To access the path, start at the Locust Creek Trailhead, located at 342 Old Cullowhee Road in Sylva, North Carolina. There, you’ll find accessible parking and restrooms. A second trailhead starts at Monteith Branch.

From either direction, the Greenway follows the Tuckasegee River through riparian and deciduous forest. Depending on the season, you might see spring greens, summer foliage, fall color, or open winter views. Along the way, you’ll encounter ferns, wildflowers, fungi, songbirds, wading birds, and the steady sound of the river.

Benches and picnic tables appear every quarter mile. Covered and uncovered pavilions offer places to pause, sit, and follow a prompt from the self-guided brochure. For those who prefer a natural surface, a soft path branches off the main paved route and travels closer to the water.

Pick up a self-guided forest bathing brochure, created by Singleton, at both trailheads or download it from the Friends of Jackson County Greenways website. The prompts offer simple invitations to connect with the elements around you, from the feel of the air to the movement of water.

Pinnacle Park – Mountain Forest Therapy Loop

Pinnacle Park lies about ten minutes from downtown Sylva. Dedicated in 2022 as a Certified Forest Therapy Trail, it became the first in North Carolina and one of only twenty in the world at the time.

The Pinnacle loop follows a traditional mountain trail design with approximately 150 feet of elevation gain. Cradled between two creeks, it passes through a forest with glimpses of sky overhead. In spring and summer, wildflowers line sections of the path. In autumn, leaves shift to vivid orange and red hues. In winter, the forest thins while offering open views.

Despite being close to the parking lot, the trail feels removed from town. Ellison has been hiking here since the late 1990s and describes Pinnacle as an “incredibly special place.” He offers guided forest bathing walks on this loop by appointment throughout the year.

Preparation Needed

Forest therapy requires little prep over than commitment, making it a delightfully low-maintenance adventure. Dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes, and bring water if you’re heading out for a longer walk. Keep the pace slow on purpose in order to stroll, often, and sit for a while.

Singleton likes to remind people that “no swimsuit or towel [is] required,” though you might be invited to touch the river or creek with your hands or feet. If you feel comfortable, switch your phone off or to airplane mode and treat the hour or two as a break from notifications as much as a walk in the woods.

Guide Service

You can walk these trails on your own, but going with a guide changes the experience. Singleton leads small-group and private sessions on the Greenway and nearby sites; email her at dsingletonartguide@gmail.com to book.

To walk Pinnacle Park with Mark Ellison, reach out to Jackson County Parks & Recreation or Friends of Jackson County Greenways for his current schedule for a 2.5-hour walk.