The Ultimate Secret to Flourishing and Success
It’s a well-known fact that spending time in nature has enormous benefits for your mental and physical health. What’s less well-known is that connecting with wildlife can also boost your personal and professional success.
According to Sue Bhatia, Founder and Chairwoman of Rose International, “In today’s society, many people have lost touch with their relationship to the natural environment, and the value, inspiration, and goodwill that comes from spending time outdoors. Connecting with nature is not only wonderful for your well-being; it leads you down a serene path to success”
Colorado is the ultimate destination for individuals wanting to deepen their relationship with nature due to its diverse landscapes and breathtaking wildlife.
At The Astrid, we are passionate about providing opportunities for members of our community to fully soak in the natural environment. We’re perfectly placed for total immersion in nature, with each of our residences boasting remarkable views in three directions.
We believe that each of our residents deserves to experience the full physical and mental benefits of engaging with the natural world. In fact, Kathryn E. Schertz and Marc G. Berman tell us that “experiments have found that being exposed to natural environments improves working memory, cognitive flexibility, and attentional control, while exposure to urban environments is linked to attention deficits.”
Whether you enjoy mountains, lakes, hot springs, or forests, Colorado is the perfect place to increase your connection with the environment, improve your cognitive abilities, and guide you toward the accomplishment of your personal and professional goals. We’ll share the very best ways to embrace nature in Colorado so that you can reap the mental, physical, and professional benefits.
1 – Majestic Mountains
We couldn’t write about nature in Colorado without first discussing the Southern Rocky Mountains. Spanning across Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado, these impressive mountain ranges are often referred to as the ‘Colorado Rockies’ as the highest peaks are found in Colorado.
Of course, the Colorado Rockies are famous for some of the most incredible ski resorts in the world. There truly is no better way to experience the splendor of a mountain than gliding through fresh powder, looking out at towering white peaks as gravity pulls you down an exhilarating slope.
The Astrid is designed with remarkable mountainside experiences in mind, as our residences are built on the largest remaining ski-in ski-out parcel of land on Mount Werner. This gives our community 100% uninterrupted access to nature, seamlessly integrating residences with the mountain. This is the ultimate way to absorb the natural environment from the moment you step (or indeed, glide) out the door.
2 – Charming Hiking Trails
While snow sports dominate Colorado’s winter landscapes, the milder seasons allow nature-enthusiasts to immerse themselves in towering forests, thunderous waterfalls, and lush meadows full of wildlife.
Scenic hiking trails can be found all throughout Colorado, with Steamboat Springs boasting a great number of trails perfect for beginners up to advanced peak-baggers.
Local favorites include:
- Rabbits Ear Peak – a moderate hiking trail known for the beautiful wildflowers that bloom in the summer months.
- Yampa Core Trail – a flat paved byway that follows the Yampa River, perfect for family outings.
- Buffalo Pass – an easy route that is popular among those looking to explore the wilderness.
- Thunderhead Hiking Trail – located a short 5-minute walk from The Astrid, this challenging route weaves through beautiful woodland and is dog-friendly.
3 – Luxurious Hot Springs
The abundance of nature in Colorado makes it an alluring destination for anyone hoping to maintain an active lifestyle, whilst embracing the great outdoors. Whether it’s a blazing hot day, or packed full of snow, wildlife-enthusiasts will be familiar with the aching muscles that accompany a good day exploring nature.
A particularly relaxing way to immerse yourself in the environment, and tend to your sore muscles, is to make a stop at a natural hot spring. Colorado is home to an array of hot springs, ranging from contemporary thermal pools, to rustic natural water springs.
The famous Strawberry Hot Springs offers year-round relaxation, as a collection of 5 gorgeous pools are hot in every season.
Ranging from 101°F to 106°F, a long soak in this natural spring provides guests with a number of health benefits:
- Reducing stress
- Decreasing blood pressure
- Increasing circulation
- Softening dry skin
According to Kristen Weir, science writer for the American Psychological Association, “It’s clear that getting outside is good for us. Now, scientists are working to determine what types of environments are best. Much attention has gone to green spaces, but [scientists have] studied a variety of marine and freshwater environments and found these blue spaces are also good for well-being[…] [Water-based spaces] may even be slightly more restorative than green spaces.”
To gain the most benefits from immersing yourself in nature, spending time in and around water is essential. What better place than a gloriously warm natural spring?
4 – Tranquil Birdwatching
Colorado is home to more than 400 species of bird, allowing both guests and residents to experience the diversity of nature in a remarkable level of detail. Many birders are particularly excited to observe bucket list-species such as mountain bluebirds, bald eagles, and western tanagers.
The Yampa Valley Crane Festival is the perfect opportunity to fine tune your birding skills and get up close to nature in Colorado. This celebration is one of our favorite uncrowded annual events here at The Astrid, as it is a wonderful chance to observe the Greater Sandhill Cranes as they migrate through the Yampa Valley.
Every fall, Steamboat Springs hosts crane-viewings, nature walks, and expert speakers, enabling bird enthusiasts to reconnect with the natural world.
5 – Immersive Wildlife Tours
Colorado’s diverse landscapes are home to over 960 different wildlife species, which are just as mesmerizing as the scenery.
Eagle-eyed spotters will experience the excitement of seeing bison, mountain lions, beavers, and wild horses! In order to protect the wildlife in Colorado, we recommend keeping a safe distance so as not to disturb the animals in their natural habitat. A top tip is to bring a zoom lens for your camera or binoculars, ensuring you get an excellent view from a sensible vantagepoint.
If you’d like to get a little closer, a unique way to experience this abundance of fauna is to partake in a guided wildlife tour. Visitors to Steamboat Springs have access to year-round adult field schools hosted by Yampatika, giving participants the opportunity to get up close and personal with nature.
Retreat into Nature
Dr Lisa Nisbet, a psychologist at Trent University Ontario, Canada, believes that whilst we benefit from spending time in nature, nature itself benefits from us spending time in it. “When people are disconnected from nature, they aren’t motivated to work on wicked problems like climate change. We’re losing the environments that contribute to our flourishing,” she says. “The key question is, How do we help people feel connected to nature so we’re motivated to protect the places that will help us thrive?”
Steamboat Springs is an exquisite vacation destination for those who wish to deepen their connection with nature in Colorado. From grand mountain landscapes, to intimate encounters with animals, we can’t think of a better place for wildlife enthusiasts to rejuvenate their mind and body.
Here at The Astrid, our luxurious residences compliment the array of nature-focused activities available in Steamboat. We’ve carefully curated our space at the foot of Mount Werner to exist in harmony with nature, thoughtfully considering the local environment in every aspect of construction, including the use of sustainable materials and production methods wherever possible.
We invite you to experience the refreshment of a home-away-from-home that is fundamentally intertwined with nature, by becoming part of The Astrid community. We’d love to invite you to join our mailing list. We’ll send you highly personalized emails detailing the glorious natural surroundings, luxurious amenities, and sense of community to be found at one of our residences.
To join our community, simply provide us with your name and email address. By doing so, you’ll be invited to join our exclusive mailing list. As part of this list you’ll gain access to insider information, behind-the-scenes content, and a highly personalized email experience reserved only for members of The Astrid community.
