Nature Bathing at Sleeping Buffalo

We’re in northern Montana, having driven the Hi-Line (US Highway 2) west from Ironwood, Wisconsin, through Minnesota and North Dakota, until we hit this water reclamation area near the tiny town of Sleeping Buffalo.

Man did Tracy’s boondocking skills pay off here. We all three sighed in relief when we drove down the dirt road along the reservoir and saw almost no one camping.

Let the nature bathing begin!

I think the closer translation of the Japanese concept is forest bathing: when you go deep in the woods and become mindful of all your senses filling with the forest, and only the forest.

Here it’s gently rolling grassland as far as we can see.

Plus the lake, with shorebirds and jumping fish and gorgeous light reflected on the water.

I feel like bathing is the exact right term because it’s such a passive description. All I do is sit here, looking out at the water, at the fields, letting civilization get slowly edged out of my mind.

No shoes all day, daylight until we go to bed, then the trailer windows open all night.

Of course, other campers eventually showed up, people here to fish Walleye and to nature-bathe along with us. Oh well, we stay up late in the tent playing cards and watching the water, anyway. The peace pervades everywhere.