Barefoot Trail: A Sensory Adventure for Wellness | Featured Stories

Tucked beneath the shade of towering Ponderosa pines on the outskirts of Flagstaff, The Barefoot Trail provides a journey into grounding, wellness, and joy. As the first park of its kind in the United States, this one-mile sensory trail invites visitors to kick off their shoes and reconnect with the earth in a playful, restorative way.

The park is the brainchild of Leah Williams who drew inspiration from her childhood spent running barefoot through grass and forest. Her passion deepened during a period living in Europe, where she was introduced to the concept of barefoot parks.

“My children went on a field trip in Belgium to a barefoot park and they were so excited to tell me about their experience,” Williams said. “We then went as a family and I absolutely loved it. I told myself I was going to build one just like it in the United States whenever we moved back… and 15 years later the park is built and operating.” 

A full-body experience

The Barefoot Trail bloomed into a nonprofit nature experience that blends reflexology, outdoor adventure, and community wellness. Since opening for a three-month discovery season in 2024, The Barefoot Trail has welcomed more than 6,000 visitors—and now, with its 2025 season underway, the park is expanding in both offerings and impact.

Among this year’s updates: participation in Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program, allowing homeschool and ESA-eligible students to receive reimbursement for their visit. The park has also added STEAM-based educational booklets, new reflexology stations, swing sets, and an additional picnic ramada.

“The future goal of the nonprofit is to encourage the building of more parks across the nation to bring this experience to different communities in various states,” Williams said. “We want to bring awareness to the benefits of grounding, getting back to nature, enjoying time outdoors safely with friends and family, and reaping the physical/mental benefits while having all the fun the park provides.”

What to expect on the trail

The trail itself is a carefully manicured, one-mile loop designed for barefoot exploration. Visitors encounter a wide variety of textures from wood to mud, different segments of rock, stone, and water for reflexology segments. Adventure stations along the way have bridges, ladders, ropes, steps and ziplines. While the middle of the path is sanded for comfort, they left some natural soil as well. 

“The reflexology path connects visitors directly with the natural ground, stimulating blood flow through pressure points on the feet and increasing our senses throughout the body which improves our physical and mental state,” Williams said. “It is recommended to ground every day for 20 to 30 minutes to reap the benefits of restoring your natural electrical balance.” This can help reduce stress, inflammation and ensure a better night’s sleep, she added. 

Six core values guide the experience

The Barefoot Trail’s mission is anchored in six core values: exercise through outdoor recreation, the benefits of grounding/earthing/reflexology, environmental education, outdoor youth development, therapeutic programs, and land conservation. These values shape every element of the park’s design and operations.

The Barefoot Trail offers visitors a chance to unplug and exercise while enjoying nature’s beauty.

“It’s physically healthy, mentally healthy, fun, exciting and creates wonderful memories,” Williams said. “I want families and friends to enjoy time together, doing something active and healthy. Get away from electronics, get outside, breathe the fresh air, laugh, have fun and enjoy a couple of hours in the forest.”

Williams hopes The Barefoot Trail will become a national model. Future plans include expanding the concept to other communities nationwide, creating more spaces that encourage wellness through nature.

Reservations are strongly recommended, especially weekends. The park is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday with tours running from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesdays are reserved for private group bookings via appointment for schools, camps or corporate groups.

Her advice for first-time visitors? “Have an open mind and come ready to try a new experience,” Williams said. “Of course you can ground at home, but this park provides an experience and a safe introduction to grounding and reflexology.” 

For more information, visit thebarefoottrail.org.