It’s only a few minutes after sunrise and I’m cycling on a velvet pathway through what feels like a primeval forest. I’ve already seen a half-dozen deer enjoying breakfast. The songs of the cicadas are the only notes that break the silence. Here is where the world slows down, and I can catch up. Like the rejuvenated leaves of the resurrection ferns, my spirit unfurls and a feeling of wellness erupts. I’m 20 minutes from home and I am surrounded by nature. It’s great to live in a community with places like this to still the mind and stir the soul.

Here are five favorite parks.