The towering pines, secret sitting spots with clumps of moss, babbling streams, scampering squirrels, graceful deer and songbirds make Ferncliff a magical space no matter the season or reason you visit. Within Ferncliff you will find a Nature School, Disaster Assistance Center, youth mission projects, summer camps, as well as community outreach programs, conference meeting spaces and retreat lodging. When you truly experience Ferncliff, you can find something magical and joyful.

It really doesn’t matter if you are a camper, member of the Forest Church, volunteer, conference or retreat guest, student, staff member, mission team participant or just someone who has stopped by for a quick visit, all find joy here at Ferncliff. Being in nature has a way of helping joy along if you are willing to embrace it.

The benefits of being in nature are well documented. Dr. Jason Strauss, director of geriatric psychiatry at Harvard-affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance confirms this in a 2018 article published in the Harvard Men’s Health Watch. In the article Dr. Strauss said “nature can have a powerful effect on our mental state. He references a study that found group nature walks were just as effective as solo treks in terms of lowering depression and stress and improving overall mental outlook. In fact, it was noted people who had recently experienced stressful life events, such as a serious illness, death of a loved one, or unemployment had the greatest mental boost from a group nature outing.” To our way of thinking the year-long Covid-19 pandemic and recent weather have caused a lot of stress for people, so it might be the perfect time to plan a trip to Ferncliff.

While adults benefit from being in nature, so do kiddos and a recent post from Child Mind Institute confirms this. While they say it is unclear how exactly the cognitive functioning and mood improvements occur in kids, they do outline why nature is good for kids. Being outside builds confidence, promotes creativity and imagination, teaches responsibility, and provides a stimulation different than the sound of sitting in front of a computer screen. Begin outside also reduces stress and fatigue for kiddos.  

We invite you to visit Ferncliff and find joy in nature. Schedule your company retreat, plan a weekend family and friends gathering or just stop by for a visit. We hope you will contact us so we can customize a package just for you.

Life will always have stress and will continue to be complicated, but you can choose to be in nature and find joy. We hope you do that by visiting Ferncliff.

You are invited: We have a special open house scheduled in April. All you need to do is sign up to schedule your free personal tour of Ferncliff. While you are here, you can enjoy a beverage and dessert and a shuttle ride learning about our programs and ministries.

About Ferncliff: We help people connect to nature and live a fulfilling life. We do this through our Nature School, Disaster Assistance Center, youth mission projects, summer camps, as well as community outreach programs, conferences and retreats. We have been doing this since 1937 and have grown from a small Presbyterian camp to a multi-faceted organization located on 1200 acres in central Arkansas. To learn more please visit our website www.ferncliff.org or call us at 501-821-3063 to schedule a visit.