The NPS Wellness Challenge is run by the National Park Service's Healthy Parks Healthy People programme, on the idea that parks can be gateways to good health — for people and for the planet. It is offered in all seven national parks in Missouri.
How it works
Every park has nine challenges: three physical, three mental and three learning. Pick a park, pick a challenge, and get to know the park more deeply. Finish the challenges in a category and you earn that category's Wellness Challenge badge — one, two or all three.
The pitch is simple. People give their time away all day, sometimes too much of it; some should be kept for looking after mind, body and spirit, in whatever way makes you feel whole. That kind of wellness is, in the programme's slogan, well within reach — every person, any park. Get out and explore: walk, run, roll or climb; think, learn, float or relax.
The three kinds of challenge
Physical — three challenges in each park, time to yourself and new ways to move for your health.
Learning — three challenges per park to find new perspectives, memorable moments and the people who changed the nation's history.
Mental — three challenges per park to pause, reflect, relax and use your senses in nature.
Missouri's seven parks
| Park | Where | Its theme |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway Arch National Park | St. Louis | Gateway to the West |
| George Washington Carver National Monument | Diamond | The Plant Doctor |
| Harry S. Truman National Historic Site | Independence | The People's President |
| Ozark National Scenic Riverways | Van Buren | More than just the rivers |
| Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park | Ste. Genevieve | Community on the Mississippi |
| Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site | St. Louis | A place called home |
| Wilson's Creek National Battlefield | Republic | The second major battle of the Civil War |
Each park's own page lists its nine challenges; the Park Service also answers common questions on an FAQ page.
Sources
- National Park Service, Healthy Parks Healthy People, "NPS Wellness Challenge." https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/nps-wellness-challenge.htm
- More: NPS Wellness Challenge FAQ; Gateway Arch challenges; health and wellness benefits of parks.
- Images: National Park Service.
- Rewritten in hubnx's own words.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.nps.gov
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