Happiest Outside Logo
Go Where Your Smile Grows Wider

At Trust for Public Land (TPL), we’re driven by the conviction that all people need access to nature, close to home, no matter where they live. Quite simply, the outdoors make us feel good. And when we feel good, we do good.

As a national conservation nonprofit, our mission is to create opportunities for everyone to find joy outdoors. That might mean transforming a schoolyard into a green space for the whole community or building a multi-use trail from a small town center to its nearby forest. Or it might mean offering encouragement and resources, like the ones you’ll find below, to make getting outdoors a little easier.

Bottom line: There’s no right way to spend time outside. What matters are the connections you make to people and places that enrich your life.

 

Use our resources to find your joy outside and to share it with others.
A child sets up a red and black tent on a tarp in a dry, open area with trees and hills in the background.

Camping

Unplug. Overnight. Under the Stars

Here's Our Pitch
Two people are standing in a forest; one is pointing while holding a book, and the other holds binoculars. Both are observing something in the distance.

Birding

Where Happiness Takes Flight

Learn to Bird
A person wearing green gloves holds a small green chili pepper growing on a plant, with blurred background foliage.

Gardening

Can You Dig It?

Grow Something Great
Two people ride bicycles on a paved trail passing between tall rock formations and dense green trees.

Forest Bathing

Deep Thoughts in the Deep Woods

Get Grounded
A person wearing a hat and backpack stands on a metal bridge in a forest, taking a photo with a camera.

Nature Photography

Shoot Your Shot

Point and Shoot
Four people sit at a picnic table under the extended awning of a parked RV in a wooded campsite, with chairs and a mat set up on the ground.

RV-ing

Free to Roam

Free to Roam
Two people in climbing gear stand on a rock ledge with climbing rope and shoes beside them, overlooking a scenic landscape at sunset.
Saguaro cactus in the desert.
Keep Public Lands in Public Hands

Public lands are essential for our health, happiness, and connection—but right now, they’re under threat. Special interest groups are pushing to strip their protections, opening the door to development. That means fewer parks, trails, and natural spaces for all of us.

These spaces are our shared legacy. Take action now and urge Congress to keep public lands in public hands!

Take Action

A girl holding a football ball in front of a playground.
SPREAD JOY
Help Everyone Feel Happiest Outside
Three women walk together outdoors in a grassy, wooded area, dressed in casual jackets and sweaters, with trees and hills in the background.