Nature's Trail Yoga
Nature's Trail Yoga is located in the heart of Orland Park, IL on a scenic 5 acre family owned mini farm. Our classes allow you to connect with nature and affectionate goats while enjoying the many health benefits of yoga and goat fun. Come experience a slice of happiness and let the stresses of your day melt away!
Meet your Instructors
Michele McGovern Apps
Yoga Instructor
Michele's love for nature, yoga, & animals led her to open Nature's Trail Yoga. She has earned her yoga certification from the 90 Monkeys School of Yoga in Boulder, Colorado where she studied under world-renowned yogi Amy Ippoliti. Michele has additional certifications in Y4C (Yoga for Cancer), Gravity Yoga, Meditation, Breath Coaching, Reiki, and Sound Healing. She has several continuing education hours in Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Yoga Therapy, Yoga for Facial Release, and Yoga Philosophy. Michele is also a professional flutist, composer, and film maker. Her award winning videos capture nature's beauty and can be seen on her youtube channel at Michele McGovern Music.
Milk
Assistant Yoga Instructor
There are a wide array of excellent health benefits to drinking goat milk, just as there are a wide variety of health benefits to a yoga session with our goat, Milk. Like goat milk, a yoga session with our goat, Milk, will help increase your energy and even help lower your blood pressure. So even if you aren’t a huge fan of milk, the drink, you will definitely be a huge fan of Milk, the lovable goat yoga instructor here at Nature’s Trail. And the best part is, you’ll never leave one of our sessions with an embarrassing milk mustache!
Shake
Assistant Yoga Instructor
This rambunctious little kid takes pride in offering the perfect antidote to stress in your life by helping you get your body moving. His famous “Shake & Wake” hoof massage technique will help you shake out all your anxieties and wake up the happiness within you.
Sushi
Assistant Yoga Instructor
This young man is a world-renowned sushi chef. His restaurant Sushi's Sushi For You, See? is the only restaurant to ever receive a 6-star rating on Yelp. Years of mastering the fine art of sushi rolling have made his hooves very nimble. When he hops on your back during your session and starts giving you little goat massages it will make you feel like one of his award-winning Dragon Rolls.
Fonzie
Assistant Yoga Instructor
A former child actor who got his start in an Off-Off-Broadway production of Three Billy Goats Gruff. Fonzie received rave reviews for his performance. Sadly, Fonzie was unable to parlay that acclaim into a successful film career. To deal with the disappointment, Fonzie turned to yoga as a form of therapy and he’s been hooked ever since! Thanks to yoga, he has become happier and more focused.
Wilbur
Assistant Yoga Instructor
Looking for a nice warm Goat Hug to improve your mood and lessen any feelings of sadness or grief? Wilbur is your guy. He’s the shy, sensitive one. If you play your cards right, he may even sing you a beautifully uplifting song at the end of your session.
Gator
Assistant Yoga Instructor
The goat may have been the first animal to be domesticated by humans over 9,000 years ago but good luck trying to tie this free spirit down! Gator is our resident bad boy. If they made leather jackets for goats, Gator would own three. Gator is truly his own goat and that’s why we love him. Underneath that rough exterior is a true heart of gold. That being said, he might burp in your face without apologizing. We like to call them his “Love Burps.”
Cookie
Assistant Yoga Instructor
Cookie is an internationally certified masseuse. He spent 3 years in Malaysia studying the Therapeutic Arts under the tutelage of Buddhist Monks. His hooves are registered Relaxation Machines with the Department of Revenue and Taxation. You’re welcome.
Monster
Assistant Yoga Instructor
Monster is "Chicago" through and through. He lives for 3 things: Da Bears, Da Bulls, and Da Yoga. Monster is also not what you would call, “A Numbers Guy.” When we travel Monster always insists on driving the truck. We let him do it once, and while goats are great compliments to the therapeutic effects of yoga, they are horrible parallel parkers.
Taco
Assistant Yoga Instructor
It always surprises people how smart our goats are, and none are smarter than Taco here. Not only will spending a class with Taco help boost your metabolism and lower your blood pressure, but he will also help boost your bank account and lower your interest rates by providing top-notch financial advice that he learned while spending 15 years as a top advisor for Edward Goats Investments.
Tamale
Assistant Yoga Instructor
Here’s a fun fact: Tamale is the first goat to ever hike an entire 14er (a 14,000 ft. Mountain) using just his hind legs! Goats are known for their impeccable balance, but Tamale here may just be THEE G.O.A.T. His bipedal journey to the summit of Colorado’s Mount Quandary is legendary. Native Mountain Goats who witnessed the epic climb said, “Whoa,” “What the..!?” So, don’t be surprised if he decides to hop atop your back in preparation for his next great journey up Mt. Kilimanjaro using only his front legs!
Waffles
Assistant Yoga Instructor
Looking to lessen your grief and sadness? Waffles is a world renown motivational speaker who has toured the country giving TED GOAT talks in sold out barns across America. His self-help books, You Goat This, Human! and How To Get Your Life Baaack On Track have both reached number one on the Upstate New York Times Bestsellers list. After one session with Waffles, you’ll find yourself feeling happier, more focused and ready to take on the rest of your day.
Oreo
Assistant Yoga Instructor
Voted Illinois’ Best (only) Goat Stand-up Comedian. Oreo's hilariously acute observations on the cultural differences between goats and sheep have even earned him an appearance on NPR’s hit radio show Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! His web series Goats Getting Scared And Falling Down has gone viral and can be seen almost daily on your kooky aunt’s Facebook page. Come share a laugh and a drink with Oreo during Goat Fun!
Zombie
Assistant Yoga Instructor
Goat yoga fuses animal therapy with yoga and meditation. So who better to receive animal therapy from than an actual animal therapist? Zombie is a certified goat therapist with a Ph.D. in analytical psychology from the University of Goats Online. Known as “The Four-Legged Carl Jung,” Zombie's unique style of therapy involves spontaneous cuddles and plenty of intense eye contact meant to relax you and give your healthy hormones a boost. No couch needed for a session with Zombie, just a yoga mat and an open mind.
Sheldon
Assistant Yoga Instructor
Known to leap tall humans in a single bound, Sheldon is a natural born athlete. He won the gold medal in the Hay Bale High-Jump at this year’s Animal Olympics, setting a world record at five and a half bales in the process. This agile little fella won’t hesitate to show off his impeccable balance on your back while you strike various yoga poses. And good luck keeping up with him during our goat nature walks after your session. He’s a bit of a runner, but we’re working on that.
Wally Bentley from The Mending Muse
Assistant Yoga Instructor & Goat Therapist
Wally Bentley of The Mending Muse were seen on ABC as Chicago's inspiration. Wally met Nature's Trail Yoga goats and no kidding he now calls it home. He still does his therapy off premise with his goat mom, Angela.
David Apps
Instructor & Manager
When David isn't leading classes, you could find him running the behind-the-scenes operations of Nature's Trail Yoga.
Faith Apps
Goat Wrangler
Our goats are well-mannered, but aren't potty trained. Faith gets down and dirty to keep the Goat Yoga experience pellet-free.