Saturday’s hike in Kendrick Woods will offer the perfect opportunity to wind down after the busy holiday season.
SPENCERVILLE — Johnny Appleseed Metro Park District will host a New Year Hike at 10 a.m. Saturday at Kendrick Woods near Spencerville.
Naturalist Dan Hodges said that he is excited to resume the hike that has taken place for at least 10 years.
“We’re trying to kick off the new year on the right foot and so it really offers an opportunity to unwind a little bit and take a brisk hike,” he said. “It’s brisk, but there’s a lot of really interesting nature to be seen out even in the wintertime. We think of things as dead or dormant, but there are actually some really interesting things happening even in the wintertime. We’re able to enjoy that and get some fresh air and start the year on the right foot.”
Hodges said that he is excited to return to Kendrick Woods for a number of reasons.
“It’s one of my favorite parks,” he said. “Its location gives us a bit of a disconnect from the busyness of the holiday season and the busyness of the cities. We’re able to get out in a little bit of seclusion and just be quiet for a while and soak in some of that peace and calm. There are lots of different things that we can look forward to like finding winter birds and talking about moss and lichen and seeing if we can find skunk cabbage pushing up.”
Hodges added that he hopes hikers take away lessons in that vein from this event.
“It’s really about the connection to serenity, the peace and the calm that is the essence of nature and the outdoors,” he said. “I think that’s what this hike is focused on. It’s good to take a step back and get outside and take a breath of fresh air in an actual space.”
As for what hikers should expect from the event, Hodges said that every hike is different even if the agenda is largely the same as in previous years.
“Every time we get outside, things are different,” he said. “But this will be the same sort of thing that we’ve been doing in the past. We’ll be having hot drinks in front of the fireplace before the close to a mile hike and then we’ll come back and try to warm up a little bit. But every hike and every time you go outside, something is different.”
As for anyone worried about low temperatures, Hodges had some simple advice.
“Be prepared for the weather,” he said. “Dressing in layers, and bringing snacks and water to hydrate before we go out is important. Typically this is not a strenuous hike. We’re not going an incredible distance so we don’t have to pack up backpacks or anything like that. But hydrating and making sure you’re dressed appropriately depending on how bitterly cold it is is necessary.”
Anyone interested in going on the hike can visit jampd.com and register by following the register for programs page. There is no cost to participate.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: New Year Hike
WHEN: 10 a.m. Saturday
WHERE: Kendrick Woods, 971 Defiance Trail N., Spencerville.
Register online at http://www.jampd.com.
Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.
