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Go off the beaten path & explore the far reaches of your county parks & habitat areas during a new kind of guided hike. New for 2021, Hikin' With a Nature Nerd, is a series of Naturalist led hikes aimed at exploring the rhythm of nature in southwest Iowa. Each hike will set out to explore new areas of your county parks & will include exploration of our native ecosystem through the changing seasons. Each hike will be a unique adventure, get ready to get off trail & see what nature has in store for you.
Hikin' with a Nature Nerd will be offered 3 times each month in 2021 & you are invited to join us for as many as you are able to. It is not necessary to attend every event. Cost for these programs is $5.00 per person per program & includes park admission. Attendees must be age 14 & over. Online pre-registration is required as space is limited. Our January dates are listed below, click each link for details & registration.
6:00 p.m. - Wednesday, January 6th
Fox Run Ridge Trailhead
Hitchcock Nature Center 27792 Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek, IA 51542
10:00 a.m. - Friday, January 15th
Visitor Parking Lot
Crescent Wildlife Area 24668 Liberty Lane, Crescent, IA 51526
* Please Note: Participants will need to travel on gravel surface roads to reach this habitat area.
6:00 p.m. - Tuesday, January 26th
Hohneke Trailhead
Hitchcock Nature Center 27792 Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek, IA 51542
Each Hikin' With a Nature Nerd is unique & Each hike will last 1 to 2 hours with the distance traveled being dictated by the interests of the group & the will of nature. These hikes will include pedestrian travel over uneven terrain, including off trail travel. Hikes may at times be strenuous but pacing will be set by the group making them perfect for any hiker, from novice to experienced. Water bottles, bug spray, & sunblock are all recommended, please dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear.
Unfortunately this event is not pet friendly, service animals are always welcome. Since this event is weather dependent any cancellations will be decided the day of the event & communicated by email to all registered participants. We will try to reschedule any events impacted by weather if possible, if it's not possible we will refund your program fee & see you at the next event!
COVID-19 is still impacting our programming here in Pottawattamie County so we will be observing some adjustments & implementing some precautions to keep participants & staff as safe as possible. These events will be held almost entirely outdoors but should we venture indoors masks are required. We also recommend masks outside when a minimum distance of 6' between individuals/households is not possible. Staff will be wearing masks too so you are in good company. We will also ask participants to sign a waiver upon arrival for these programs. We appreciate your understanding, your patience, & your support as we work to continue offering quality programming during these difficult times.
