Forests for All: Nature Wellness Series

Join us for the month of June for a hiking and crafting series focused on helping people get out of their comfort zone and into the outdoors! Our hikes and activities will be focused on mental health and wellness and the benefits of being in nature. Join us for one or all of the series! These activities are pet-friendly. Friday May 22nd - 5pm Buffalo Ridge Hike - This is a moderate hike that is roughly 1.5 miles out, and a little over a half a mile back on Fisherman's Trail. This is one of our longer trails, with some neat historic features along the way. We will meet at the stage (entertainment pavilion, beside pavilion 3) in the Shoaff's Mill Day Use Area. Thursday June 4th - 5pm Mill Race & Blue Ball Tavern Trail birding & nature journaling hike - This walk will feature two of our shorter trails. We may or may not get to do all of both, it depends on how many birds we find! The blue ball tavern trail is a paved trail and is a great trail for a stroller or wheel chair. On this walk we will discover the health benefits of nature journaling, as well as take the binoculars for some bird watching. We will meet at the stage in the Shoaff's Mill Day Use area. Sunday June 14th - 3pm Creek Trail nature hike - This trail is a little under 2 miles and offers a wide variety of nature viewing options as it winds through different habitats. This trail can be very muddy, so waterproof boots are a must, especially if it rains prior. We will meet in the pavilion 1 & 2 parking lot. Thursday June 18th - 5pm Forest Mandalas - Create your very own work of art with natural materials found in the forest! A mandala is a geometric configuration of symbols, or in our case, natural items, that are arranged in a pattern. The creation of patterns reduces stress, anxiety, and promotes mindfulness and a sense of control. We will meet at the stage in the Shoaff's Mill day use area. Friday June 26th - 5pm Nature Journaling & Wildlife Watching on Exercise Trail & Tavern Trail - Depending on weather and what's blooming and singing, we'll take one of these two trails to explore nature journaling and bird watching. All materials will be provided. We will meet at the park office.