Let's Get Hiking - and Learning! January 2024

Happy New Year! With our extended warm temperatures and the pre-winter shoulder season seeming to stretch endlessly, it's been easy to get out on the trails. And while I thought there might not be too many  learning or guided hikes, I was happy to be proven wrong. Check out some of these opportunities to learn - and hike - this month

Forty Years of Prescribed Fire in SE MN State Parks   Wednesday, January 10   10am-noon

As part of Whitewater State Park's HOP program series, Sean Fitcher, Resources Specialist, Minnesota DNR will share a brief history of prescribed fire in SE State Parks from the first burns to the present.  He will describe how we have adjusted to changing constraints and objectives over the years.  A series of success stories will be highlighted.  Lastly, He will discuss what some of the challenges and potential solutions are to managing natural resources with prescribed fire.  If there is time, he can discuss other natural resource management activities in Whitewater State Park or other bluff land state parks as well as share some findings from recent timber rattlesnake radio telemetry work, they have completed. Coffee and lite refreshments available. Sponsor: Friends of Whitewater (MN) State Park

Guided Tree Identification Walk     Friday, January 12  1pm – 2:30pm

Ring in the new year and the Refuge’s 100th anniversary by getting outside and learning something new on La Crosse (WI) County Goose Island's Interpretive Trail! Join our very own forester Bruce Henry on a guided tree identification walk, the first event of the 100t Anniversary Interpretive Series. Winter is the best time of year for observing tree structures and offers a unique glimpse into the inner workings of the Refuge's forested areas. As an experienced forester, Bruce will be leading a walk focused on the identification of trees using bark characteristics during winter conditions. All ages and experience levels are welcome. Participants are encouraged to dress accordingly for weather. The terrain will be an unpaved trail of approximately 1 mile. The Goose Island Interpretive Trail is located as you enter Goose Island, take the first left off County Hwy GI. Sponsor: Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge -  (608) 779-2398 for questions. 

Winter Festival - Kickapoo Valley Reserve     Saturday January 13     9am-10pm

A family event that happens snow or no snow in the beautiful Kickapoo Valley Reserve. It features outdoor events including wildlife talks and hikes. The final schedule isn't set so check their website closer to the date or call (608) 625-2960! Free. Sponsor: Kickapoo Valley Reserve (WI)

  

Geocaching Adventure             Saturday, January 13        Noon-2:30 pm

Ever want to get out and explore? During this program we will be going geocaching, looking for things hidden in the woods. What will make this hunt even more exciting is that it will take us off the beaten path into a little used part of the park with some great views. So dress warm, grab your hiking boots, and let's go on an adventure! (Distance: 2 Miles, Elevation Gain: 300ft). To register call 507-312-2301 or email Jeremy.Darst@state.mn.us With adequate snow we will use snowshoes during this program. You can bring your own or borrow a pair of the parks.  Sponsor: Whitewater (MN) State Park

Candlelight Hike/Snowshoe/Ski     Saturday January 13     5:00-9:00pm

Hike, snowshoe or ski a 1.5-mile torchlit trail and warm up around a roaring campfire while gazing at the stars. Refreshments will be available. John Heasley of Driftless Stargazing, LLC will be hosting a stargazing activity, weather permitting. The Crescent Moon, Saturn and Jupiter will all be visible. Bring your binoculars and learn to use them for stargazing.Vehicle Admission Stickers are required. Sponsor: Wildcat Mountain (WI) State Park.

Free Park Day- Frontenac State Park (MN)       Monday January 15   

If you have Martin Luther King Day off, what better way to spend it then exploring the trails and views at Frontenac State Park when admission is free. Try it, you'll like it. Sponsor: Frontenac (MN) State Park

Hidden History Snowshoe          Saturday, January 27       Noon-2:00 pm

When the leaves are gone and the snow is falling, nature reveals her hidden secrets. Come join us for an afternoon on snowshoes as we find some of these historic relics only visible this time of year. Bring your own snowshoes or use the park's. If there is no snow, we'll hike through the woods! Distance: 1 Mile  Sponsor: Whitewater (MN) State Park

Lake City Big Year Kickoff            Tuesday January 30     6:00pm   Lake City Library

For those folks not (yet) enmeshed in the birding community, a “Big Year” is one in which a birder tries to see/hear as many species of birds as possible within chosen parameters, such as in a specific geographical area.  The library is sponsoring a month-long series of events to involve the community in nature. The kick-off features Brigette Rol (library director), Steve Dietz and Janet Malotky (Master Naturalist volunteers and local birders, as well as FSPA members) discuss the Lake City Big Year and birding basics. Sponsors: Lake City Library and Friends of the Frontenac (MN) State Park Association

Be sure to check often with local hiking groups, universities, naturalist-interest groups, nature conservancies, nature centers and their Friends groups, state parks, US Fish and Wildlife centers and others in your area to see what is on offer to help you understand the natural world around you better.