Monroe Lake will kick off its annual Winter Exploration Hike Series in January. This series features off-trail hiking through areas of Monroe Lake that are rarely visited.
Jill Vance, Monroe Lake’s Interpretive Naturalist, leads the hikes. “I don’t plan a set path,” she notes. “We go where the terrain and inspiration take us. The primary purpose is just to get outside and explore; I never know in advance exactly what we might find or see.”
Because the hikes are off-trail through often rugged terrain, Vance does not recommend them for young children, people with mobility concerns, or those with no prior hiking experience. Each hike lasts 1.5 to 2 hours.
Hikes in the series are free but they do require advance registration. Each hike is limited to 20 people. Registrants are sent an email with driving directions to the meeting location and additional details the day prior to each hike.
• Tues., Jan. 12 at 1:30 p.m.: Upper Friendship Fields and Forest (Stillwater-Northfork Wildlife Area), register by Jan. 10 at http://bit.ly/wehs2016-1
• Tues., Jan. 26 at 1:30 p.m.: Lower Friendship Fields and Floodplains (Stillwater-Northfork Wildlife Area), register by Jan. 24 at http://bit.ly/wehs2016-2
• Tues., Feb. 9 at 1:30 p.m.: Combs Road (Southfork Marshes), register by Feb. 7 at http://bit.ly/wehs2016-3
• Tues., Feb. 23 at 1:30 p.m.: Kirks Ford Road (Southfork Marshes), register by Feb. 21 at http://bit.ly/wehs2016-4
• Tues., Mar. 1 at 2:30 p.m.: Geode Hill (Fairfax SRA), register by Feb. 28 at http://bit.ly/wehs2016-5
• Tues., Mar. 15 at 2:30 p.m.: Moores Creek (Moores Creek SRA), register by Mar. 13 at http://bit.ly/wehs2016-6
Questions about the hike series can be directed to Jill Vance at [email protected] or 812-837-9967. Entrance to all of Monroe Lake is free during the winter months.