NPT Chapter Kick Off Weekend Hike Opportunities

Two hikes will be offered during our NPT kick off the hiking season weekend both with start on Saturday morning at 8am.   Hike #1 will be a Stewardship hike. This will be led from the Benson Rd trailhead and hike north with the goal of doing trail work roughly 2.6 miles to Grant outlet where there is a small 2 log bridge crossing. This will be a short stewardship hike geared around general trail maintenance and trail clearing. We will not be in the chainsaw window so we will be using hand tools (loppers, clippers and small hand saws) and physical strength to move things off the trail and make trail improvements.  This will be a low difficulty hike geared towards all hiking capabilities and we will travel at the pace of the slowest person or at the limits of the trail due to work being done.  We will hike until we reach Grant outlet or until we hit 10:30 am to give us time to turn around and get back to Waterfront Park by 12:00pm.  Hike #2 will be a pleasure hike with the goal of just hiking. This hike will be led from Collins Gifford Valley trailhead north to Mud lake. This is roughly a 3-mile hike and will be a hike for all levels of hikers. This hike will start at 8am as well with the intention of reaching Mud lake for a short visit and return to the trailhead allowing everyone to return to Waterfront park by 12pm.

Please note: If you are planning to hike on either of these hikes you must have your own hiking equipment and food/snacks and water for the trip.  Both hikes are limited in group size to 12 and will likely fill up quick.

If you would like to sign up for either of these hikes please email Trip leader Bill Celentano at nptstewardship@gmail.com. Please indicate which hike you would like to sign up for so we can put you with the correct group.  There will be a trip leader for both hikes Bill will just be gathering the information for now.  For either of the hikes we will meet in Waterfront park at 7:30 am go over some last-minute details split up into our assigned group and travel by cars to the appropriate trail head.  At the completion of the hikes we will be starting our kick off party festivities in Waterfront park all are welcome to participate in this event.  Also please remember if you hike on the stewardship hike you will be qualified to earn the NPT Chapter Stewardship patch.