Walk About featuring the Kalamazoo Nature Center

As noted in my June 6th  post, I registered for a Life Long Learning Class through Western Michigan University called Let's Walk About. 
  
The class meets every morning in June rain or shine (with the exception of severe weather) and promises hikes on area foot paths that span 3-5 miles and a social opportunity to collect friends. 

You can learn more about OLLI and our first Walk About here. 

Last Friday was to be our second walkabout, but with preceding days of copious amounts of rain and a potential for severe weather that very day, class was cancelled.

Happily, this Friday dawned with much-missed sunshine and fresh air! We met at the Kalamazoo Valley River Trail lot near D Avenue and the Kalamazoo River. With a quick stretch and how-do-you-do, we set off.

Today's route took us on the asphalted KVRT where we found ourselves in wooded areas intermingled with meadows and somewhat hilly terrain. We hiked one-and-one-half miles to the entrance of the Kalamazoo Nature Center where we enjoyed a pit stop and a quick presentation on their offerings. They were kind enough to extend day passes to this OLLI group so we were ready to check out the trails at the KNC.

The Kalamazoo Nature Center, recognized by its peers as one of the top nature centers in the country, was established in the late 1950's. Previously known as Cooper’s Glen, a popular family picnic area with evidence of Native American and European Settler campsites, was saved by a forward-thinking group of community leaders who came together to purchase the land and establish an outdoor environmental education center.

Bobbie Jo, our esteemed leader, explained our goal was to walk the Fern Valley and Beach Maple trails then retrace our steps on the KVRT to retrieve our cars. 

Unlike the KVRT, these trails are grass or dirt and although well-groomed to remove face-smacking branches, they remain quite natural. We set out on Fern Valley, featuring a .7 mile "difficult" trail. 

After a bit of a detour onto the newly established Barn Trail, we found the entrance to Fern Valley and proceeded to troop up and down on mostly dirt paths that still held some water from our recent downpours. This was a tranquil, wooded area and the hills brought about some huffing and puffing from the group. As we rounded a corner, a deer spied us and scampered away.

We finished Fern Valley and realized it was already 10:40 a.m. and class was supposed to end by 11. With a quick raise of hands it was decided that due to the hectic agendas of retired people we had better head directly back to our cars, omitting Beach Maple.

With a quick pace, we made it back to the cars at roughly 11:25. We had walked 4.8 miles - quite enough for me and my cantankerous back. 

Next week, features a 3+ mile hike at the Lillian Anderson Arboretum in Oshtemo with guest hike leader, Dave Meeker who is a board member of the Great Lakes Adventure Club.

Be sure to check my blog to hear more about that hike. Better yet, enter your email address on the space provided just to the right of the title of this post to be among the first to learn about the Lillian Anderson Arboretum.

Happy Trails to you!

Miriam