Saturday, October 5, 2024 Hike Announcement

The River to River Trail Society announces its 1st public hike of the 2024 fall hiking season on Oct. 5th. Hiking: Jackson Hollow viewing bluffs (Johnson County). This hike is free and open to the public. This will be a loop hike approximately 4.4 miles in length. The leader of this hike can be reached at 270-331-1553 for more information. Hikers should meet at 10:00 am at East Trigg Trailhead. This hike is intended for people in good health who have done some hiking. Hiking sticks and boots or sturdy shoes are recommended. Hikers should bring their own water and snacks. No dogs please. This hike will not be on official FS hiking trails. Hikers will be required to shuttle for this hike. For a map to the meeting location at East Trigg Trailhead click this blue link East Trigg Trailhead and a map will open up, and then click the Directions button and a driving map will be created which will allow you to plan your driving directions to the meeting area. Prior to participating in any hikes, the River to River Trail Society requests that all hikers read the 2023 Trail Society Waiver which can be found on the River to River website at the following link River to River Trail Society Information and then sign off on this waiver prior to the beginning of the hike. A copy of the waiver will be at the East Trigg Trailhead meeting area for your signature.

2024 National Public Lands Day, 5th Annual Garden of the Gods Trash Blast

Hi all, we hope everyone has had a safe and enjoyable summer considering everything going on. We in the Trail Society have been working on our fall hiking schedule which was released. In an effort to give back to the forest, the Trail Society is planning our 5th annual trash blast work day at Garden of the Gods on National Public Lands Day. National Public Lands Day is held annually on the on the fourth Saturday in September and is the largest single-day volunteer event for public lands. Join us and the Friends of the Shawnee National Forest at Garden of the Gods main parking lot at on Saturday September 28, 2024 at 9:30 AM to celebrate National Public Lands Day by helping to clean up the trash in area before the fall tourist season.

Depending on the number of volunteers that register, we plan on having several groups picking up in various areas. These would include below the observation trail, another group picking up along the observation trail and around the parking lots and a third group picking up at the backpackers parking lot and on the Indian Point Trail. If you are planning on volunteering please plan on bring your own gloves, water, trash pickup tools and snacks needed for the event. This trash blast will involve bushwhacking around the base of the observation area and in the woods below parking the parking lots.

It is requested that volunteers call or email Chris Drone (618-926-3250 or chris.drone@gmail.com) to register your participation. Please leave a message if no answer.

Lets make this as successful as last years event as shown in the pages photo.