From left: Grace Petry, her mother Jennifer and her sister Faith look for turtles on Aug. 12, 2021, as they approach the spillway at the Ellison Pond dam near the entrance to Kanawha State Forest. The dam was scheduled to be breached and the pond drained as part of a stream restoration project coordinated by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
From left: Grace Petry, her mother Jennifer and her sister Faith look for turtles on Aug. 12, 2021, as they approach the spillway at the Ellison Pond dam near the entrance to Kanawha State Forest. The dam was scheduled to be breached and the pond drained as part of a stream restoration project coordinated by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
Seven guided hikes covering a variety of nature and history themes will take place Saturday in Kanawha State Forest during the Kanawha State Forest Foundation’s annual program.
The annual spring nature walk series is named after the prolific, self-taught botanist who served as superintendent of Kanawha State Forest from 1956 to 1981.
This year’s lineup of themed walks, all led by knowledgeable guides, includes:
Native Plants and Forest Ecology: A walk on easy to moderate terrain along Johnson Hollow trail, led by Katerina Thongdara and Brooke Moore.
Trees, Flowers and Birds: Polly Trail over moderate terrain, led by Chris Gatens and Sara Miller.
Birds: Takes place on the moderately difficult terrain of Rattlesnake Road, led by Jim Waggy and Kevin Cade. Hikers urged to bring binoculars, some loaners available.
Geology: Learn about what lies mostly under the surface of Kanawha State Forest on a hike along Overlook Rock Trail led by Pete Sullivan and Ted Jones.
History and Remnants of Mining in Kanawha State Forest: Takes place on the easy to moderate terrain of Davis Creek, Shrewsberry Hollow and Snipe trails, providing views of mine openings, benches, railroad grades and trestle remnants. Learn about mining practices in use before the creation of Kanawha State Forest from hike leader Dale Porter.
Scenic Hike: Pass through a variety of forest habitats and terrain features, including ridgetop cliffs, along Polly Hollow, Beech Glen, Wildcat and Polly trails. Led by George Singleton and Devon Fox.
Navigating the Trails: Follow a variety of easy- to moderate-rated trails in the Middle Ridge area to gain confidence in exploring the forest without getting lost. Hike involves following blazes to navigate a path connecting multiple trails. Led by Michelle Platt and Christopher Wood.
Rick Steelhammer is a features reporter. He can be reached
