About the Event
This family friendly event is a joint activity between MCWA and SUHFARS. It occurs every other week – April 4th – October 17th for a total of 12 get togethers (skipping Hamvention and Field Day weekends). It’s a 2 – 3 mile walk over mostly level terrain. See the list of dates and places below
Hang out after the walk with an optional bag lunch and or ham radios and do some hams in the park! Some of these parks are even POTA destinations so you can activate these parks, eat a bag lunch and get some exercise to boot! Saturday mornings 9:00 AM start time for those who want to go on the walk. For those who can’t walk but still want to be part of the activity arrive at 10:00 AM. We advise people bring bug spray, sun block and lawn chairs in case there are no picnic tables.
If it’s raining or a chance of rain it’s automatically cancelled. If the event is cancelled because of weather check https://www.suhfars.org
July 11- Sun Lake Forest Preserve – 22925 West Grass Lake Road, Lake Villa – This 2.5-mile walk features a mosaic landscape of oak woodlands and wetlands, including an outstanding example of an Illinois glacial lake for which the site is named.
July 25- Veteran Acres Sterne’s Woods – 330 North Main Street, Crystal Lake – The VA Sterne’s Woods trail (Red) 2.87mile trail features upland woods containing many interesting flowers such as asters, blazing stars and sunflowers.
August 8 – Volo Bog (POTA) – 28478 Brandenburg Road, Ingleside – Tamarack View Trail – This 2.75 mile trail is home to the only open-water quaking bog in Illinois. Formed in an ancient glacial kettle hole lake, Volo Bog features a floating mat of sphagnum moss, cattails and sedges surrounding the open pool of water in the center of the bog.
August 22- The Hollows Conservation Area – 3804 US Highway 14, Cary – This park offers various wooded trails including a trail around Lake Atwood.
September 5- Grant Woods Forrest Preserve – 25405 Monaville Road, Ingleside – 1.8 miles loop
September 19- Moraine Hills State Park (POTA) – 1510 S. River Rd, McHenry – There are three trails that we can choose from. We’ll walk the Leatherleaf Bog Trail 3.2 mile.
October 3- Chain o’ Lakes State Park (POTA) – 8916 Wilmot Road, Spring Grove – The Nature’s Way hiking trail starts at Oak Grove Picnic Area and is 2 ¼ miles in length. This is a big park. When entering the park off Wilmot Road drive about 2 miles to the Oak Grove Picnic area. Follow the posted speed so that ranger Smith won’t give you a ticket!
October 17- Pleasant Valley Conservation Area – 13315 Pleasant Valley Road, Woodstock – This is an interesting park with lots of loops to add to the walk to extend the distance. See the attached map. We’ll try not to exceed 3 miles total.
