You’re invited to the always-popular annual Groundhog Hike! Slated for Sunday, Feb. 4, the family-friendly winter hiking event is hosted by Athens Conservancy and Friends of Strouds Run in honor of our founder John Knouse.
The fun kicks off around noon at Strouds Run State Park, where we’ll gather at the Bobcat Shelter, near the park’s boathouse. Enjoy coffee, hot chocolate, and snacks, and warm up by our campfire before heading out on the trailsYou will be able to choose from several hikes through the beautiful winter woods (a longer trek and a shorter version), led by our expert guides. Or explore the trails on your own with maps we’ll have on hand. (See hike details below.)
We’ll be setting up a potluck of snacks in the shelter house. Feel free to bring something to share, and please label your item with any details about what it contains.
While we love pets, we ask that for this event you leave your furry friends at home.
Hike Details
Longer hike (about 60 minutes, and 2 miles): The longer Groundhog Hike will start on the Broken Rock trailhead above the Bobcat Shelter and continue to the Sundown intersection. There, hikers will turn right at the intersection and continue on to reach the Chestnut trail. Hikers can then turn around and hike back the way they came, or walk out to the beach road to return to the starting point.
Shorter hike (about 30 minutes, and 3/4 mile): The shorter Groundhog Hike will start on the Broken Rock trailhead above the Bobcat Shelter and continue to the Sundown intersection. Hikers will go left on Sundown and follow the trail to the parking lot at the Beach Road/ Strouds Run Road intersection. There, they are encouraged to turn around and return the way they came, or take the easier/ faster Beach Road back.
Weather note: We plan to hike no matter what mother nature has in store. However, in case of treacherous winter weather, we will postpone the Groundhog Hike until the following Sunday – Feb. 11. Watch our Facebook page for updates.