While Champlain Area Trails (CATS) mission is to “make trails and save land,” another part of the mission is to “connect people to nature,” which happens through CATS Outdoor Education Programs. Thanks to the Outreach Committee’s hard work, there is a great schedule of fun, interesting, and informative programs for you this summer. Visit CATS website to learn more and to sign up for one or more of them, starting this Saturday, June 25th for a hike like you’ve never had before.
Material Remains and the Historic Use of the Landscape – Reading History through Archaeology, Saturday, June 25, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. – This fascinating workshop, led by Anthropologist and Plattsburgh State University lecturer Andy Black, will guide you along the CATS Homestead Trail in Essex past old stone walls, ruins and homestead remains. Andy will discuss how the use and structure of the landscape has changed in the past 200 years. Sign up today!
Check out the Events & Hikes Page for details on CATS 2016 Summer Nature Hikes which include:
- The “CATS-Hour” Hikes – Three separate, easy, hour-long morning hikes led by Michelle Maron and Catherine Haskins on three different CATS Trails.
- The “At Place” Series – Three distinctive workshops focusing on creative expression through writing, art, and music while connecting to nature on a CATS Trail. The “Writing, Seeing, and Listening in Place” Workshops are led by Writer Kristin Kimball, Artist Kevin Raines, and Musician Taylor Haskins.
- Making the Most of GPS Apps – A beginners’ workshop on using mobile GPS apps, led by Shelby Perry of Northeast Wilderness Trust.
(Please note that the “suggested donation” for each program is a suggestion to help us cover our costs. We don’t want it to limit participation, so please call the CATS office if you’d like sign up and donate whatever amount is right for you.)
Trail of the Week
Split Rock Wild Forest Trails – This is the perfect weekend to hike the Split Rock Wild Forest trails. The trailhead is on Lakeshore Road, 5.8 miles south of Essex or 4.7 miles north of Westport. Split Rock Wild Forest is the largest protected property on Lake Champlain and contains easy to moderate trails ranging from 2 to 6 mile loops going up, over, and along the mountain overlooking Lake Champlain, passing wetlands, waterfalls, and an old quarry. You can get to the lake at Barn Rock Bay and to some amazing overlooks above Snake Den Harbor and several other sites. Click here for a detailed map of the trails in Split Rock Forest.
Chris Maron
CATS Executive Director
Related articles
- Building Bridges & Another Conservation Easement Success Story (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Champlain Area Trails Honors Founding Member Bruce Klink (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Grand Hike Success! What’s Next? (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
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