please arrive by 12:00 PM CT. we will wait till 12:20, then depart on foot. there is only one trail here, and we will hike it there and back, so if you are LATE, just start hiking west, and you will run into us either coming or going. note, there is no restroom at this trailhead. the Burns Harbor Town Hall is just a few doors to the east--i'm not sure if they have a restroom, or if we could easily use it, but if anyone tries, please let me know.
if you arrive late, and no parking is available, put "Deer Trail Park" in your navigation device, take the 10 minute drive to get there, park, and start hiking east; you will run into us from the other direction.
dear friends--
the opening of the Salt Creek bridge in the last couple years provided a vital missing link for hikers and bicyclists wanting to get from the west unit of the National Park to the east unit.
previously there was no way across Salt Creek on foot north of US 20, leading dedicated hiker, Jeff, who was plotting a route for his Dunes Long Trail to actually ford the stream at a relatively shallow point, near I-94.
but now not only is there a bridge over Salt Creek, but a paved bicycle path between IN 249 near the Bass Pro Store, and IN 149 in Burns Harbor, passing through some scenic woods in the high ground above the flood plain of the ubiquitous Little Calumet River.
since this route is designed for bicycles, it is paved, and relatively wide, and has switchbacks at the steepest grades, making it also wheelchair accessible. it is also very lightly travelled, especially in non-summer, so on an April hike, there should not be a traffic problem.
this offers an opportunity for further pursuing a goal we have been striving for in this group--to have a variety of hikes to suit all members' abilities and preferences, and to communicate this upfront in our announcements so hikers can know what to expect, and self-sort appropriately. so this accessible trail extends the range of options even further. this is an asphalt-paved, fully ACCESSIBLE, wheelchair-friendly trail.
Hiking automatically involve risks from weather, trail conditions, even plants and animals. we don't know your state of health, or fitness level, but YOU do, or should, so please monitor yourself, and--for your sake and ours--stay away from events that involve activities with unwanted difficulty, or an unacceptable risk level.
since we'll be at a trailhead for the Marquette Greenway Trail, and not on National Park property, i don't think a permit is required to park here, though i haven't been able to get clear, unambiguous information about that. i would say, if you have a National Park permit, display it, but don't buy one just for this hike.
Make sure to check the weather on the day of the event and dress appropriately http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/Beverly+Shores+IN+46301 . Be sure to bring along plenty of water (preferably 2 quarts), and a snack which we will eat along the way.
this is a 2 1/2 mile there-and-back trail in the corridor of land between the two main units of the National Park, through the valleys of the ubiquitous Little Calumet River and Salt Creek.
we will meet at the Marquette Greenway trailhead at 300 Navajo trail in Burns Harbor. this is a small lot with 15 spaces, some of which could be taken by others. i am working on a contingency plan if we run out of parking, but i may have to be stricter about attendance limits because of parking.
we will get together at the trailhead, make introductions, and start hiking. i will lead the slower group, and Erica will lead the faster group.
we will proceed westward at our own pace, which means that people will probably self-sort into groups of 2's and 3's depending on how fast and how far they want to go.
when the faster group gets to Deer Trail Park, they will turn around and start back. the trail continues west beyond this point to IN-249, but it goes through the Ameriplex development, including the Bass Pro outdoor store, and is not particularly attractive, so this is where i suggest we turn around, and hike the 2 1/2 miles back to our vehicles.
at some point hiking east, we will all be back together again. my plan is that at that point, we will all turn around and go back to our vehicles, but if anyone wants to continue west as far as Deer Trail Park on their own, that's ok. in fact, anywhere along the route, if anyone wants to go ahead of the rest, or turn back, they may, because this is a linear trail, and you won't get lost.
if you have symptoms of, or have recently tested positive for Covid-19 (or any other contagious disease), please DO NOT ATTEND.
if anyone wants to plan a late lunch or an early dinner, go ahead--just west of here are numerous dining opportunities in the Amerplex complex, but sadly i am still not dining indoors because of having a couple Covid risk factors.
i'm excited to be offering some new opportunities on some relatively new ground, so see you there,
Rick