Forest Glen - Trail Maintenance and Backpacking Weekend

Volunteer Trail Maintenance Day!

Interested in doing some trail maintenance and learning first-hand some of the efforts that go into keeping a heavily-used trail in good condition? Then join us for a weekend of camping/hiking and a day of trail maintenance on the River Ridge Trail at Forest Glen.
We're working with the Land Management and Facilities Repair for Vermillion County for this weekend.
There is no limit to the number of attendees and they've said that they have a lot of projects to work on. Because they'll be planning what will be worked on, it's important that we provide as accurate a head count as possible, so please wait to sign up until you know you can make it. No need to sign up just to hold a spot.

Here are the deets:

• Arrive Friday afternoon/early evening. We are staying at the group campground. It's about 2½-3 miles from the parking lot at the Visitor Center. Sunset on the 15th is 8:00 and it's about a 3 hour drive from Chicago, so please keep that in mind when planning your departure time if you don't want to do any hiking after sunset.
• UPDATE (1/20/26) - if you can't get there before it gets dark and/or you don't want to hike from the Visitor Center in the dark/twilight, they've told me that they will keep the gates open for us and you can drive right to the group campsite.
• Saturday will be spent doing various works and projects as directed by the Forest Glen staff. Saturday late-afternoon and evening is time to hang out, enjoy each other's company, relax, etc.
• Sunday you're free to either continue the remaining 8 miles of the River Ridge Trail or just head back to the Visitor Center.
• Totally optional, but we often go to a local restaurant on the way home to extend the social time of the group.

What to Bring:

• Your regular backpacking gear (including food and water)
• Clothes to wear while doing the maintenance on Saturday (don't forget the work gloves)

Who Should Come?
Anyone and everyone! :-) The hike from the Visitor Center to group camp is not very strenuous and this is one of our favorite spots to hold beginner trips. If you're able to join us, we'd love to have you.

Trip Expectations and Advisory:

• No add-ons. If you have a friend who wants to attend, please ask them to join our Meetup group and then sign up for the trip themselves.
• We'll use email for pre-trip communications. You'll be asked to enter your email when you RSVP, so please respond to organizer emails in a timely manner or risk forfeiting your spot on the trip. Participation is at the discretion of the organizer.
• We practice Leave No Trace and expect that everyone attending is also committed to these principles. http://lnt.org/

Transportation:
Trip organizers do not arrange carpools but we do encourage carpooling. If you want to offer or solicit a ride, use the Comments section for the trip.
Each member is responsible for getting to the meeting point on time. If you are going to be late, contact the trip organizer as this affects the entire group. Each car should make its own gas reimbursement arrangements

Costs:
There's no cost to this weekend. They're providing the campsites for free in exchange for our labor on Saturday. Of course, your gas, tolls, food, etc. are your responsibility.

Acknowledgement:
As a member of the Chicago Backpackers Group, by registering (RSVPing) for this event, you accept that Hiking & Backpacking can be a dangerous sport and fully assume all risks associated with such participation, including travel to and from the event. You agree to be responsible for your own safety and equipment. You realize that conditions, obstacles, and weather are always changing, and your personal safety cannot be guaranteed. You understand the [Meetup.com](http://meetup.com/) Terms of Service agreement which you signed when you joined Meetup (link below) and accept that participation is at your own risk. You agree to communicate with event organizers to plan for the trip and sign the Release of Liability provided by the organizers prior to participation.

Click here to review the [Meetup.com](http://meetup.com/) Terms of Service.
(https://www.meetup.com/terms/)

Prior to the weekend, you will be emailed a waiver form that must be signed and returned before the trip. Again, please ensure that you provide an email address that you actively use.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to message me directly or leave a comment below.

Rob