Holiday Gifts

Come join rural Action and Camp Oty Okwa for the 3rd annual birds in the Hills Festival.

There will be birding hikes, live music, kids activities, presentations, guided field trips, a silent auction, beer tasting and so much more. Food will be provided by Camp OtyOkwa and sourced locally.

$10 entry fee per person

Under 10 years of age - FREE

$15 camping per night per family

Cost: $10/event, $15/camping Reg Req

Contact: Rural Action , Phone: 740-767-2225

8:45 am meet. 9:00 am depart on hikes.

Start off 2018 TrailFest Celebration just right. Each year, prior to the official opening of the festivities, Hiking In to the Buckeye TrailFest location has been offered. Make sure to join in on the fun this year as John Rethman and Byron Guy guide us through hiking the ENTIRE Old Mans Cave Section of The Buckeye Trail. That is correct - You can mark the entire 51.5 mile section as completed before you even get to TrailFest. Pretty awesome.

Base camp is at Hocking Hills State Park and hikers will return there each night after completing that days hike. Please note that the group camp has already been reserved for our hikers at Hocking Hills State Park. You are welcome to join in on any or all days. Sign up directly with John Rethman at ilovehiking3@cinci.rr.com or at 513-505-6698.

Following is the tentative schedule:

Sunday - Boch Hollow to Enterprise - (Old Mans Cave Section Map Pt 1 – 1/4 mile from Pt 8.

Monday - Enterprise to Kreshbaum (south) - (1/4 mile from Pt 8 – Pt 15)

Tuesday - Kreshbaun to Cedar Falls - (Pt 15 to Pt 19)

Wednesday - Cedar Falls to Pretty Run Preserve - (Pt 19 to Pt 23)

Thursday - Pretty Run Preserve to Tar Hollow - (Pt 23 to Pt 28)

Cost: TBA

Contact: The Buckeye Trail Association, Phone: 513-505-6698

Festivities start on April 25th in the evening with -A Shared Vision: A Land Managers Roundtable- hosted by the North Country National Scenic Trail and the US National Park Service.

Thursday, April 26th - Pre-registration hikes are 1) AM Hike A: The Grandma Gatewood Trail: Upper Falls to Ash Cave, 6 miles, Moderate. 2) PM Hike B: Boch Hollow State Nature Preserve, 6 miles, Moderate. 3) All Day Hike C: Hocking Hills Hiking Highlights. Rock Fork to Ash Cave, 15 miles, Strenuous.

Friday, April 27th - Pre-registraion Hikes. 1) AM Hike D: Crane Hollow Nature Preserve, 3-4 miles, Strenuous. 2) All Day Hike E: Hocking Hills Hiking Highlights. Big Pine to Ash Cave, 11 miles, Strenuous.

Saturday, April 28th - Pre-registration Hikes. 1) AM Hike F: Bison Hollow Preserve, 3-4 miles, Moderate. 2) PM Hike G: BTA Pretty Run Preserve, 4.5 miles, Rugged. 3) All Day Hike H: Wayne National Forest, Village of Shawnee to Dutch Ridge Hike, Rugged/Strenuous.

Hikes that do not require Pre-registration are as follows:

Thursday, April 26th. 1) 9:00am, Hocking Hills State Park visitor center to Big Pine Road, rapelling area, 4.1 miles, Moderate. 2) AM Camp OtyOkwa - Hike to Counselors Cave, .8 miles, Moderate. 3) AM Whispering Cave to Cedar Falls, 5.2 miles, 3.5 to 4 hours, Moderate. 4) All Day Hike the Big Three - Rock House, Cantwell Cliffs and Conkle Hollow, 6-8 miles, Moderate to Strenuous. 5) PM Ash Cave to Old Mans Cave/Upper Falls, 6 miles, 3-4 hours, Moderate.

Friday, April 27th - 1) 9:00am Hocking Hills State Park visitor center to Ash Cave, 6 miles, Moderate. 2) AM State Forest Rappelling Area to Upper Falls, 4.1 miles, Moderate. 3) AM Camp Oty Okwa, 1.2 miles, 1 hour. 4) AM Airplane Rock 4.2 miles, Easy to Moderate. 5) PM Night Hike at Oty Okwa, 2 miles, Moderate hike due to darkness.

Saturday, April 28th - 1) 9:00am Starr Route Road, C-4, Point 13 on OMC section map to Big Pine Road, Point 16, Meet at Camp Oty Okwa, 5.5 miles, Moderate. 2) AM BTA Pretty Run Preserve, 4.5 miles, Rugged. 3) AM Deep Woods Hike includes a 120 foot waterfall, 3-4 miles, Moderate. 4) PM Natural Arches of Ohio Geology Hike, 3-4 miles, Moderate. 5) PM Boch Hollow State Nature Preserve, 4 miles, Moderate.

Cost: $55-85/entire event

Contact: The Buckeye Trail Association, Phone: 740-394-2008

3:00-6:00 pm Registration.

7:00pm - NPS Roundtable - A Shared Vision: A Land Managers Roundtable - Dining Hall, Camp Oty Okwa.

Cost:

Contact: The Buckeye Trail Association, Phone: 740-394-2008

9:30 am Arrive at Camp Oty Okwa - Restrooms are available at the large, white barn at the entrance to camp and at the dining hall near the shelter where we will meet for our 10:00 am hike to Split Rocks. Meet your leader, Heather Stehle (and her elementary-age sons), at the shelter near the flagpole between 9:30 - 10:00 am. Heather is a local resident, Director of Crane Hollow Preserve, and a Buckeye Trail Association Board Member. If you have problems finding us, call Heather on her work cell at 740-438-5777. Verizon and Sprint cell service work the best in the Hocking Hills area.

10:00 am hike - Split Rocks - Rock On. Join us for this family friendly hike where we will explore the Split Rocks area of Camp Oty Okwa. The 200-acre forest surrounding Split Rocks is dedicated by the Old-Growth Forest Network. Here, perhaps as the result of a past earthquake, the massive Black Hand Sandstone has split into numerous large vertical slabs creating a maze-like feature on the interior.

12:00 pm Lunch - Hike back to the main area of camp to eat lunch and use the restrooms. We can eat as a group or if you are camping on-site, you'll have time to return to your area to retrieve items, use the restrooms, etc.

1:00 pm Art Exploration: Inspired by Blazes of Blue. This family friendly program will introduce participants to local artist, Norm Fox, who will guide us as we transform our intangible inspirations from the trail into tangible, meaningful works of art. Each participants efforts and artwork will be supported and encouraged. All supplies provided. You may -make and take- your project(s) or you may choose to display them to inspire all of the other Trailfest participants.

Afternoon - Continue making art as long as you'd like. Or enjoy time with your family exploring the trails. Get together with your new friends and hike as a group! Staying for dinner and evening program? We welcome you to enjoy dinner with the other Trailfest participants (payment/signup required) and then enjoy the evening program! Just remember to register for these items separately on the registration form.

Ages 11+ Staying for Dinner? - $13 each

Children ages 0-10 receive free meals. Please designate their meal choices when adding them on the actual registration form.

Please indicate dinners for the REST of the family here.

Ages 11+ Sunday Breakfast - $8.50 each. Children 0-10 eat free, please designate their meal choice when adding them on the actual registration form. Tent Camping - $10.00

There is plenty of room to pitch a tent at Camp Oty Okwa. There is no need to rush away from such a beautiful location. $10 covers the cost for the whole family. Sunday TrailFest Celebration events are free but are primarily focused on the BTA Annual Business Meeting.

Cost: $10 - Family Day Only/limit 5

Contact: The Buckeye Trail Association, Phone: 740-394-2008

8:00 am - 6:00 pm Registration.

7:30-9:00 am - Breakfast/Lunch to go.

All Day - Hiking Activities and NCTA Board Meeting

4:00pm - Happy Hour - Gazebo Area

4:30pm - Speaker Backpacker Magazines GET OUT MORE Tour Ambassor, Randy Propster, 75 minute Backpacking Skills and Techniques.

6:00pm - Supper

7:00-9:00pm - Evening program with NPS Awards and Intro to Appalachian Ohio with Pat Quackenbush, ODNR Naturalist.

9:00pm - Campfire

Cost: $25-55 per person

Contact: The Buckeye Trail Association, Phone: 740-394-2008

8:00am - 8:00pm - Registration.

7:30-9:00am - Breakfast/Lunch to go.

All Day - Hiking Activities and Little Cities of the Black Diamonds Tour.

9:00-9:50am - Moderated Discussion: Building support for our trails: Best practices from trail advocates.

9:00-10:30am - Hands-on Workshop: Citizen Science on the BT with Joe Brehm, Rural Action Environmental Education Director.

10:00-10:50am - Presentation: Enjoying the confluence of 50 years of the Wild and Scenic river and National Trail Systems with Andrea Ketchmark, Moderator.

10:00-10:50am - Presentation: when the Land is Left to Thrive: How the Wayne National Forest Began, Jean Andrews, special Projects Assistant at Ohio University and Video Documentary Producer: The Wilderness Loop.

11:00-11:50am - Presentation: Wandering Ohio - A Buckeye Trail Thru-Hike, Chuck and Beth Hewett who completed a 1400-mile, 76-day hike on the Buckeye Trail.

12:00pm - Lunch

1:00-1:50pm - Workshop: Leading an NCTA Extended Outing with Mary Coffin, Chair of the NCTA Extended Outing Committee.

1:00-3:00pm - Workshop: Trail Fundamentals: Trail Layout and Design with Bill Menke, NCTA Regional Trail Coordinator, WI and Kenny Wawsczyk, NCTA Regional Trail Coordinator, MI.

2:00-2:50pm - Hands-On workshop: Newby Guide for an Overnight Hike with Kim Love-Ottobre, BT Muskingum Chapter Member.

3:00-8:00pm - Trailfest Celebration Goes to Town, 3:00pm and 7:30pm at 38 West Main Street showing Grandma Gatewood Story documentary, Trail Magic. Book signing by Ben Montgomery author of Grandma Gatewoods Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail. Urban Air, a downtown festival with more than 70 Airstreams lining the streets, food trucks, craft beer, and music.

8:30pm - Nighttime Hike.

9:00pm - Campfire.

Cost: $35-65 per person

Contact: The Buckeye Trail Association, Phone: 740-394-2008

7:00am - 4:00pm - Registration.

7:30-9:00 am - Breakfast/Lunch to go.

All Day - Hiking Activities, Family Day sponsored by Crane Hollow Nature Preserve and Little Cities of the Black Diamonds Tour.

9:00-9:50am - Presentation: 30 Days in the Wilderness with Derrick Passe, Kekekabic Trail Chapter, NCTA.

9:00-11:00am - Workshop: NCTA Trail Crew Leader Training with Valerie Bader, NCTA Director of Trail Development and Kenny Wawsczyk, NCTA Regional Trail Coordinator, MI.

10:00-10:50am - Presentation: Technology for the Buckeye and North Country Trail Hiker with Kim Love-Ottobre, BT Muskingum Chapter Member

11:00-11:50am - Presentation: thru-Hiking the Buckeye Trail: Things that Will Change the Way You See Ohio with Andy -Captain Blue- Niekamp.

11:00-11:50am - Presentation: The Buckeye Trail Makes History in Ohios Buckeye Trail with Norm Fox, Author and Historian.

12:00pm - Lunch

1:00-1:50pm - Workshop: How to Hike and NOT Die - Fundamentals for Novice Hikers.

1:00 pm - Presentation: finding the Elusive Buckeye Bigfoot with Marc DeWerth, Ohio Curator of the Bigfoot Field Research Organization.

2:00-2:50pm - Presentation: The Scripture of Nature with Tom Gilbert.

2:00-2:50pm - Presentation: Feral Swine are Taking Over. Feral Swine Damage and Disease Threats.

3:00-3:50pm - Presentation: Warrior Expeditions on the Trail Again: Mei-Lings 2017 Thru-Hike Adventure with Mei-Ling Liber.

3:00-3:50pm Presentation: Prehistoric Indian Tales Along the Trail: Fort Ancient, Serpent Mound and Fort Hill with Jarrod Burks, Ph.D., Ohio Valley Archaeology, Inc.

5:00pm - Happy Hour

6:00pm - Supper

7:00-9:00pm - An Evening of Trail Preservation and Land Protection with Josh Knights, Executive Director of the Ohio chapter of The Nature Conservancy

9:00pm - Campfire.

Sunday, April 29th

7:00am - Chapel

7:30-9:00am - Breakfast

9:00am - BTA Annual Business Meeting

10:00am - BTA Board Meeting

12:00pm - Chapter/Section Supervisor Meeting.

Cost: $35-65 per person

Contact: The Buckeye Trail Association, Phone: 740-394-2008