First Hike Series at Radnor Lake
29 Visitors attended three Resource Management Focused Hikes to ring in the New Year at Radnor Lake.
1. Wheelchair Accessible Native Grasslands Hike on New Year’s Eve at Radnor Lake (2pm-4pm)
Three visitors came out to join us for an off-trail wheelchair accessible native grasslands hike on December 31st, 2023. This was our 1st of three hikes offered at Radnor Lake, as part of the First Hike Series for Tennessee State Parks. This hike was led by Park Ranger Brandon Jarratt and Park Manager Steve Ward with visitors utilizing our automated wheelchair that was made available for free for this off-trail hike in the Hall Farm where we went off trail to experience firsthand the restored 40+ acres of native grasslands and the wildlife within it as part of our resource management focus at Radnor Lake. Thank you to our visitors who attended this hike to kick off our First Hike Series at Radnor Lake!
2. December 31st, 2023, New Years Eve Land Acquisition Hike (Moderate) and Invasive-Exotic Plant Pull (7am-9am)
At 7am on December 31st, seven visitors attended a 1.5-mile moderate hike to our newest land acquisition project to close out 2023 on New Years Eve! This interpretive morning hike was to one of the park’s newest 12-acres was acquired in March 2023 thanks to the partnership between the State of Tennessee, Friends of Radnor Lake, and a great adjoining landowner to ensure protection of our Lake Trail as we have grown to know it forever.
This hike also included an opportunity to give back with an extra resource management focus as visitors worked for a 1/2 hour stop/volunteer segment at the beginning of our hike as we worked together to learn about and pull invasive-exotic plants along the Lake Trail near Bench 11 prior to hiking to the new 12-acre tract. Last, park visitors were treated to an Eagle Nest Spotting Scope Viewing with Ranger Paul Schauer to cap off our morning hike. Thank you to the seven visitors who attended this hike and for volunteering their time assisting us with our invasive-exotic plant removal efforts on New Years Eve!
3. New Year’s Day Harris Ridge Trail Project Hike Sunrise Hike (Strenuous) and Volunteer Trail Effort (6:00am-9:30am)
Our 3rd and final hike as part of our First Hike Series was a strenuous interpretive sunrise hike from the Walter Criley Visitor Center to Harris Ridge as we kicked off the 2024 New Year with our resource management focus on the Harris Ridge Trail Project. Led by Park Ranger Matthew Bowling and Park Manager Steve Ward, this 5-mile strenuous hike started at 6am as we set out down Otter Creek Road, then hiked to Harris Ridge Tract #1 where we highlighted future trail construction corridors thru these back areas of the natural area. This hike also provided an opportunity to give back as hikers/volunteers worked for ½ an hour midway thru the hike as we worked together to clear/improve/enhance interior sections of the Harris Ridge Trail already constructed while also removing invasive-exotic plants along the TVA Easement section of our future trail building efforts. Thank you to the 19 visitors who attended this hike and volunteered their time to help us on the Harris Ridge Trail Project!
