01 Backpacking 101 Workshop (Metro Chapter) Ever want to try an overnight backpacking trip but were afraid it would cost too much, that there's no place to go nearby your home, or you just didn't know what gear to buy and where to start? Wendi Merritt will tell you the ins-and-outs of the sport in this FREE workshop at the GardendaleCivicCenter (Gardendale, AL) from 1-5pm. Contact Wendi to register or for details at wjmerritt@hikealabama.org or 205-913-9911.
06 Campfire Talk: Medicinal Plants of Little RiverCanyon (JSU/Epic) Join botanist Francine Hutchinson for a presentation of local healing herbs, and learn how to grow many of them yourself. 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm FREE. Call JSU at 256-782-5697.
07 National Trails Day AHTS will once again celebrate our trails on National Trails Day. This year we will be at BlakeleyHistoricState Park from 9am to noon for an historic hike through the remains of an Alabama seaport town that once rivaled Mobile, was the home of Native Americans centuries ago, and was the site of the last major battle of the Civil War. Following the hike we will grill hot dogs, have giveaways, and learn about Leave No Trace practices and ethics along the banks of the beautiful Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. A $3 per person park admission fee is required. Contact Joe Cuhaj for more information at 251-533-1812 or jcuhaj@bellsouth.net.
12 Trail Talk Thursday (Shoals Group - Florence, AL)
This month Ricky Pounders will talk about the principles of "Leave No Trace." If you are a relative newcomer to hiking, or an old hand just needing a refresher about the ethics and good practices we all should embrace when out on the trail, come and hear Ricky's great presentation. See you at the YMCA, North Helton Dr in Florence. Thursday, June 12, at 6:30 pm.
19 Fresh Air Family Sipsey Hike (FAF / Wild South)
Come explore the beautiful Bankhead National Forest/Sipsey Wilderness as we go on a special Fresh Air Family exclusive peek into rare wonders on our fourth Thursday hike. Janice Barrett will lead a hike no longer than 3 miles starting at 10:30am. Bring a sack lunch and plenty of water. Due to the sensitivity of the area, this hike will be limited to 20 children, plus parents. Register at events@freshairfamily.org or call (205) 401- 0245. Please register by Thursday, June 12. This is in order to have enough guides for our group.
27 Family Weekend DeSoto State Park (JSU/Epic) JSUFieldSchools and DeSotoState Park will offer fun activities Friday night, all day Saturday and Saturday night for families who want to learn about nature together. Join Dr. Chris Murdock for free Campfire Talks on Friday and Saturday nights with live critters. Register for the family hike program on Saturday. For lodging information, visit www.alapark.com
27 Campfire Talk: Can Snakes Crawl Backwards?(JSU/Epic) JSU biologist Dr. Chris Murdock will talk about amphibians and reptiles...meet some live creatures! 8am-9pm. Free. Call JSU at 256-782-5697.
Don’t forget for those of you in the BankheadNational Forest / Sipsey area, Wild South hosts “Wild Wednesday” hikes beginning June 25th continuing through July, and the third Thursday of every month they join with Fresh Air Family for a family friendly hike in the wilderness. Visit Wild South online for more information at www.wildsouth.org.
28 Tallapoosa River Canoe Trip (Anniston Outdoor Association)
This will be a 4 to 5 hour canoe trip on the TallapoosaRiver beginning on GA Highway 100 north of Tallapoosa, GA, and ending west of the city on U.S. Highway 78.This section of the TallapoosaRiver offers an easy float trip with no rapids. As with all float trips, this outing will be cancelled or postponed if the river rises to an unsafe level or falls to a level where it can not be floated.Departure time and location for this trip is 8:00 a.m. from the Foodmax parking lot in Anniston.Please contact Keith Hudson at 256-231-7675, 256-820-1895, or 256-452-3223 if you plan to participate or need additional information about this outing.
Join us "On the Trail" for Naional Trails Day, Saturday June 7 from 9am to Noon at Blakeley Historic State Park (Spanish Fort, AL)
