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Families turn out for Washington County Conservation’s Halloween Hike at Marr Park
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
AINSWORTH — Ghosts and goblins took a back seat to frogs and foxes Saturday night as families filled Marr Park for Washington County Conservation’s annual Halloween Hike.
For many children, though, the treats were just as enticing as the games played alongside an educational story along the Halloween Hike.
Nora Alexander, dressed as Wednesday Addams, said she came because “I wanted candy.” Her mother, Kyra Alexander, learned about the event from a coworker and thought it would be a great way to start off the Halloween season.
Before setting out on the hike, Nora predicted the hike would be “scary and froggy.” One of those guesses proved right as amphibians made a splash in this year’s theme.
The free, family-friendly event guided visitors along a lantern-lit trail starting at the Conservation Education Center and around the pond. Instead of frights, like Nora anticipated, hikers found fun and learning as each station featured a part of a story and a hands-on activity tied to the theme of animal classification. Children learned about groups such as mammals, reptiles and amphibians through games that mixed science with Halloween fun.
“We usually base the hike on a children’s book,” Naturalist Megan Jorgensen said. “This year I added an activity at each stop since the story was shorter. We’ll see how that works out.”
At the first station, Jorgensen set the tone for the hike by reading the first part of the story.
“Did you know there are millions of different kinds of animals, or species, living on the Earth?” she asked each group before sending them off on the hike. “Scientists study these species to classify or sort them into groups all over the world. Scientists search the land and sea in order to discover new species … to study what makes them similar and what makes them different. Let’s take a closer look.”
Taylor Stevens, who attended with her children, said the Halloween Hike has become a family tradition.
“This is our third year doing this,” she said. “We love it and do it every year now.”
Her daughter, Valerie Stevens and friend Maven Stutzman, said their favorite game involved punching through tissue paper for candy. Other stops challenged kids to toss balls into cups after naming amphibians or play a “bags” game featuring Iowa mammals.
The evening’s final hikers hit the trail just before the 7:30 p.m. cutoff, with campfires lighting the path and families enjoying cookies, pizza, and lemonade at the education center at the end of the hike.
Jorgensen said this year’s hike drew one of the largest crowds yet, with families forming a steady line around the park’s pond.
“We have had a bigger turnout so far,” she said. “This is the first year that I’ve had a huge congestion of people.”
Jorgensen credited the mild fall weather for helping bring people outdoors to explore. The hike once again blended nature, learning and Halloween tradition in a way that’s become a fall favorite for Washington County families and continues to grow.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
