Weekender

Outdoors Listings: March 21 through 27

THIS WEEK: March 21 through 27

Mocanaqua Loop Trail, difficult 7-mile hike. Meet at the Park & Ride on Route 309 near Blackman St. (across from KMART) at 11:45 a.m. March 25 and leave at noon. Bring snack and water. Sponsored by the Susquehanna Trailers Hiking Club.Leader Rich McNulty 570-239-8237.

North Branch Land Trust hike, Land Trust member and volunteer Jim Ridolfi will lead a moderate 4-mile hike on PA State Game Lands #91 in Jenkins Township, from 1 to 4 p.m. March 25. Sunday, March 25. This leisurely hike winds through various habitats including an old hemlock grove and ends at a small wooded lake where beaver and river otter are frequently spotted. Sturdy shoes or boots are recommended. Maximum number of participants is 25. No charge for NBLT members; a $5 donation is suggested for non-members. Registration is required. Please register online at www.nblt.org or call the NBLT office at 570-310-1781. Registration deadline is March 23. Please leave your four-legged friends at home and please arrive by 12:45 so that the hike begins on time.

FUTURE

DiscoverE Nature Camps for children at Nescopeck State Park, registration begins 8 a.m. April 2. Camps include Hide-‘n-Seekers for ages 4 to 5, which runs 9 to 11 a.m. from June 11-13; Outdoor Explorers for ages 6 to 8, which runs 9 to 11 a.m. from June 18-20 and Penn’s Adventurers for ages 9 to 12, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon July 30 to Aug. 2. Cost is $20 per child. Register at events.dcnr.pa.gov or in person or at 570-403-2006 during office hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Early Explorers: Super Seeds, 1 to 2:30 p.m. April 9, for ages 3 to 6 and a guardian, at Lackawanna Environmental Education Center, 93 MacKenzie Road, Covington Township. Children will learn the tricks plants use for seed dispersal and will plant a seed to take home. Classes run every other Monday March 26 to June 4. Cost is $40 for six classes or $8 for individual class. Pre-registration is required. 570-842-1506.

Trout Fishing in America’s West, sponsored by the Western Pocono Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Pocono fly fisherman, artist, author and biologist Don Baylor will president a slide program on one of his adventure-filled western trout fishing trips. 7 p.m. April 10, at Nescopeck State Park, Honey Hole Road, Drums. Free. Registration required. Call 570-403-2006.

Geocaching for Seniors, 1 p.m. April 11, Nescopeck State Park, Honey Hole Road, Drums. If you’re looking for a new way to stay active and get outdoors, then geocaching might be for you! Using a GPS unit, participants will discover the world of “virtual treasure hunting” and hidden geocaches. This program is for seniors or retirees. Dress to be outdoors for part of the program and wear shoes that are comfortable for walking. Registration required, 570-403-2006. Meet at the park office.

Family Earth Day Hike, 1 to 2:30 p.m. April 22, a guided interpretive family hike along the trails of Lackawanna County Environmental Education Center, 93 MacKenzie Road, Covington Township. $5 per person. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. 570-842-1506.

Early Explorers: Awakening Amphibians, 1 to 2:30 p.m. April 23, for children ages 3 to 6 and a guardian. Children will learn about frogs as we search for amphibians around the property. Cost is $40 for a series of 6 classes or $8 for individual classes. Classes run every other Monday from March 26th – June 4th. Pre-registration is required. 570-842-1506.

Spring into Action Volunteer Workday, 9 a.m. to noon April 28, Nescopeck State Park, Honey Hole Road, Drums. Registration requested so we can plan projects and equipment. We can always use an extra hand. Please join us for a volunteer work day as we tackle landscaping, litter clean up and trail work. Parents and scout leaders, please have ages and number of children when you call to register so we can plan appropriate projects for them. Meet at the park office. 570-403-2006.

Nature Play Day, 1 to 3 p.m. April 28, Nescopeck State Park, Honey Hole Road, Drums. If you haven’t already found our kid-friendly play area, now is the time to do it. Come prepared to dig in the dirt, build a stick fort, or put on an impromptu musical concert. If you can’t make this date, remember that the Nature Discovery Area is open to visit at your convenience during park hours all summer long! Meet in the Nature Discovery Area near the park office.

Guided Bird Walk, 8 a.m. April 29, Nescopeck State Park, Honey Hole Road, Drums. Join conservation volunteer Dave Kruel for a morning stroll to look and listen for birds. You don’t want to miss the springtime return of some of the park’s most musical residents. Wear comfortable shoes and bring binoculars. Meet at the wooden bridge by the main visitor parking lot of the park office. Please register at 570-403-2006.

A difficult, 7-mile hike will take place on Sunday at the Mocanaqua Loop Trail. Hikers will meet at the Park & Ride on Route 309 near Blackman St. (across from KMART) in Wilkes-Barre at 11:45 a.m.
https://www.theweekender.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_OutdoorsGeneric-2.jpg.optimal.jpgA difficult, 7-mile hike will take place on Sunday at the Mocanaqua Loop Trail. Hikers will meet at the Park & Ride on Route 309 near Blackman St. (across from KMART) in Wilkes-Barre at 11:45 a.m. Weekender file photo