13 September 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) — Strap up your hiking boots, Shawnee County is offering nature hikes to take advantage of the fall foliage.
Shawnee Count Parks and Recreation has scheduled three naturalist hikes this fall for members of the community to get enjoy the changing seasons, according to Mike McLaughlin, Shawnee County Parks and Recreation communications and public information supervisor. These guided hikes will be showing off a local arboretum, the winter bird migration and a night hike.
All of the hikes are scheduled for an hour and a half, starting at 6:30 p.m. Information about the different hikes is listed below:
Sept. 18 – Arboretum Walk at Lake Shawnee: This hike is all about trees and how they
prepare for winter. Learn how to identify different types of trees and see the fall colors.
Program meets in Yacht Club parking lot at SW 37th and West Edge.
Sept. 22 – Fall migration is underway! Birds are on the move as fall arrives and are
moving south for the winter. This walk focuses on birds and bird migrations so bring your
binoculars and a guide book. Meet at McDonald Field in Big Shunga Park.
Nov. 15 – Night Hike in Skyline Park: The last naturalist program of the year is a one of a
kind hike at Skyline Park! Learn about owls, bats and other nocturnal creatures and see
the Topeka skyline from Burnett’s Mound. Park gate opens at 6 p.m.
Shawnee County Parks and Recreation press release excerpt
The fee for each hike is $3. To pre-register for the hikes, click here.