Overview & Contact Info --Please read this site first; includes event overview & answers common questions

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The Arc of Appalachia

2009 Wildflower Pilgrimage
Overview, Common Questions & Contact Info

Please read before registering to orient yourself to this event
Pilgrimage Information during the event 937-365-1935
Questions before the event Nancy at 937-365-0101

 

April 16-19, 2009 Southern Ohio Wildflower Pilgrimage
               naturalist-led field trips     Over 2 dozen possible destinations     world-class wildflower displays
  
   One of the world's greatest natural spectacles is the grand showcase of wild flowers gracing the temperate forests in the spring. Located at the southern edge of the glacial advance which rejuvenated the soils, and also occupying the edge of the Cumberland Plateau of the Appalachian foothills, the Arc has one of the richest wildflower displays to be found in the Eastern Forest. This event is timed to catch the beginning of the flowering trilliums - one of the showiest of all the spring flowers. Participants may choose among over two dozen day-long field trips, each with usually no more than fifteen people and led by experienced naturalists and botanists.

Guided Hike Description and cost:

Field trips are priced separately from optional evening events and meals. Registrants meet at the advertised trailhead for each field trip and provide their own transportation. Detailed directions to various field trip sites are provided to all registrants by email a month or two before the event. Cost  for three days of field trips is $65.00 per person. If you wish to register for less than three days of field trips, the cost is as follows: $35.00/person for Friday, $35/person for Saturday, and $20 for Sunday. If you come all-day Friday and Saturday, it is less expensive to choose the 3-day fee. Friday and Saturday's all-day trips usually end between 2-4 pm. Sunday's field trips usually end at lunchtime or a bit after.

Optional Meals and Evening Programs:

Breakfasts are optional and are served at Cave Canyon, the Highlands Nature Sanctuary's visitor gateway. You may also optionally order packed lunches. You do not need to pick them up -- they will be delivered to each field trip location.  If you don't order a lunch, please pack your own. In all cases carry water to drink. Dinners and evening programs are offered on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. These are optional and the Friday & Saturday programs are priced separately. There is no charge for the Thursday night introductory program. The dinner cost on Saturday and Sunday includes the evening program that follows. The Pilgrimage has an excellent reputation for its memorable meals with options for meat or vegetarian, with menus designed by the founder and previous owner of Benevolence Cafe and Bakery in Columbus.  For breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu details, see below.

Meal menus and prices
Breakfasts Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. $7.00 adult, $5.00/children 12 and under. We are offering a bountiful breakfast buffet featuring griddle cakes and syrup, sausage, scrambled eggs, English muffins, granola with milk or soymilk, bananas, orange juice, and an assortment of memorable coffee cakes. This will be served at the Cave Canyon, Appalachian Forest Museum headquarters.

Lunches Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. $7.00 person

Friday: Includes choice of sandwich: sliced turkey with cucumbers, muenster cheese & lettuce on soft whole wheat bagel OR vegan Spring Hummus--whole wheat bagel with a light chickpea filling mixed with red bell peppers, tahini, shredded carrots and light green onions; a generous bag of Sanctuary Gorp (mix of dried fruits, nuts, chocolate chips), and a fresh apple

Saturday: Includes choice of sandwich: roasted sliced chicken, lettuce, red bell peppers, and cream cheese on whole wheat bread OR vegetarian bagel with cream cheese mixed with ground walnuts and herbs, with bell peppers and sweet radishes, carrot sticks, and two small oatmeal cookies

Sunday: Includes choice of sandwich: sliced ham, Swiss cheese, cole slaw and mustard on rye bread, OR vegan Seclusion Special Wrap: tortilla with light mix of marinated split peas, cabbage, shredded carrots, walnuts and green peppers with non-dairy dressing; banana and 2 small chocolate chip cookies
 

Dinner & Evening Program Friday and Saturday Meat or vegetarian. $16.00 adult, $10.00/children twelve and under

Friday:  Meat or Vegetarian "Highlands" Lasagna with herbed tomatoes, spinach-tofu filling, sauteed mushrooms, and cheeses, (vegan version available), toasted Italian bread, Italian salad with leafy greens, nuts, feta & olives; green beans with sesame and garlic, dessert

Saturday:  A savory parmesan herbed cream sauce with chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, sherry, a touch of sour cream and lemon juice over wild & basmati rice. The vegetarian version has the addition of  artichoke hearts without the chicken. Side of fresh asparagus spears. Side salad of fresh greens. Dessert our annual Pilgrimage Special: fresh strawberries over homemade biscuits
 

Hiking Difficulty Levels:
   

There is no such thing as a perfectly flat, wide, trail in the Appalachia foothills where these field trips occur. All trails fall pretty much in the back-country realm of sophistication. However, there is a range of difficulties among them and all field trips are rated on the field trip pages. Difficulties range from Level A to E, rated both for hiker's agility and endurance
Agility

Agility A -- Trails that are relatively flat, no steps
Agility B -- Trails that are relatively wide flat trails but have some steps, okay for bad joints if you can handle some steps
Agility C -- Narrow uneven backcountry trails, sometimes cut into a hillside, may be some steps to navigate, a few stream crossings with possibly steep muddy banks, occasional logs to step over
Agility D -- Field trip very uneven footing, may be uneven rocks on the trail or hiking off-trail, possibly involving slopes and navigating over fallen logs
Agility E -- These trails require extreme agility and sturdiness, with an ability to hike four miles a day without pain. They may require wading in the water on slippery rocks for some distance, or they may require navigating down very steep and slippery slopes off-trail. They have some level of risk as slipping, falling or getting dirty is a possibility, in some cases a good possibility!

Areobics

Aerobics A -- Field Trip is less than 1 mile, mostly flat,
Aerobics B -- Field Trip is less than 1 mile, mostly flat with some steps

Aerobics C -- Field Trip is 2- 3.5 miles, may have moderate slopes for short periods.
Aerobics D -- Field Trip is 2-4 miles, may have long moderate ascents and/or occasional scramble or difficult stream crossings. Recommended only for people who lead healthy active lifestyles, can hike without disturbing pain, and have good joints.

Aerobics E -- Field Trip is 3-4 miles, These trails require extreme agility and sturdiness. They may require wading in the water on slippery rocks for some distance, or they may require navigating down very steep and slippery slopes off-trail. They have some level of risk as slipping, falling or getting dirty is a possibility, in some cases a good possibility!
 

Please read trail difficulty descriptions carefully so you can thoroughly enjoy your trip. If in doubt, especially if you have joint difficulties or you do not lead an active lifestyle (regardless of how much you wish you did!), please err on the side of caution and pick the easiest of the two levels you are considering. Although it is human nature to overestimate one's abilities, you'll have a lot more fun if you don't! TRAIL ENJOYMENT is in no way associated with trail difficulty. Some of our most beautiful trips are Level A through C trips.

Where are the field trips and other events held?

    Field trip destinations are natural areas and preserves scattered over a five county area in south-central Ohio, owned and managed by a variety of entities. The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System, with eleven preserves, is the main sponsor of this event, and the program hub is Cave Canyon and the Appalachian Forest Museum, located at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary -- headquarters of the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System. The Highlands Nature Sanctuary is located in south-central Ohio, 25 miles west of Chillicothe and 16 miles east of Hillsboro off of US Highway 50. Click here for directions. A general map of all trip destinations can be found on the Map & Lodges Link. For an introduction to the history and natural history of the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System, consider attending the Thursday evening program at Cave Canyon.

   The evening programs and dinners on Friday and Saturday nights will be held at Paint Valley High School, a few miles east of Cave Canyon on Highway 50.

How do I register?
Begin by going to the field trip web pages and finding the trips you want  to attend the most. You should pick several trips which interest you in case of scheduling conflicts--up to four if you can. If it is easier for you to make a decision, go to the field trip shortlist on the navigation bar, which lists all programs in a condensed space. Once you've chosen  your favorites and have decided on your meals and evening preferences, click on the registration form, fill it out, and send it to us be email. Within a few business days, follow the email registration with a check or credit card number (check immensely preferred) in the mail. We will confirm your registration by email as soon as it is received and will confirm your assigned field trips. If we don't get your check shortly after your registration arrives, we will notify you, otherwise you can consider yourself registered once you receive our confirmation email. A month or two before the vent, directions to the hikes that you have been assigned will be sent to you by email. Except late in the registration process, we almost always can give people one of their top two or three choices, but of course there is no guarantee and we appreciate your flexibility in offering us as many top field tripchoices as possible. When ever possible, we will post field trips that are filled to capacity on our web pages so that you can disregard them when making your top choices.
 

What if I need to cancel?
Regrettably, because of the large amount of staff time necessary to register for this rather complex event, a $25.00 registration fee will be held for each person's reservation that is cancelled more than two weeks before the event. After that time, no  registrations can be refunded. However, all retained funds will be confirmed as tax deductible donations, going to a very good cause--expanding our nature preserve system for our native plant and animal species. Alternatively, registrations are transferable to others without an extra fee.

How do I know which field trip to pick?
Begin by going to the field trip web pages and reading the descriptions, trail difficulty and locations carefully. For most trips, you can even click on floral species count and see what you might expect to find in bloom. Geographic location may be a factor, and if it is, you can go to the Map and Lodging webpage and see how far away a site is  from your lodging destination and the program hub. All field trips are excellent, so don't worry--you really can't make a wrong choice. Please note that each destination has something special about it -- usually either floral showcase, such as large colonies of grandiflorum trilliums - which we time this Pilgrimage to catch when ever nature cooperates - or special features, such as a high diversity of plants or ancient old trees -- or beautiful landscape vistas and scenic beauty.   If you are coming to celebrate the seasonal spectacle, then choose a hike that is a floral showcase and/or has beautiful landscapes and vistas. If you are a serious naturalist, you might enjoy places of unusual plant assemblages and correspondingly high diversity. All field trips are marked with these "character" references. Remember, you can't go wrong. And you can't see it everything in any one year. We hope you will come back for more.

Do you have a plant check list?
Yes!  Click here to run off a plant check-list to enable you to keep track of plants you find in bloom. This is a word.doc. Also, you can click here to compare flower sightings at various destinations for past years. This is an excel sheet which may help you to decide which trip to choose.

What about lodging?
The Sanctuary offers limited but excellent lodging. For the Pilgrimage we offer two group lodges.  If you can get a group together, these facilities are among the best available. Details to be found on the Lodging & Maps web page. You will see on our lodging page our top recommend lodging sites for this event, with links to lots of other lodging possibilities in the five county region. It is up to registrants to find and book their own lodging.

What about children?
Although parents may use their discretion, trip curriculum are adult oriented and move at too slow a pace for most children twelve and under to deeply enjoy. WE WELCOME CHILDREN.  We recommend that you consider our offering of field trips especially designed for children, listed on both the Saturday & Sunday field trip pages. These events are  hands-on and action oriented. Discount pricing is available for children for all children's events and children's meals. Prices are shown on our registration form. If you feel certain your children would enjoy the adult pilgrimage, we trust your discretion and you may register them. However, no youth discounts apply.

Pilgrimage Information Center:
If you need help prior to the event, call 937-365-0101. If you need help anytime during the event you can come to our information center during the following times: Thursday evening 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm; all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday form 8:00 to 5:00. The information center is located at  Cave Canyon and the Appalachian Forest Museum at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary -- headquarters of the Arc of Appalachia Preserve System. Someone will be at hand to answer your questions regarding the weekend's schedule and help you with directions to any field trip location.

Carry these Phone Numbers with you all weekend.
If you have questions on or after April 16, 2008, call Nancy at 937-365-0101. During the event, call our information line at 937-365-1935 from 8-5.

Copy Before Arriving:
Please run off the program schedule and all of your field trip directions for the weekend, and look them over before you depart for the Pilgrimage to see if you have any questions, thus enabling you to independently find your way around. Links to directions will be provided separately to you by email. Also consider running off a plant list.

What should I bring:
Pack or order a lunch. Carry bottled water. Run off directions and schedule. Bring  email of field trip assignments. Wear sturdy shoes that can get a bit wet if you have a creek crossing. Unless you know you are eating near a shelter, you might pack a piece of plastic that you can sit on so you can relax on the ground during your lunch break. Prepare for possible bathroom breaks in the woods, although most trips will have other options mid-day. Consider binoculars, camera, wildflower field guide and/or walking stick.

If it Rains.
Field trips will go on rain or shine, please come prepared. However, in the case of extremely torrential rains, please come to the Visitor Center to check for notice of possible alternative activities or give us a call at 937-365-1935.