Friday, October 10, 2025

AFTERNOON HIKES AND ACTIVITIES: Choose among:

Meet at 1:15 pm for each event to assure a firm 1:30 pm departure.

Quiverheart Gorge Preserve Guided Hike - Moderate to challenging, 30-minute drive from the Sanctuary. Quiverheart is a spectacularly beautiful preserve in Adams County. The trails have proven so popular that we actually had to institute a permit system this summer to protect the vulnerable karst communities in the gorge. One thing for certain - every day spent at Quiverheart is a gift.  Terrain: Quiverheart has a similar rocky, karst terrain to that of the Sanctuary, requiring one primary descent into the gorge and back up. Elevation change is roughly 80 feet. We are offering two hiking options. 

1) 2.0-mile Loop Trail. A slow to moderate pace with occasional stops to share interpretive information.
2) 3.25-mile Loop Hike. A faster-paced hike with fewer interpretive stops. For those folks who like to stretch their legs.

Plum Run Prairie Guided Hike – Easy, 1.3-mile loop, 30-minute drive from the Sanctuary. October is a splendid time to visit Plum Run Prairie. Hikers will witness two types of native prairie communities – the towering tall grass prairie of the Midwest and the much rarer alkaline short grass prairie of the bluegrass and interior Southeast. Plum Run’s gently rolling hills - covered by waving grasses and glowing beneath moody October skies - will present memorable panoramas. Terrain: level to undulating, one short descent to reach Plum Run’s stream.

Guided Mural Museum Tour & Hike into the Gorge.  Easy, ⅜ mile hike. With the aid of 8 large hand-painted murals, enjoy a guided trip back in time to the very beginnings of the Great Hardwood Forest, sixty million years ago. And then, walk forward through its many chapters up to the modern era. Following the tour, enjoy a guided hike on the Valley of the Ancients Trail. This trail is short and easy, but does require good joints to navigate the many stone steps that descend into the gorge and bring you back up.

Dinner on your own. See below for recommendations or inquire at the Museum front desk.

EVENING PRESENTATIONS:

6:45 pm Arrive at the Museum, enjoy some snacks, and settle in so we can start promptly at 7 pm
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Voices from the Field

14,000 acres and Counting! - Brent Charette, Director of Land Stewardship
A Passion for Beauty & Balance  – Tim Pohlar
Memories Behind Every Corner | Ohio Hanging Rock – Austin Newton
Simon Woods  & Sorghum Fields  - Elijah Crabtree

Our worlds can be so much bigger! The Appalachian Heartland & the Guatemala Connection
Last January, Marilyn Welker, Board member, visited our adopted nonprofit “sibling” in Guatemala, Community Cloud Forest. She and her fellow travelers came home with a treasure of new perspectives and discoveries that she is eager to share.

Saturday, October 11, 2025

Breakfast on your own. Sanctuary lodges are all equipped with kitchens or kitchenettes. See below for recommendations or inquire at the Museum front desk the day before.

MORNING PRESENTATION:

10 am - Doubling Tobacco Barn Hollow – Investing in Wilderness. Meet at the Appalachian Forest Museum.           

Mysterious Icons of Wilderness – The rare and reclusive timber rattlesnake is the greatest living symbol for wilderness in the Eastern United States. John Howard, a renowned Ohio naturalist, has been studying timber rattlesnakes in southern Ohio for over a decade, untangling some of the secrets of their natural history. In his studies, he has focused much of his field attention on Tobacco Barn Hollow’s rattlesnake population. During this presentation, John will enthusiastically share some of his fascinating discoveries. Learn why we should care about giving this seldom-seen and often-feared reptile a safe future!

Forests for Biodiversity! Nancy Stranahan, Arc Director, will describe the synchronicity that led to the Arc’s present window of opportunity for expanding Tobacco Barn Hollow, and why large forests are key strategies for preserving native forest biodiversity. Our goal is to double the size of this preserve, and if we are successful, Tobacco Barn Hollow will become the second-largest Arc preserve in Ohio. The master plan for this preserve region is to develop a total of four public hiking trails. A remarkable new Land Steward opportunity will also be shared.

 12:00 NOON - Lunch  - It is our pleasure to provide everyone with a warm, hearty lunch at the Forest Museum. Vegan and gluten free options will be available.

AFTERNOON GUIDED HIKES. Choose among: 

1:15 pm - Please arrive early as events start promptly at 1:30 pm

Guided Hike - Sugar Bush Hill Trail at Tobacco Barn Hollow - Moderate, 16-mile drive, 1-mile loop
Meet at Sugar Bush Trailhead. The trail begins with a moderate climb up the old rocky farm lane that, not so long ago, was the access lane for a very productive sugar bush. Hikers can admire many fine “elder” trees of various species in this mature forest. At the top of the hill, visitors will be rewarded with panoramic views of the densely forested Appalachian hills of Pike State Forest.

Guided Hike - Rock Oak Trail at Tobacco Barn Hollow - Moderate, 12-mile drive, 1.25-mile loop
Meet at Canebrake Trailhead. The trail first winds through a young, successional woods before entering an old forest with towering hickories and oaks. These fine woodlands support a high diversity of salamanders, birds, insects, and reptiles. The trail follows a small headwater stream that gradually grows in size and drains into the major ravine of Tobacco Barn Hollow.

Looking Back in Time - The First Ten Years  - Indoor Presentation at the Appalachian Forest Museum. This program is for those of you who love the Sanctuary and either want to relive your memories of the Arc of Appalachia’s early days or learn about them for the first time. Nancy Stranahan, co-founder of the Arc of Appalachia, will relay stories about the nonprofit’s early years, including how it all got started with trying to “Save the Caves,” cookies for conservation, the auction at Lake Wahoo, the improbable success of the Kamelands acquisition, and the Benevolence Cafe intern program. The tale will include a major nod to the private nature park, 7 Caves, an early theme park whose beautiful trails and welcome center still support the Sanctuary today.

In Search of Old Growth  - A Walking Tour. Easy, begins at the Museum, a  ½-mile slow-paced off-trail stroll. Brent Charette, Director of Land Stewardship, has been studying forests and forest health his entire life. On this reflective stroll through the forest, he will share a lifetime of wisdom about reading the forest to glean its history, how to tell a healthy forest from one that is not, how to identify some of the oldest trees, how to recognize old-growth when you see it, and why mature forests should be restored to the landscape. Although we will be walking off-trail, the terrain is an open park-like woods. 

Dinner on your own. We encourage you to skip desserts, though, as we will have plenty of evening snacks!

EVENING PRESENTATIONS:

6:45 pm Arrive at the Museum, enjoy some snacks, and settle in so we can start promptly at 7:00 pm.
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm - Evening Program at the Appalachian Forest Museum

From Hocking Hills to the Gauley River - the Arc is on the Move! Meet at the Appalachian Forest Museum. A series of short presentations will follow a welcome and news update from Nancy Stranahan, Arc Director. Each talk will introduce a new and profound Arc initiative.  

Hocking Hills Forever - Ethan King, Regional Land Manager
The Emerald Corridor at Hocking Hills - Rick Perkins & Brian Blair, Arc Board Members
Five Miles on the Gauley - Nancy Stranahan, Arc Director

Sunday, October 12, 2025

If you come for one day only, we recommend it be Sunday!

Breakfast on your own. 

OUTDOOR SIT-DOWN PRESENTATION: Please bring your own chairs!

10 am – CELEBRATING THE MAGIC OF COMMUNITY!!
Welcome to the 2025 Donor Gathering by Rick Perkins, Board President. Meet at the lower parking lot of the Appalachian Forest Museum.

The Arc’s Core Missions: Protecting Community; Building Community: Nancy Stranahan, Arc Director
14,000 Acres and Growing - Reflections on Land Stewardship:  Brent Charette, Director of Land Stewardship
Volunteer Magic:  Kim Baker, Volunteer Coordinator
Announcing the Auction of Woodcarving: Art piece donated by Doug White
The Gauley River Song - Jenny Morgan
 

12 NOON  Lunch - It is our pleasure to provide everyone with a warm, hearty lunch at the Museum. Vegan and gluten-free options will be available.

AFTERNOON GUIDED HIKES AND TOURS

Meet at 1:15 pm; program begins promptly at 1:30  pm

**THIS HIKE IS FULL - Cliff Run’s Grand Opening!!! Moderate, 3-mile drive, 1.5 mile loop trail. Cliff Run is the Arc’s newest trail system, and it is spectacular! Cliff Run is karst country at its best with vertical cliffs, pristine spring-fed waters, floating bridges, and even an amazing beaver dam. Kudos to our Land Stewardship Team, who designed this memorable trail and its bridges! Terrain: gently rolling terrain; the single descent into the gorge on a spur trail is optional.

Ridgeview Farm Walking Tour with Brent & Nancy – Easy, 8-mile drive, .5 mile stroll. Stroll the gently rolling Ridgeview Farm with Brent and Nancy, Arc leadership staff, and the restoration farm’s caretakers and residents. Learn not only about the restoration practices already bearing fruit, but also the lofty plans unfolding that we envision will transition the farm back to its original wetlands origins. Tour the chestnut and persimmon orchards, see the 1965 map of the farm (pretty astonishing), visit the Spirit House, witness the magical results of tree-planting a little over a decade ago, and get a crash course in propagating wildflowers from seed. An electric golf cart with a capacity of 4 will assist in transporting those who might otherwise not be able to attend. Please make a note on your reservation form if you would like to reserve a space.

**THIS TOUR IS FULL - Red Stone Wagon Tour - Easy, 7-mile drive, tractor-pulled wagon with interpretive stops and short optional walks. Red Stone Farm is a 456-acre natural area, protected under an Arc conservation easement. The land is a mosaic of extensive forested lands, restored wetlands, and a diversity of natural habitats in what was, not so long ago, a working dairy and meat farm. Before it was drained in its entirety for agriculture, this land was part of the vast Beech Flats Swamp. Drausin Wulsin, the owner of the farm, will tell the story of how, with vision and dedication, he brought a whisper of Beech Flats Swamp back to life.