Women’s Walk in the Woods
Fall Date - Saturday, October 4, 2025
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Held at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary
Registration fee: $20.00
The Women’s hike is a time for women of all ages and occupations to join together, relax, and connect in the serene beauty of our natural world. Before we head to the woods, we will meet at the Appalachian Forest Museum to hear a presentation from our guest speaker. We will enjoy a packed lunch, which participants are asked to bring with them, and then depart on one of the stunningly beautiful trails near the Highlands Nature Sanctuary. Bring your female friends and family to meet new people, share stories, and celebrate the beauty, balance, and biodiversity of Mother Nature!
Overview
Travel through Time - The Geology of the Rocky Fork Gorge Region
Please join us for the Fall 2025 Women’s Walk in the Woods on October 4, 2025. We will host Jamie Fearon, an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists who will discuss the topic:
Travel through Time - The Geology of the Rocky Fork Gorge Region. We’ll learn all about the Rocky Fork Gorge which lies within an area at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains known for its outstanding geological features and high botanical diversity.
We will meet at the Appalachian Forest Museum for the panelist presentation and a bring-your-own picnic lunch before heading out to hike one of the beautiful trails near the Highlands Nature Sanctuary.
Bring your female friends and family to meet new people, learn about geology, and enjoy nature.
Make it a weekend trip by reserving one of our lodges today! Lodging at Highlands Nature Sanctuary | Arc of Appalachia.
Schedule
10:00 am: Sign in and get to know each other at the Appalachian Forest Museum.
10:30 am: Program Begins with an introduction to the Arc of Appalachia and review of the day’s agenda.
10:45 am: Guest Speaker Jamie Fearon on: Travel through Time - The Geology of the Rocky Fork Gorge Region.
Jamie grew up in the Chicago suburbs, received a B.S. in Geology and Environmental Science from Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois, and has a master’s degree in Earth Science/Paleontology from Montana State University. She loves the sciences in general- minoring in biology, chemistry, and math. During her college years she spent summers working at an arboretum, a tallgrass prairie, a planetarium, and a national monument. When she moved to Cincinnati in 2016, she was awestruck by the geology of the state. In 2022 she became an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist to learn more about the region and get connected through volunteer work.
Jamie has taught geology at a few different institutions including Luther College, Wheaton College, and Northern Kentucky University. She is currently at Northern Kentucky University, no longer in a teaching role, but as the Budget and Operations Director for the College of Arts & Sciences.
While not working directly in the field of Geology anymore, she continues to teach geology to interested groups through her volunteer work at the Cincinnati Nature Center for the Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist programs, and to her husband on hikes!
12:00 -12:45 pm: Enjoy a bring-your-own picnic lunch in the company of fellow hikers.
1:00 – 4:00 pm: Naturalist-led hike (select a first, second, and third choice for your hike during the registration process.)
What to Bring
packed lunch
water
binoculars
good hiking shoes
hiking stick or poles
appropriate clothing/rain gear
your female friends and family!
Cancellation Policy
WE WILL HIKE RAIN OR SHINE unless the weather or trails become too hazardous.
Sorry, there are no refunds for cancellations of this event. The registration fee will be considered a donation to the Arc of Appalachia. Please try to find someone to fill your place as this program will run rain or shine.