by Cecile Trivigno

On Sunday, June 23rd,  a group of Wild Virginia members went on a hike to Sugar Hollow. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the weather was absolutely perfect for an afternoon hike.

The Hike Begins!

Seven Wild Virginians set off on a hike led by Misty Boos, Hunter Frakes, and I. The objective of this hike was to educate members on what it takes to be an outings leader for the organization. At the trailhead, we went over the rules for backcountry areas such as Sugar Hollow, as well as the rules for wilderness areas. We also stopped to discuss National Forests and their purposes and reviewed leave no trace principles. As we walked through the woods, Hunter provided fun facts about the Sugar Hollow area and captured the attention of the hiking group.

When we arrived at Big Branch Falls, the group took a break and swam in the river. Moorman’s river runs along most of the Sugar Hollow trails and is a designated scenic river in Virginia. We found a lot of interesting things at the falls including moss, salamanders, crawdads, fungi, and mudstone. After the group was satisfied with the time we spent in the swimming hole, we began the hike back to the trailhead.  At the end of the hike, we reviewed the paperwork necessary to execute an outing with Wild Virginia. Finally, we went over how to follow up with event attendees.

The hikers were appreciative of the opportunity to learn about leading and had a wonderful time in the woods. We hope that everyone who came gives leading outings with Wild Virginia a try. We can’t wait to see where our new leaders take the organization! Our volunteers are the future of Wild Virginia.

Get Involved

If you find yourself interested in going on hikes with Wild Virginia, check out our Outings and Education page to see what we are planning next! Our outings include hiking, overnight camping, and fun water activities like canoeing and kayaking.