'Trek with a Naturalist' at extended guided hikes

Get your daily 10,000 steps in during guided hikes with naturalists from the Forest Preserve District of Kane County.

Each month, participants will take an invigorating two-hour hike at a forest preserve.

"Trek with a Naturalist" programs are designed for those who like active hiking. The hikes will be led by a naturalist, who will interpret the ecology of the preserve along the way.

This fall, the second hike will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at Glenwood Park Forest Preserve, 1644 S. River St. (Route 25), Batavia. The forest preserve, on the east bank of the Fox River, has outcroppings of the Niageran Dolomite bedrock, which adds a special picturesque charm to the landscape. The preserve is partly wooded with some nice specimens of white and Chinquapin oak and has a nice creek entering the river on the site. It is a small preserve with a special focus on the river and the trail, with several wooded, flood plain islands, which are part of the preserve.

The third hike will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, at Elburn Forest Preserve, 45W061 Route 38, Maple Park. It is a morainal, gravel hill at the county watershed divide, which separates the Fox and Kishwaukee river basins. It is a high quality savanna woodland dominated by white, black and bur oak and shagbark hickory. The picturesque old stone shelter was built of salvage from an Elburn church during the Great Depression and testifies to the skill of yesterday's artisans; it remains in sturdy well-preserved condition.

These free programs are for ages 18 and older.

Advance registration is required. Call (630) 444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com to register.

For more information, contact the Forest Preserve District of Kane County at (630) 232-5980 or visit www.kaneforest.com.