Full-moon hike in Charlestown, KY park February 20

Once a month Jeremy Beavin leads Kentucky hikers along one of Charlestown State Park’s six trails by the light of the full moon – and maybe a red-tinted flashlight.

The hikes have become more popular over the four years the park has offered them. “On average we’ll have about 30 people on each one,” said Beavin, an interpretive naturalist at the state park. “I’ve had 100 on Halloween and in June, the first warm month.”

Hikes in December and January were canceled, but the forecast is favorable for the Saturday, Feb. 20th hike on Trail 2 at 8 p.m.

“Just the last couple of months the rain and then the snow made the trails dangerous,” Beavin said. “We’re on Trail 2 this month. It’s our easiest trail, so it’s a good one for first-time out hikers.”

Nighttime hikes offer the potential to hear owls and animals. “There are nocturnal animals, but we tend to scare them off,” Beavin said. “It’s more of a social hike. You end up with a big group of people that are just kind of talking.”

“It’s a good way to give people that opportunity to overcome their fears,” he said. “There’s not any mythical creatures that exist in the dark. But your senses are heightened. You’ll hear a deer, maybe. It’s just kind of a different experience.”

Read full story…

 

The following are paid links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.