GODFREY – The Nature Institute, located at 2213 South Levis Lane in Godfrey, IL, is happy to announce the trails will open on April 1 for public use.
TNI has over 5 miles of trails of easy to difficult terrain. Most trails have a dirt tread, but there is one ½ mile paved trail which is home to the Hayner Library’s StoryWalk.
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The public is welcome to enjoy hiking the property between the hours of 7 am and dusk. Trail maps are available at the trailhead, and bathrooms will be available for use near the lodge. There are also picnic tables scattered around the trailhead and lodge that families are welcome to use, but please gather your trash and belongings and take them with you.
Since The Nature Institute is an Illinois Nature Preserve, meaning everything is protected under state law, flowers and mushrooms should be left to grow and rocks and feathers should be left on the property. Pets of all kinds should be left at home as TNI does not allow pets on the trails. Also, trails are not graded for use with bicycles so please leave your bikes at the trailhead when hiking the property.
When you return to hike at TNI you will notice that the trails have received lots of care this winter. The stewardship team has been hard at work removing invasive species and getting some fire on the ground. As you hike this spring, take notice of the forest floor. There might be some new flowers popping up to take advantage of the abundant sunlight.
In addition to opening to the public for hiking, TNI also has many programs on the calendar for the spring. Family Fun Day, a member-exclusive event, will occur on April 30 with families coming out to enjoy minute-to-win-it style games, guest speakers, and ice cream sundaes. Members can attend this event for free but members bringing more than themselves to the event must have a family membership or higher.
Upcoming public programs include Yoga+Hike on April 23 and a Wildflower Hike scheduled for May 9. The ever-popular Heartland Prairie Hikes will start back up on April 12 out at Heartland Prairie near Gordon Moore Park. Please note, you do not need to wait to hike at Heartland Prairie which is open to the public year-round from dawn to dusk.
More information on TNI’s programs and other events can be found by visiting www.TheNatureInstitute.org or by calling (618)-466-9930.
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