Fall Season Is Underway For Newtown Hikers

Newtown Hikers is an open group that welcomes anyone interested in hiking and the outdoors to join its members for weekly hiking events. There is no membership fee, although some hikes require participants to be responsible for bus or train fares to get to each weekend’s hike site.

Events are held each Saturday, with the group meeting at 9 am in the lower parking lot behind Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street in Newtown. Each hike has a group leader and it is the responsibility of those participating on hikes to contact the group leader if weather is questionable on the day of a hike.

Hikers participate at their own risk and must sign a release for Newtown Parks and Recreation Department before attending any outings.

All hikes are moderate in intensity unless otherwise states, and last three to five hours plus driving or travel time. Children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult. Hikers should bring their own lunch and beverage, and wear sturdy shoes or boots.

In the upcoming weeks, hikes are planned at Squantz Pond, on October 21 (leader is Betty Horton, 860/354-7526); Minnewaska State Park in New York on October 28 (Tim Hanbury, 888-3025), there will be a parking fee; The Bronx Zoo on November 4, with train fare and zoo admission fees the responsibility of each hiker (Roe Sembler, 267-5567); and Mohawk Mountain trails in Cromwell on November 11 (Claire Sivacek, 744-0086).

For additional information in individual hikes, contact the hike leaders listed above. Otherwise, contact Esther Nichols, the coordinator of Newtown Hikers, at 426-2897 or 788-1398. Upcoming hikes will be listed in the Enjoy calendar of this newspaper on a regular basis, or a full list of the fall schedule, which continues through December 16, can be obtained by contacting Ms Nichols.