Ah, spring! This season brings increasing daylight, warming temperatures, and the rebirth of flora and fauna. March 20th marks the Vernal Equinox and March 21, our next trail work day, is officially springtime in Panthertown Valley. The word equinox is derived from the Latin words meaning “equal night.” The spring and fall equinoxes are the only dates with equal daylight and dark as the Sun crosses the celestial equator.
The weather in Panthertown has been unusually warm this past winter so the trails have seen a bit more use. With all those extra boots on the ground, some of the most well-worn trails are in need of attention. If a mid-week work day is good for you (as many of you have requested), this is your perfect opportunity to help us maintain some of the most widely used trails in Panthertown Valley!
Weather permitting, Friends of Panthertown volunteers will meet at the Salt Rock Gap trail-head at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 21 and the group will hike in to help maintain and clear nearby trails on the western portion of Panthertown Valley. Trail tools and instructions will be provide and new volunteers are always welcome.
Join us for a fun day of giving back to this very special place we all enjoy. Trail volunteers are asked to pack a lunch, bring plenty of water, wear good shoes, and bring a pair of work gloves if you have them. We expect to hike less than 5 miles on easy to moderate trails and be finished by 3 p.m. We hope you will join us!
Our volunteers come from throughout the region to enjoy a day in the backcountry working with other hikers, mountain bikers, rock climbers, scouts, equestrians, and nature lovers. We always welcome new volunteers. Tools are provided and our trail days are a great way to give back to Panthertown.
The Panthertown Stewardship Project is funded in part by our friends at REI. In 2011, REI granted Friends of Panthertown with $5,000 to help support our efforts to conserve this outstanding natural resource while improving the quality and experience of recreational opportunities in Panthertown Valley. Their grant has helped us to increase volunteerism in Panthertown Valley. We hope that you will consider matching a portion of this grant with your generous membership donation. Every dollar we receive is used for the benefit of Panthertown Valley. We would appreciate your Friendship, join as a Friend of Panthertown today!
Visit our Calendar of Events for up to date information about special events and volunteer opportunities in Panthertown Valley. Learn more about giving back to Panthertown by becoming a member or by volunteering at one of our trail work days. Visit the Friends of Panthertown volunteer information page for more information about what to expect, what to bring and how you can help.
Sign-up to volunteer on March 21
You may RSVP for this trail work day at our Facebook event page.