Wild+Free of Southern WV, a homeschool group with members from Summers, Fayette, Greenbrier, Raleigh, Mercer and Monroe counties, enjoyed a hike around Loop Trail at Sandstone before taking the boardwalk to the falls.
Afterward, the smallest members of the group enjoyed playing on the riverbank. They caught bugs, sifted dirt, and made mud pies while some older students and parents picked up litter.
The group gathered 10 bags of trash and some bulk items, such as gas cans and pieces of metal, that have found their way downstream. One group shined the highway along the entrance to the park while other explorers set out to retrieve trash from small islands offshore. The group expresses appreciation to the Summers County Solid Waste Authority, Jack’s Bargain Barn and Advance Auto for litter grabbers, trash bags and gloves.
After Sandstone, the group traveled to Brooks Falls where they enjoyed lunch & hiked the Big Branch Trail. If you have never hiked Big Branch, it is splendid this time of year with many waterfalls and a clear view of the New River from its peak on the mountainside. It is a two-mile trail for experienced hikers, as there is quite a climb and narrow paths on the decent, but even beginners can enjoy waterfalls and playing in the creek only 1/4 mile in.
Wild+Free of Southern WV is a group dedicated to encouraging children to be outdoors for exploration and education. They are an affiliate of the national Wild+Free organization whose “desire is to give our children a quality education but also to preserve the adventure, freedom and wonder of childhood.”
Enrollment is currently full for the local group, but opens quarterly (every three months). More info can be found at www.bewildandfree.org
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