Are you setting a New Year’s resolution to explore Nature more? To discover new places, or get more exercise? Or maybe all three?

Here’s a brand new program for you: the Geauga Gems Trekking Series!

Participants will get the chance to complete 30 hikes on any combination of the 70+ miles of trails in these 25 open parks by the end of the year. Of 30 hikes, 24 are treks you’ll plan and take on your own, then you’ll also need to complete six qualifying naturalist-led hikes, which will be identifiable by this logo next to program listings in our quarterly Park Explorer Activity Guide.

How to Get Started

Upon registration — either at this link or in person at The West Woods Nature Center or Big Creek Park’s Meyer Center — you’ll receive a Geauga Gems Trekking Card to track your progress. Keep the card with you to mark the self-guided treks you take, and bring your card to the naturalist-led hikes to be marked. We encourage you to spread your hikes throughout the year to discover new trails and parks in different seasons!

Finally, at year’s end, those who complete the series will receive a collapsible trekking pole and inaugural Geauga Gems 2020 hiking medallion sticker to be provided at an event in January 2021.

Interested? Join us January 11, 2020, for a kickoff event (details among our winter program listings) where you can register for the series and check off the first of your six naturalist-led hikes! You may also visit this website for series updates, or peruse the list of hikes below for those including the series name.

Have some questions this summary didn’t quite answer? Check out our Geauga Gems Trekking Series FAQ.

We’ll see you out on the trails in 2020!