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St. CHARLES, Mo.—Nature doesn’t go to sleep when the sun goes down. The woods are still full of activity in the darkness as the night shift takes over. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) wants to give hikers a chance to see how nature’s other half (of the day) lives.
Join MDC naturalists for a Night Hike on the Busch Hiking and Biking Trail this Saturday, Dec. 11 at the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles. The hike will be from 5:30-8:30 p.m. This event is free and open to all ages.
This will be an evening exploration to give participants a feel for what goes on in nature during the night. Participants may hear coyotes howling, or maybe one of several owl species calling for their mates. The moon will just be past first quarter and provide a muted glow to help light the way if the weather is clear. Hikers should still bring a small flashlight or headlamp and dress for the weather. Good hiking shoes or boots are also recommended as parts of the trail are rocky and may be muddy. Participants should plan on meeting at the Hiking and Biking Trail Head.
The Night Hike on the Busch Hiking and Biking Trail is a free activity, but advanced online registration is required at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZvA.
The August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area is located at 2360 Highway D, about two miles west of Highway 94. For a map of the area to aid in finding the Busch Hiking/Biking Trailhead, go to https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zvd.
As this is an in-person activity, MDC asks all participants to observe current local social distancing and masking guidelines. Bringing and wearing face coverings is encouraged when appropriate for the in-person activity.
Program registrants should note that families now have the option to link their children’s accounts to their own which will streamline the program registration process. Once a group account is set up, parents will be able to register their children to an event without having to logoff and login for each person. This allows parents to register an entire family or select family members to an event at the same time.
Stay informed of MDC latest programs by going to the MDC St. Louis regional events page at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZP6.
