With the summer heat cooling off and the fall weather rolling in, it’s the perfect time for kids to get outside and participate in a Kids Hiking Club.
Last spring, PE Teacher at Mount Lookout Elementary Carrie Ciliberti had the idea for what became the first ever Active SWV Kids Hiking Club. This fall, another club like it is already forming through the local Wild + Free home-school group. Parent Polly Barton saw partnering with Active SWV as a great way to give the kids the opportunity to get outside and try new activities.
Let’s keep the momentum going – Active SWV is seeking more volunteers to help get even more Kids Hiking Clubs started throughout our beautiful region!
Like our Kids Run Clubs, Kids Hiking Clubs meet once a week for 6-8 weeks to explore different trails in the area. Before going out, kids learn trail etiquette and leave no trace principles so they know to respect the trails when they go out on their own. Coach Carrie Ciliberti knows the ins and outs of many of them, and she leads the hikes for her Mount Lookout Elementary club. Parents and other teacher volunteers come along to assist and enjoy the views. Thanks to a partnership between Active SWV and the National Parks Service, Park Rangers can accompany the group on trails in the New River Gorge National Park to give the kids some history and insights into what they are seeing.
Last spring, the Mount Lookout Elementary kids and parents were able to explore the Meadow River Trail, the Mill Creek Trail, Summersville Lake Dykes, Summersville Long Point, Fayetteville Long Point, and the Endless Wall Trail in the New River Gorge.
This is just the beginning for Active SWV Kids Hiking Clubs! Come be a part of growing this new and exciting part of the Kids Run Club program. If you are interested in starting a Hiking Club, please contact [email protected] for more information on how to get started!
