Hiking Perry county

09/09/2026

🥾 IT’S TRAINING TIME! 🌲👣

Our 2026–2027 Hiking Season Is Coming — Are You Ready?

As the facilitator of Hiking Perry County and the lead on our hikes, I want to start by saying thank you. I truly appreciate your participation, your commitment, and the friendships that have grown along the way. Many of you who hike with us regularly feel more like family than hiking partners. I enjoy talking with each of you and getting to know you better—although on some hikes, the trail (and my lungs!) don’t always allow for much conversation. 😂

I’ve posted the dates for our upcoming 2026 and 2027 hikes for the coming hiking season. I also want to take a moment to explain what you can expect from these hikes and, more importantly, how you can prepare for them.

🥾 These hikes are NOT beginner hikes

All of our scheduled hikes are at least 6 miles and are rated moderate or 3 out of 5 stars for difficulty.
A moderate rating does not mean an easy walk in the woods. These hikes require a reasonable level of fitness and some previous hiking experience. They are not intended for beginners or someone who is just starting to hike.

One question I’m asked often is, “Do you think I can make the hike at my age or with my abilities?”
That’s a difficult question to answer because age doesn’t determine fitness. Everyone is different, and we all have different abilities and physical conditions.

What I can tell you is that our average hiking pace is approximately 2 miles per hour, or about one mile every 30 minutes. Most of our hikes are around 6 miles, meaning you need to be prepared to maintain that pace for at least three hours, while also dealing with terrain that is considerably more difficult than pavement.

If you’re new to hiking, there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking some time to train and build up your distance and endurance before joining us. The trails will still be here. 🌲

Train before you hike

I strongly encourage you to use your local streets, sidewalks, and county roads as part of your training
If you cannot comfortably maintain at least a 2-mph pace for at least 3 hours during training, that is a good indication that you need more preparation before joining one of our hikes.

The hike itself is not the training day.

Trail hiking is much more demanding than walking on streets. Perry County has some beautiful trails—but those trails can definitely make you earn the scenery.

You’ll encounter
:• Uneven ground
• Roots and rocks
• Fallen trees and other obstacles
• Creek crossings
• Mud and slick surfaces
• Constant elevation changes
• Sustained climbs and steep hills
• Valleys followed by another climb back out

👟 Come prepared

Many of our hikes involve crossing multiple creeks, so wet feet are always a very good possibility.
Tennis shoes are generally not the best choice. At a minimum, you should have a good, broken-in pair of hiking shoes or boots with appropriate traction.
Mud, wet rocks, creek crossings, roots and uneven terrain can make the trail slippery and challenging. Proper footwear makes a big difference in both safety and confidence.

⚠️ Remember how remote these Hoosier National Forest trails can be, If someone were to become injured or experience a medical emergency, it could take a significant amount of time for appropriate help to reach us.
That’s why being honest with yourself about your fitness level and coming properly prepared is so important.

This post is meant as encouragement—not discouragement.

My goal is for everyone who joins us to have a safe, enjoyable and rewarding experience. Being prepared makes the hike better for you, and it also helps the entire group have a better experience.

Once again, thank you for being part of Hiking Perry County. I truly enjoy hiking with all of you, sharing the trails, and watching this community continue to grow.

With preparation, honesty about our abilities, and a positive attitude, these hikes can be challenging in the best possible way—and incredibly rewarding.

I’m looking forward to putting many more miles on the trail with all of you. 👣🌲

Train smart. Hike strong. And the trail will treat you much better.

Send a message to learn more

03/29/2026

I just want to sincerely thank everyone who joined us for the hike this evening, and for those who stayed to enjoy the hot dogs and s’mores afterward. It meant a lot to share that time together. A special thank you as well to our wonderful photographer for capturing so many great moments.

I also want to express my deep appreciation to everyone who participated throughout this hiking season. It’s truly humbling to think about all the people who’ve come along, the conversations we’ve shared, and the friendships that have been made along the way. These hikes are something I always look forward to, and they simply wouldn’t be the same without each of you.

Thank you for the memories—and happy trails to all!

01/30/2026

As the facilitator of Hiking Perry County and the lead on our hikes, I want to start by saying thank you. I truly appreciate your participation, your commitment, and the friendships that have grown along the way. Many of you who hike regularly feel more like family than just hiking partners. I enjoy talking with each of you and getting to know you better—though on some hikes, the trail (and my lungs) don’t always allow for long conversations.
One question I’m asked often is, “Do you think I can make the hike at my age or with my abilities?” That’s a difficult question to answer because age doesn’t define fitness. Everyone’s physical condition is different, and we’re all built differently. What I can share is that our average hiking pace is about 2 miles per hour—roughly one mile every 30 minutes. Most of our hikes are approximately 6 miles long, which means maintaining that pace for about three hours. If you’re unable to hold a 2-mph pace for that distance and time, it’s a good sign that more training is needed before joining the hike.
If you’re considering joining us, I strongly encourage you to use your local streets, sidewalks, and county roads as your training ground. The hike itself is not the training day. If you cannot maintain a 2-mile-per-hour pace for 6 miles on pavement during training, you will not be able to maintain that pace on wooded trails. Trail hiking is much more demanding than walking on streets—it involves dirt surfaces, uneven footing, roots, rocks, fallen obstacles across the trail, creek crossings, and constant elevation changes. All of that adds up quickly and makes the hike significantly tougher than it appears on paper.
Our trails in Perry County involve sustained climbs, steep hills, valleys, and then climbing right back out again. These hikes are strenuous and aren’t well-suited for someone who hikes only occasionally. Without proper preparation, it can be difficult to keep pace, and it does impact the overall group experience.
We also cross multiple creeks on many hikes, so wet feet are always a possibility. Tennis shoes really aren’t the best choice for these conditions. At a minimum, a solid pair of hiking shoes that are broke in is necessary. The trails, rocks, and creek crossings are often muddy and slick, and proper footwear plays a big role in both safety and confidence on the trail.
Please also remember these hikes take place in very remote areas. If aid were ever needed, it could take a significant amount of time for appropriate medical care to reach us. Being properly prepared condition and realistic about your abilities isn’t just helpful. It’s essential.
All of this is shared with encouragement, not discouragement. My goal is for everyone who joins us to have a safe, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Preparation makes the hike better—for you and for the entire group.
Once again, thank you for being part of Hiking Perry County. I truly enjoy hiking with you, sharing the trail, and continuing to build this community. With preparation, honesty about our abilities, and a positive mindset, these hikes can be challenging in the best way—and incredibly rewarding. I look forward to many more miles together. 🌲👣
(Train smart, hike strong, and the trail will treat you much better.)

Send a message to learn more

12/13/2025

Hiking in your 40s is a great way to meet people.

Today I met two paramedics, three nurses, a cardiologist... and nearly met Jesus.

11/22/2025

🎄 Hey, Hiking Family! 🎄

As we jingle our way into the colder months, I just wanted to share a few layering tips to keep everyone warm, dry, and merry on our hikes! ❄️ Most of our adventures land in the brisk weather, so a little smart layering goes a long way.🥾

Here’s your layering cheat-sheet to keep the crew warm, dry and happy.

1. Base layer (the “skin contact” layer)
• This is worn next to the skin. Its job: wick sweat away so you don’t end up cold, clammy and miserable. 
• Materials: synthetic (polyester/nylon) or merino wool. Avoid cotton, because when it gets wet it loses insulating power fast. 
• Bottoms count too—think long-underwear style if it’s chilly. 

2. Mid-layer (insulation)
• Once you’ve got your base, add a mid layer that traps heat. Fleece, lightweight wool, puffy jackets are common. 
• Important: If you stop hiking or the temp drops, keep this or add more. If you’re sweating uphill, you’ll want to peel a layer before you get too damp. 

3. Outer layer (shell/protection)
• Wind, rain, snow: you want something tough to keep the elements out and let your body do its thing. 
• Choose fabrics that are wind-proof/water-resistant and still breathe so you don’t overheat. 

Pro tip: The layering mindset
• Start hiking cool (you’ll warm up soon).
• If you start to sweat too much, take a layer off.
• If you stop or the wind picks up, immediately throw on a layer. Sweat + cold change = no fun. 
• Versatility is key: better to have layers you can add/strip than being stuck in one outfit that doesn’t adapt.

🎁 Hiking Group’s Holiday Gift Guide! 🎁

If you’re still hunting for that perfect Christmas gift (or maybe just “accidentally” shopping for yourself 😏), here are a few ideas every hiker will love this season!

🧥 The Layer Lovers:
• Base Layers: Moisture-wicking and cozy (because cotton is not on Santa’s nice list).
• Mid Layers: Fleece or puffy jackets — perfect for those chilly rest stops.
• Outer Shells: Waterproof and windproof — because the only thing that should be “soaked” on a hike is the view!

🥾 Trail Essentials:
• Wool socks (stocking stuffers that literally go in your stockings!)
• Reusable water bottles or hydration packs
• Trekking poles (for the friend who insists every hill is a mountain 🏔️)
• Lightweight gloves and a warm beanie
• A small daypack for snacks, smiles, and emergency chocolate