Spring wildflower hike Saturday at Beatty Park
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STEUBENVILLE -- The Friends of Beatty Park volunteer group is hosting a spring wildflower identification hike on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m.
The park is located at 621 Lincoln Ave., Steubenville. All are welcome to participate, and light refreshments will be served after the hike at the shelter house.
Each family will be given a spring wildflower booklet while supplies last. John Boileigh from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources is an archaeologist and naturalist and will be co-hosting the hike along with Flora VerStraten-Merrin, founder of the Friends of Beatty Park group and local historian.
"This is a leisurely, fun, engaging and interactive hike for about 3.5 miles, VerStraten-Merrin said of the event that will include a few stops to point out flowers and historical features along the trail.
Participants are encouraged to wear appropriate clothing and foot gear and bring water to drink.
"This is our third-annual spring flower hike, and last year we were able to identify 55 types of wildflowers in the park," she said, noting some spring "beauties" bloom only for a day while others survive until the hot summer mornings begin.
"An interesting find was back in 2020 when cleaning and developing the purple trail, Linda Hilty and I discovered a hillside of yellow woodland poppies," she recalled.
"They are so beautiful, and we have noticed that each year they continue to spread, and we hope that in a few years they will cover the entire hillside along the trail. They can be seen in the late spring and early to mid-summer," she added.
"The wildflower season begins in late March and continues all through the summer until the first heavy frost. One can take a walk or hike in the park, and in the next week or two later, you'll spot completely different types of flowers," she continued. "The reasons for this diversity is because the park is a nature preserve, and many don't know that there is a nature park in the city of Steubenville. We will be celebrating the park's 225th anniversary Oct. 22 with a combined Union Cemetery walking tour and ending with a story-telling gathering at the Old Stone Lodge in Beatty Park, and we are so happy to be celebrating," she said.
Wildflowers that VerStraten-Merrin said she has seen during the past three springs are bloodroot, jack-in-the-pulpit, trillium, blankets of myrtle, three different colors of violets, skunk cabbage, mayapple, chickweed, Dutchman's britches, spring beauties, various mosses and mushrooms.
"And keep in mind that the flowers change all the time, and the summer flowers are totally different," pointed out.
Other events on the 2022 calendar include:
≤ May 21: The Steubenville High School orchestra will perform at 6 p.m. Participants should bring a chair to enjoy the free concert. Concessions will be available.
≤ June 4: An advanced hike to the 430-million-year-old tree fossil will be held at 10 a.m. It is a brief, steep hike with a lot of steps. Participants should wear proper clothing/foot gear and bring water to drink.
• July 16 (Rain day July 23): A beginners/intermediate "Paint in the Park" will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. Pre-registration is required. Contact VerStratern-Merrin at (740) 632-4453. The $40 fee covers all supplies, and lunch/water are provided.
• Aug. 7: An outdoor concert at 6 p.m. will feature the community choir Friends and Chelsea Householder. Bring a chair. Concessions will be available.
• Sept. 17: From 10 a.m. to noon, there will be a historical walking tour of Beatty Park by VerStraten-Merrin and volunteers. John Boileigh will be at the shelterhouse at noon with refreshments
• Oct. 22: A historical walking tour of Union Cemetery begins at 3 p.m., followed by a gathering at the Old Stone Lodge in Beatty Park for "storytelling" at dusk.
• Dec. 3: Beatty Park will have a Christmas float presence in Steubenville's Christmas parade at noon. Afterward, there will be a holiday hike at Beatty Park complete with refreshments and an opportunity to have children and pets have photos with Santa by donation.
For details, visit Friends of Beatty Park on Facebook. The calendar and events are posted at the park, and brochures that include a trail map inside are available at the Steubenville Visitors Center, Prodigal Daughter Trinkets and Treasures and Leonardo's Coffeehouse.