Shamieh To Lead Hooker Mountain Hike

WESTFORD, NY (06/18/2012)(readMedia)-- On Saturday, June 23 at 10 a.m., Otsego County Conservation Association Environmental Planner Rima Shamieh will conduct a "Morning Hike in Hooker Mountain State Forest." Participants are asked to meet at the trailhead near the intersection of Hooker Mountain Road and Dog Hill Road, Westford, or they can follow Shamieh from the parking lot of Jackie's Restaurant in Milford when she heads to Hooker Mountain at 9:30 a.m. For more details, call (607) 342-0516.

OCCA is sponsoring 13 hikes on 11 trails countywide in its 2012 Nature Walk Series, including several magnificent yet often unsung state forests and parks.

"This year's nature walks include several new venues as well as some old favorites, and we've diversified the schedule to include weekday as well as evening hikes, to make these events more accessible," said OCCA Executive Director Darla M. Youngs.

Since 2001, OCCA has organized and/or co-sponsored nature walks on local trails. Other confirmed dates, venues and hike leaders for 2012 are: July 7, Basswood Pond State Forest, Travis Sauerwald; August 4, Milford State Forest, Dave Kiehm; September 1, Crumhorn Mountain, Allen Nichols; September 8, Glimmerglass State Park, Eamonn Hinchey; September 22, Thayer Farm, Eamonn Hinchey; October 21, The Robert V. Riddell State Park, Trish and Steve Kent; and January 19, 2013, The Robert V. Riddell State Park, winter/snowshoe hike with the Kents.

For a complete hike schedule, details and directions, visit http://occainfo.org/documents/NatureWalksposter2012.pdf or e-mail admin@occainfo.org.