Shaw Local

News   •   Sports   •   Obituaries   •   eNewspaper   •   The Scene   •   175 Years
Illinois Valley

Friends of the Hennepin Canal to host ‘Hike the Hennepin’ on Feb. 15

Organizers say hikers could see bald eagles

The Friends of the Hennepin Canal host monthly hikes to walk short distances of the canal trail, with a goal of cumulatively covering the entire length of both the canal and feeder canal. The next hike is scheduled Sunday, June 11.

Friends of the Hennepin Canal are set to host their “Hike the Hennepin” along a 4.6-mile stretch on Sunday, Feb. 15.

The hike, which organizers call the “Bald Eagle,” begins at the Mississippi River and follows the canal. Organizers say hikers might see bald eagles, as several eagles have been spotted on the canal this winter.

Hikers will meet at 1:30 p.m. at the steel dam parking lot on Frontage Road in Milan and will be shuttled to the Mississippi River to begin the hike back toward the starting point.

To reach the meeting location, take Interstate 80 to Interstate 280 and exit at Exit 15 in Milan onto East First Avenue, also known as Airport Road, heading toward Milan. Take the first road on the right, Frontage Road, and follow it to the right onto 14th Street NE, continuing past the warehouses to the parking lot by the old steel dam.

For more information, email hikes@friends-hennepin-canal.org.

Bill Freskos

Bill Freskos is a multimedia journalist based in the Illinois Valley. He covers hard news, local government, sports, business enterprise, and politics while contributing to Shaw Local Radio stations for Shaw Media across La Salle, Bureau, and Putnam counties.