New Year’s Day Hike planned at Hoover Forest Preserve

Naturalist Mark Harrington makes a point while leading a tour of Hoover Forest Preserve for the annual Kendall County New Year's Hike. (Mark Foster - mfoster@shawmedia.com)

The Kendall County Forest Preserve District is sponsoring the annual New Year’s Day Hike. The hike will take place at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 1, at Hoover Forest Preserve, 11285 W. Fox Road in Yorkville.

Everyone is invited to participate.

Meet at the north parking lot adjacent to the Eagle’s Nest Shelter. The hike will last about one hour to 90 minutes. Be prepared to learn about and look for wildlife, edible plants and identify native plants.

Dress appropriately for the weather and for hiking.

The New Year’s Day Hike helps support the Kendall County Community Food Pantry. Admission is four cans of soup: one can for the soup pot for lunch, the other three for the food pantry.

The event is in honor of the late Del LaGow, a longtime Oswego resident and Scout leader who started the tradition in the 1970s when Camp H. Earl Hoover was owned by the Boy Scouts of America. The district acquired the Boy Scout camp in 2007 and continues the tradition of hosting the annual hike.

For information, visit the New Years Day Hike Facebook page, @day1hike, call district volunteer Al Birdwell at 630-553-9096 or email the Kendall County Forest Preserve District at kcforest@kendallcountyil.gov.