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Walking with his dad, Doug Statts is two-year-old Levi Hawk-Statts. Ahead of them is Doug’s four-year-old son Harrison Hawk-Statts and ahead of him is mom, Kira Hawk (not shown). In the background is Mel Stafford and Sophie, a lab, carrying her Frisbee. They and others participated in the Saturday, Jan. 1 First Day Hike at Hills Creek State Park, near Wellsboro.

The Saturday, Jan. 1 free First Day Hikes at Sinnemahoning, Hills Creek and Lyman Run state parks were well attended despite the threat of rain. The three hikes officially opened the 2022 Winter Outings Series in Tioga and Potter counties.

At Sinnemahoning near Austin in Potter County, 27 hikers participated; at Lyman Run near Galeton in Potter County, 22 hikers took part; and at Hills Creek near Wellsboro in Tioga County, there were 40 hikers. A mix of children and adults went on each of the three hikes.

Also accompanying humans on the 1.5-mile guided hike on Tauscher’s Trail at Hills Creek were eight dogs. It was not reported whether any dogs went on the 2.5-mile guided hike along the fairly level Lowlands Trail at Sinnemahoning or on the less than a mile hike along the Lower Lyman Trail at Lyman Run.

“We have hiked Tauscher’s Trail at Hills Creek three times, on Jan. 1 in 2019, 2020 and now in 2022,” said Kira Hawk of Wellsboro. She and her husband Doug Statts have two sons, four-year-old Harrison and two-year-old Levi Hawk-Statts. “Harrison has gone on the hike with us all three times and Levi twice – this year and in 2020. This time, they both walked with us but when we would get too far behind the group we would pick Levi up and carry him until we caught up and then let him walk for a while. Harrison walked the whole 1.5 miles this year. Both like to go on this hike and did well. It’s good because it’s low-key and fun. We are happy that the Hills Creek park staff put this hike on each year. It let’s us get out and do this as a family. One dog that was walking near us on the hike carried a Frisbee the whole way. We have lots of dogs and horses so our kids got a kick out of that. They like animals.” Asked if she and her family are planning to do the hike at Hills Creek on Jan. 1, 2023, Hawk responded, “Yes, absolutely.”

Mel Stafford was accompanied by Sophie, a black lab who will be seven years old this month. “I bring Sophie to Hills Creek a lot to go on hikes,” he said. “She knows where we are because as soon as I drive into the park, she gets really excited and starts barking. She doesn’t go anywhere without her Frisbee,” Stafford said. “She waits for me to throw it so she can retrieve it. Her Frisbee floats. Sophie loves it when I throw it in water and swims out to get it.”

Taking part in the free, self-challenging 5K at Hills Creek on Jan. 1 were 11 children and adults plus one dog. Barb and Dick Morgan of Tioga and the Kosek family of Wellsboro were among the runners. Eric and Becky Kosek and their two daughters, Lauren and Kaci have each entered the Mt. Tom Challenge. Eric holds the Mt. Tom Challenge record for being the only runner to complete five laps up and down the mountain in the allotted time.

To learn more about Snowshoeing Basics this Saturday, Jan. 8 at Sinnemahoning State Park, Winterfest at Hills Creek State Park on Saturday, Jan. 15, the Mt. Tom Challenge and other Winter Outings Series events, or for updates on trail conditions, directions and more, visit www.stepoutdoors.org or search for Step Outdoors Tioga County on Facebook.

Diane Eaton
dianetn@ptd.net
(570) 724-3800