Let’s get outside to celebrate Earth Day and hike to see earliest spring wildflowers of the woods and look for migrating birds.

Meet at 1201 Big Hill Court in the parking lot next to the Welty Environmental Center at Big Hill Park, Beloit. We’ll start from the Welty Environmental Center. Trails in this park are wide, but some are steep; hiking difficulty is moderate. From the parking lot we’ll walk all the way downhill to the river before returning to the lot. Be prepared for a long walk up and down in the park. Then we’ll drive a short distance to see the earliest spring wildflowers of the Rock River Prairie and look for birds migrating north along the Rock River valley. Hiking difficulty there will be easy to moderate, but expect to walk through tall grasses on undeveloped trails.

Dave Bendlin is a retired biology and environmental studies teacher from Milton. In his new career as a volunteer naturalist, he leads nature hikes for the Rock County Conservationists, the Janesville, Beloit and county parks and helps with environmental education programs for schools and nature centers throughout Rock county. He especially enjoys helping people develop an interest in benefiting wildlife through gardening and landscaping with native plants.

This hike is cosponsored by the Rock County Conservationists and the Welty Environmental Center.