On the evening of Tuesday, June 9, staff from Rydell National Wildlife Refuge and members of the Friends of Rydell and Glacial Ridge Refuges Association will jointly host the 4th Annual Refuge Night Hike. This free event will begin at 9:15 p.m. at the Refuge Visitor Center. A brief introduction and background on what participants can expect to hear or see will be provided before a guided walk on the paved Refuge trails. The first portion of the hike will be on the one-and-a-half-mile-long Golden Pond Trail. At the conclusion of that trail hike, participants have the option to “call it a night” and return to the Visitor Center. Those who would like to continue and hike a second trail can stick around for a guided hike on the one-mile-long Church Lake Trail. The second trail walk will also conclude at the Visitor Center.
This “after dark adventure” will provide visitors with a firsthand experience of the wetlands, woods, and prairies when they come alive with the sounds of the night. Participants can expect to hear a variety of wildlife, including frogs, toads, birds, insects, and mammals. As participants listen to nighttime calls, guides will explain what they’re hearing and even why certain sounds and calls are being made. Depending on the night sky, a little star gazing might also occur. Imagine the sounds of coyotes howling, tree frogs trilling, sora rails and loons calling, or a beaver slapping its broad tail on the water just a few feet from shore – all under the cover of darkness.
Although the plan will be to keep artificial light to a minimum during this event, feel free to bring a small headlamp with you if you wish. Since Refuge visitation normally ends at sunset, this is a special opportunity to experience the Rydell National Wildlife Refuge at night. If the evening of June 9 is exceptionally windy (more than 20 mph) or it rains, this event will be rescheduled to a later date. If, on June 9, you think the weather might require rescheduling the event, please call or email the Refuge Manager that afternoon to check the event status. No pre-registration is required for this free event. For more information on this event, contact Gregg Knutsen, Refuge Manager, at 218-686-4329 or gregg_knutsen@fws.gov.
