6th Annual Halloween Witchy Woods Walk with Dustin Clayton

You’ll see the changing forest in a whole new light after this Halloween hike! Take part and examine how folklore can deepen your relationship with the forest and prairie. Learn about the plant, animal, and mineral communities of the Loess Hills and their significance in the seasonal folklore associated with Halloween. If time allows, we’ll return to the lodge for a demonstration of some of the items and techniques discussed on the hike.

The land itself is in transformational mode. Autumn has reached and passed its peak. The last of the nut harvests are happening and the Autumn Olives, rotten invasives that they are, are ready to be eaten and enjoyed. The birds who are leaving are in full migration mode, while those who are staying are preparing and caching for the coming winter. The deer have begun their rutt, cold weather is the norm, and most of the leaves have fallen from the trees.

This time of year we humans are especially receptive to hearing about the connections between the natural world and how our ancestors have conceptualized natural forces through myth and ritual. Join us for a physical and spiritual adventure!