Shaw Nature Reserve launches hiking challenge for 2024

Gray Summit, MO – For those looking to get healthier and get outside more in the new year, Shaw Nature Reserve’s Hiking Club is issuing a 40-hike challenge for 2024, Terrain magazine reports.

Anyone can join the Hiking Club and the challenge, whether they’ve been hiking for years or are new to the trails. This is a great opportunity to build muscle and endurance, connect with other hikers, and experience the beauty of Missouri’s native habitats.

Participants can make the challenge their own with flexible hiking options:

• Choose your own hike and log it with the Visitor Center. There is no length or difficulty requirement for hikes.
• Get access to four new maps at the Visitor Center each month that highlight 1.5- to three-mile trails at the Nature Reserve with descriptions and photos of what is in bloom along the path.
• Register for one of the many guided hikes with Nature Reserve staff members.

Once participants log 40 hikes for the year, they’ll receive a custom patch for the Shaw Nature Reserve Hiking Club.

To register, visit the Shaw Nature Reserve Visitor Center at 307 Pinetum Loop Rd. in Gray Summit, Missouri. Registration for the Hiking Club will be open all year, but those taking part in the challenge are encouraged to sign up early.

Members of the Missouri Botanical Garden can register for free. Non-members are welcome to join the club, with a $5 entrance fee each time they hike.

(Information from Terrain Magazine, https://terrain-mag.com.)

Shaw Nature Reserve hours
Current seasonal hours for the Shaw Nature Reserve are:
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with the last entry 30 minutes before closing

Annual Seasonal Hours:

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • March:   8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
                                • April–May:  8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
                                • June–August: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
                                • September: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
                                • October–December: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.