Earth Day at Holden Arboretum
elebrate Earth Day at Holden Arboretum. CCNEO steps out this spring with a Cornellian-led hike at Holden Forest and Gardens. Suitable for all ages and abilities, bring the whole family and get outside with CCNEO. 
We'll start with a hike through the Arboretum and Forest. After the hike, the shelter house has been reserved for those who brought a picnic lunch. After lunch, interested guests may visit the Emergent Tower and Canopy Walk.
Schedule
9:00a : Meet at Holden Visitor Center
9:30a-11:30a : Hike
11:30a-1:00p : Bring your own lunch at the shelter house
1:00p : Optional tour of Emergent Tower
Cost
$12 per person
$7 for youths 6-18
$4 for Emergent tower visit
All fees are the responsibility of guests. CCNEO will collect entrance fees at the event and submit one payment to Holden.
Routes will be determined day of, and we'll let Mother Nature have the final say. Our guide will select the appropriate route based on weather, scenery, blooms, etc. Possible options include:
Stebbins Gulch: A hike through Geologic history. Descend through 320 million years to early Ohio Geologic history to the beautiful rock strewn bed of Stebbins Creek. Hike upstream for about a mile as we climb through layers of Northern Ohio Geologic history. View beautiful pools in the shadow of towering, overhanging cliffs. There may be remnant icicles overhanging the cliffs. View carved skulls in the soft sandstone done by earlier travelers. Climb out of the valley into a mixed Oak-Beech mature forest where we will see one of the largest Oak tree burls I have ever seen. Moderately strenuous, wear high boots or expect to get wet feet.
Little Mountain: Walk through mixed hardwood mature forest while climbing Little ‘Mountain’ (about 100’ high). We will pass through three distinct habitats. We will climb/walk through Sharon Conglomerate outcroppings laid down millions of years ago by run off from long eroded mountain ranges to our east. This conglomerate is similar to what is found at Thompson Ledges or Virginia Kendall Park or Chapin Forest. The top of Little Mountain was glaciated and has a distinct habitat. We will discuss Ohio history and the Hotels that were built in the 19th century for the wealthier Clevelanders. Very little evidence of the Hotels remain. We will descend the ‘Mountain’ and walk about a mile back to the parking lot. Moderate hike 1-2 miles. Expect to walk through some mud.