Hikes, fitness, league play at Mill Creek MetroParks for April, May

March 23, 2023

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Hikes, fitness, league play at Mill Creek MetroParks for April, May | Programs include children’s activities, sports leagues, and nature walks.

Bird walks

American Woodcock Watch. Parking lot, McGuffey Wildlife Preserve, 4448 McGuffey Road, Lowellville 44436. 330-740-7116. Join park educators in a search at dusk for American Woodcocks performing their courtship display. Dress for the weather. Register online by April 18 or call. No walk-ins. No pets. 8-9 p.m., Thursday, April 20.

Birding the Sanctuary. Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, Mill Creek Metroparks, 2650 W. Calla Road, Canfield 44406. 330-740-7116. Jeff Harvey will lead this early morning hike. Space is limited. Boots are required. Moderately difficult hike, 1.25 miles. Register at Fellows Riverside Gardens by April 20. 8-9:30 a.m., Saturday, April 22.

Birding McGuffey Wildlife Preserve. McGuffey Wildlife Preserve, 4448 McGuffey Road, Lowellville 44436. 330-740-7116. Join a park educator for a morning of birding. Dress for the weather. Boots are recommended. Registration required. Register online by March 23 or call 330-740-7116. No walk-ins. No pets. 8-10 a.m., Saturday, April 29.

Boating safety, education

Ohio Boating Education Course. Pioneer Pavilion, Mill Creek MetroParks, Youngstown 44511. 330-740-7114. www.mil…. Features an eight-hour class in boating and water safety with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Watercraft. The program covers the fundamentals of safe boating: state-required equipment, watercraft laws, navigation rules of the road, basic safety and risk management, and aids to navigation. Classes are enhanced with videos, slides, overheads, handouts, and visual aids. Includes proficiency exam at end of class. Certification satisfies Ohio Boater Education Requirement. Register/pay in advance online, or by calling Wick Recreation Area by April 30. 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday, May 7. $10.

Fitness and exercise

Yoga in the Gardens. Radius Program Classroom, Fellows Riverside Gardens, Mill Creek MetroParks, 123 McKinley Ave., Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7116, extension 230. www.mil…. Instructor Marina Perdos will teach a blend of energizing yoga styles. All levels are welcome. Bring a mat and a small blanket. Register/pay online. Walk-ins welcome. April series: 9:30-11 a.m., Tuesday, Thursday, April 4-27. May series: 9:30-11 a.m., Tuesday, Thursday, May 2-30. $15/class. $15/class.

T’ai Chi Step One in the Gardens. Radius Program Classroom, Fellows Riverside Gardens, Mill Creek MetroParks, 123 McKinley Ave., Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7116, extension 230. www.mil…. Instructor Marie Lew will teach warm-ups, breathing exercises, and selected movements in the classic Chen T’ai Chi form. Walk-ins welcome. Noon-1 p.m., Wednesday, April 5-26. Noon-1 p.m., Wednesday, May 3-31. $12/class.

Yoga Basics Course. Radius Program Classroom, Fellows Riverside Gardens, Mill Creek MetroParks, 123 McKinley Ave., Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7116, extension 230. www.mil…. Led by instructor Karres Cvetkovich. Register online or call. This is an eight-week course. The class meets outdoors in the gazebo, weather permitting. 9:15-10:30 a.m. Sunday, April 30-June 18. $96.

Hikes and nature walks

April Full Moon Hike. Parking lot, Pioneer Pavilion, Mill Creek MetroParks, Youngstown 44511. 330-740-7116. www.mil…. Join park educators for a hike under the full moon. Dress for the weather and be prepared for a moderately difficult, 2-mile hike on the East Cohasset Hike and Bike Trail. Registration required. Register/pay online by April 3 or call. No walk-ins, no pets. 7:45-9:15 p.m., Wednesday, April 5.$3.

Recreational Hikes. Parking lot, Wick Recreation Area, Mill Creek MetroParks, 1861 McCollum Road, Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7114. www.mil…. This moderately difficult hike is 1-3 miles. Volunteer-led hikes focus on exercising in the outdoors. Call for details. 9-10 a.m., Wednesday, April 12.

MetroCyclers Hike & Bike: Hike East & West Channel Island Trails. Newport Wetlands, Mill Creek MetroParks, Boardman 44512. 330-740-7114. www.mil…. Meet at Lake Newport Wetlands Parking Lot for a 3.5-mile hike on East and West Channel Islands Trails. Flat terrain, but may be muddy. Call for details. 1-2 p.m., Sunday, April 16.

Recreational Hikes. Meet at the overflow parking lot on West Golf Drive, Mill Creek MetroParks, Boardman. 330-740-7114. www.mil…. Easy, 2-4 miles. Volunteer-led hikes focus on exercising outdoors. Call for details. 9-10 a.m., Wednesday, April 26.

May Full Moon Hike. Ford Nature Education Center, Mill Creek MetroParks, 840 Old Furnace Road, Youngstown, 44511. 330-740-7116. www.mil…. Join park educators for a hike under the full moon. Dress for the weather and be prepared for a moderately challenging 3-mile hike. Registration required. Register/pay by May 3, online, or by calling. No walk-ins. No pets. 8-9:30 p.m., Friday, May 5. $3.

Recreational Hikes. Meet at the Lanterman’s Mill overflow lot on East Park Drive, Mill Creek MetroParks, 980 Canfield Road, Youngstown 44511. 330-740-7114. www.mil…. Moderate, 2-4 miles. Volunteer-led hikes focus on exercising outdoors. Call for details. 9-10 a.m., Wednesday, May 10.

Nature education: adults

Rock the Park – a Geological Exploration of Mill Creek Park. Fellows Riverside Gardens, Mill Creek MetroParks, 123 McKinley Ave., Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7116. Ever wonder how Mill Creek Park was formed? For much of geologic history, Ohio was underwater and near the equator. Join Mill Creek Metroparks on the Cohasset Express Trolley and travel back over 300 million years and explore the formation of the park throughout geologic time. Learn about the bedrock and how the Ice Age shaped terrain. Wherever possible, the group will hop off to investigate geologic features up close. April program: register/pay by April 14. 2-3:30 p.m., Sunday, April 16. May program: register/pay by May 9. 6-7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 11. $10 resident, $12 nonresident. Seniors/youth $7 resident, $9 nonresident.

Botanical Mornings. Outdoor Concourse, Fellows Riverside Gardens, Mill Creek MetroParks, 123 McKinley Ave., Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7116. www.mil…. Discover the progress of the seasons at Fellows Riverside Gardens. Register/pay online or call by April 19. 9-10 a.m., Friday, April 21. $5.

iNaturalist BioBlitz. McGuffey Wildlife Preserve, 4448 McGuffey Road, Lowellville 44436. 330-740-7116. The group will be using the iNaturalist app to record and inventory species found in McGuffey Wildlife Preserve, including plants, bugs, and amphibians. Bring a smartphone with the iNaturalist app downloaded and an account created. The group will go over the basics of iNaturalist and then hike the preserve looking for species to record. Dress for the weather. Waterproof boots are recommended. Online registration is required by March 23 or by calling 330-740-7116. No pets. No walk-ins. 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, April 29.

Nature education: children

Little Tree Huggers’ Club. Cushwa Education Pavilion, Fellows Riverside Gardens, Mill Creek MetroParks, 123 McKinley Ave., Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7116. www.mil…. This program is for ages 6-9 with an adult. Children will learn about nature, explore children’s literature, and create a mixed-media canvas art project. Wear old clothes. Registration required. April program: register/pay online or call by April 13. 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 15. May program: register/pay online or call by May 11. 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, May 13. $15 per child. Adults are free.

Sprout Club – Earth Day Spring Walk. Kidston Classroom, Fellows Riverside Gardens, Mill Creek MetroParks, 123 McKinley Ave., Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7116. www.mil…. For ages 3-5 with an adult. Includes Earth Day fun, hands-on activities, and a walk in the Fellows Riverside Gardens. Register/pay by April 18 online or by calling. 1-2 p.m., Thursday, April 20. $7.

Critter Tales – Flying Squirrel. Kidston Classroom. Fellows Riverside Gardens, Mill Creek MetroParks, 123 McKinley Ave., Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7116. For ages 3-6 with an adult. Explore wildlife with a park educator and learn about animals that live in the park. Includes story time and hands-on activities. Register/pay by April 23, online or by call. 11 a.m.-noon, Tuesday, April 25. $7.

League play

Adult Dek Hockey League. Dek Hockey Rink, Wick Recreation Area, Mill Creek MetroParks, 1861 McCollum Road, Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7114. www.mil…. DEK hockey consists of a six-week season where teams play six games and five practices. A one-week postseason follows where teams will be seeded (based on record) into a single-loss elimination tournament. This league is for adults 18 and older. Sign up by March 17. Call Wick Recreation Area to register and pay. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 6-8 p.m., April 25-June 8. $50 resident, $60 non-resident.

Co-Ed 18+ Wick Par 3 Golf League. Wick Recreation Area, Mill Creek MetroParks, 1861 McCollum Road, Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7114. www.mil…. For adults 18 and older. The league will span 13 weeks with 10 weeks of counted stroke play, recorded followed by a round to end the season. Play is shotgun-style and included nine holes each week. Call for details. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, May 2-Aug. 2. $85 resident, $95 nonresident.

Youth Soccer League. Wick Recreation Area Fields, Mill Creek MetroParks, 1861 McCollum Road, Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7114. www.mil…. Consists of a six-week season where teams play six games, capped off with a single-elimination tournament. The league includes four age brackets: 5 and older, 7 and older, 9 and older, and 12 and older. Call for details. Register online, by email, or by phone. 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, May 6-June 17. $80 resident, $90 nonresident.

Youth Flag Football Cheer Squad. Wick Recreation Area Fields, Mill Creek MetroParks, 1861 McCollum Road, Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7114. www.mil…. The cheer squad will participate in weekly practices and cheer during Youth Flag Football games. Call the Wick Recreation Area for details. Register online, in person, or by phone. Registration is open until April 7. Noon-3 p.m., Saturday, May 6-June 24. $80 resident, $90 nonresident.

Youth NFL Flag Football League. Upper and Lower Fields, Wick Recreation Area, Mill Creek MetroParks, 1861 McCollum Road, Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7114. www.mil…. Divisions include 6 and older, 8 and older, 10 and older, and 12 and older. Player evaluations will be held on April 15 and 16, with a draft held on April 17. Call for details. Register online, in person, or by phone. Noon-3 p.m., Saturday, May 6-June 17. $120 resident, $130 nonresident.

Youth DEK Hockey League. Dek Hockey Rink, Wick Recreation Area, Mill Creek MetroParks, 1861 McCollum Road, Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7114. www.mil…. Each team will play six regular season games with four scheduled practices. A one-week, post-season follows the regular season where teams will be seeded (based on record) into a single elimination tournament. Each participant must have hockey gloves, shin guards, and a helmet. Call for more information and to register/pay. 3-7 p.m., Saturday, May 6-June 10. $80 resident, $90 nonresident.

Trolley Tours

Daffodil Day Trolley Tour. Fellows Riverside Gardens, Mill Creek MetroParks, 123 McKinley Ave., Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7116. Trolley boards at Fellows Riverside Gardens. Register/pay by April 20, online or by calling. 11 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 22. $10 resident, $12 nonresident. Seniors/youth, $7 resident, $9 nonresident.

Spring Trolley Tour. Fellows Riverside Gardens, Mill Creek MetroParks, 123 McKinley Ave., Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7116. See spring in Mill Creek Park with natural and historic views via the Cohasset Express. Limited seating. Boards at Fellows Riverside Gardens. Register/pay online by April 30 or call 330-740-7116. $10 resident, $12 nonresident; seniors/youth, $7 resident, $9 nonresident. 1:30-2:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 2.

Other

Earth Day Clean-Up. Par-3 parking lot, Wick Recreation Area, Mill Creek MetroParks, 1861 McCollum Road, Youngstown 44509. 330-740-7114. www.mil…. Local Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and other organizations will spend the morning removing litter from the MetroParks. Groups may call Wick Recreation Area to register by April 9 to reserve a work area. 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 22.

MetroMutts: Cohasset Canines. Meets at Oak Grove parking lot on East Park Drive, Mill Creek MetroParks, Youngstown. 330-330-740-7114. www.mil…. Call for more information on the MetroMutts series. Features a hike on the East Cohasset Hike and Bike Trail and see the views as the seasons change and the park begins to bloom. Refreshments are available. Call for more information. Noon-1 p.m., Saturday, April 29. Members are free, and non-members are $5.

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