Welcome to the second ever Outings newsletter from your local Sierra Club, dedicated to connecting Hoosiers with nature and the outdoors.
Summer is a time for nourishment and celebration: to revel in the abundance of nature fully-awakened. The sun is shining, so join us outdoors to take in the wonder of flowers in full bloom, and cool off in the shade of the forest and breeze of the creek.
Our featured outings for this newsletter:
🌱MC-IRIS/Hoosier National Forest & Sierra Club Weed Wrangle Series 🌳Summer Tree ID Hike (Morgan–Monroe State Forest)
Plus! ✍️ Tales from the Trail: Jasper Parklands Urban Hike 🦋 Summer musings from our Outings Leaders 🌺 Readers respond: Your favorite spring flowers! 🥾 Help us grow our community: Become an Outings Leader with Sierra Club 📣 Support Veterans’ Access to the Outdoors 🔜 Upcoming outings listings
Happy trails!
Rebecca Dien-Johns Digital Strategist Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter
P.S. We are planning to send these special Outings Newsletters on a quarterly basis, so look out for the next one in September! Is there something you especially liked (or didn't!) in this newsletter? Please let us know by replying to this email, we'd love to hear from you!
Featured Outings
🌱MC-IRIS/Hoosier National Forest & Sierra Club Weed Wrangle Series🌱
Mary pulling Japanese stiltgrass in Pate Hollow. Photo: Gillian Fields.
The Sierra Club is collaborating with MC-IRIS (Monroe county Identify and Reduce Invasive Species), and the Hoosier National Forest on eradicating Japanese stiltgrass in the Hoosier National Forest.
We're focusing on the Pate Hollow and Hays trails. We've seen an impressive reduction in the invasive Japanese stiltgrass over the years because of our efforts. We've uncovered ferns, sedges and wildflowers in the process. Not only are we keeping the forests healthy, but we're creating friendships as well.
Within each weed wrangle there are heartfelt conversations, laughter and a sense of shared love of the forests. To join us, you must be comfortable walking on uneven woods. Our wrangles can range between 2 and 6 miles, depending on our volunteers abilities.
Dates and times:
Sun, Jul 5, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Tue, Jul 7, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Sun, Jul 12, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Tue, Jul 14, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Sun, Jul 19, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Tue, Jul 21, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Sun, Aug 2, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Tue, Aug 4, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Sun, Aug 9, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Tue, Aug 11, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern)
We're looking forward to meeting some of you this summer!
Mary Reardon Outings Chair Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter
Featured Outing
🌳 Summer Tree ID Hike (Morgan–Monroe State Forest) 🌳
Kestrel navigating over some of the roots on the Tree ID trail in Morgan Monroe State Forest. Photo: Eli Trinkle.
Join the Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter at Morgan Monroe State Forest for the Summer Tree ID Hike.
We will meet in the Morgan Monroe Forest Office parking lot, then walk a short distance to the Tree ID trailhead where we will hike a 1-mile loop. During the hike we will have the chance to identify 26 marked trees along the trail. The trail is considered easy with some elevation gain and roots along the trail in sections. There is a bathroom at the forest office.
This is a family friendly event so bring the young ones!
Summer Tree ID Hike Sat, Jul 18, 2026; 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM (Eastern) Martinsville, IN
Eli Trinkle Volunteer Leader Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter
✍️Tales From the Trail ✍️
Jasper Parklands Urban Hike​​​​​​​
Attendees of the outing observing the wetland area. Photo: Nicole Chandler.
It was a beautiful Saturday morning in Jasper and a perfect day for the Sierra Club’s urban hike at the Parklands. The hike was led by Hoosier Chapter Outings Leader and Indiana Beyond Coal Campaign Organizer, Nicole Chandler.
The Parklands of Jasper is a 75-acre urban renewal endeavor which turned a 9-hole golf course and surrounding woodlands into an urban oasis with two miles of walking trails, a wetlands area for nature studies, 25-acres of woods and a large variety of all native plants, wildflowers and pollinators.
The group walked the 1.5 mile outer loop stopping at several locations to observe the many wonders of the park.
Nicole: "We had a fantastic time at the Jasper Parklands, exploring the beauty of this relatively new urban trail. We saw many beautiful flowering plants and stopped to enjoy the wetland area and enjoyed spending time outside in community."
Mark Nowotarski Volunteer Leader Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter
🦋 Summer musings from our Outings Leaders 🦋
We asked our Outings Leaders and Outings Leadership trainees: what is your favorite way to cool off outdoors in the summer?
Colleen, upcoming training cohort participant: “I grew up next to Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park in Indianapolis and in the summers rolling out of bed and heading for the trees was one of my favorite parts of summer. Not much has changed! This summer, popping over to Eagle Creek Park after work for a walk, spending time at Newfield's 100 Acres or the Canal Towpath near the Hoosier Chapter office at lunchtime to birdwatch, or taking an early morning wildflower hike at Fort Ben are all part of my week.”
Eli, recent training cohort participant: “My favorite way to cool off is swimming in a deep lake. My wife takes a paddle board with one kid and I take a canoe with the other. We tie the watercraft together, which stabilizes both boats and creates a floating dock for jumping into the water.”
Lora, recent training cohort participant: “Creeking in the deep woods of the Owen-Putnam State Forest is one of the most spectacular summer experiences you can imagine. Seep Springs, ground springs, and lush, graceful trees make these natural creeks a summer treasure. Frogs, crawdads, and a salamander or two can always be located in the sandy, sometimes rocky wading creeks.”
Marilyn, recent training cohort participant: “During the hottest days of summer we set up a large oscillating sprinkler in our shady yard, and run through it repeatedly with our grandchildren for hours of yelps and giggles.”
Mary, Outings Leader: “Even on the hottest days, it's so lovely to get in a kayak with friends and cool down on Lake Monroe. I don't own a kayak, but I look for local organized trips. Serenely calming.”
Note: Protecting public waterways is a crucial part of our mission. We advise taking precautions when wading or swimming in our waters, as water quality can vary. While Indiana has many protected waterways that are fit for human recreation, please check local information sources for water quality and other safety considerations before heading out as Indiana is also home to over 24,000 miles of impaired rivers and streams.
You tell us! We'd love to hear from you — what's your favorite way to cool off outdoors in the summer? Reply to this email or hit the button below to let us know!
🌺 Readers respond: Your favorite spring flowers! 🌺
Last month, our Outings Leaders shared their favorite spring flowers, and we asked for yours. Here’s what you said:
Ann: “My favorite spring flowers are snowdrops and redbud trees! Crocuses are great wherever they pop up, but this yard in Osceola is especially spectacular.”
Bonny: “My favorite spring flower is violets”
Elijah: “My favorite spring flower is the rose”
Jennifer: “My favorite spring flower is Virginia bluebells”
Thank you to everyone who got in touch! We love to hear from you. nbsp;
Crocuses in Osceola, IN. Photo: Ann Umbaugh.
Help Us Grow Our Outdoor Community:
🥾 Become an Outings Leader with Sierra Club 🥾
We welcome new folks who would like to join our team of Outings Leaders. No matter your background or experience, we’d love to hear from you.
📣 Support Veterans’ Access to the Outdoors 📣
There is an opportunity right now for Congress to pass the Veterans Outdoor Rehabilitation Act, which would create a grant program for supporting structured outdoor recreation programs for all veterans for the first time. These programs have been proven to build community, improve wellness, and reconnect veterans with the outdoors and our precious public lands.
