October 21st Third Saturday Work Day

Posted by on Oct 16, 2023 in Events, Work Dates | No Comments
It’s time for another HHC Third Saturday workday on October 21st! Come join us as we continue work on the new trail at The Nature Conservancy’s Green’s Bluff Nature Preserve. When finished, this five plus mile loop trail will traverse shaded woodlands and open fields, and it will highlight streams, waterfalls, rock formations, and pollinator plantings. For more about the trail and its status, see: https://www.hoosierhikerscouncil.org/current-project/.

The trail is located on the southern section of Green’s Bluff, so please refer to the directions below to find out how to get to the worksite.

 

Please RSVP to hoosierhikerscouncil@gmail.com to let us know that you’re coming to the workday so we can plan enough lunch for all the workers. Please be aware that we unfortunately don’t have the resources to accommodate special dietary needs such as vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.

Green’s Bluff is located west of Bloomington and south of McCormick’s Creek State Park in Owen County. We’ll be parking at a large powerline maintenance area that’s accessible from a smooth, flat, gravel driveway. To get to the worksite, take W Porter Ridge Road west from State Road 43. There’s a double-decker bus parked at the intersection of SR 43 and Porter Ridge Road. Go west about 0.5 miles to Green’s Bluff Road, a gravel road which will be on your right. Follow Green’s Bluff Road northwest for about 0.5 miles to Pawpaw Road, which is also gravel. Bear left onto Pawpaw Road and go about 0.3 miles. Go past a No Trespassing sign on a wooden post to a driveway on your left that leads to a green gate. There will be white flagging tape at the driveway and on the gate. Go through the gate and follow the gravel driveway about 0.4 miles through the woods until you emerge onto a large, flat parking area under the power lines.

Please note that access to Porter Ridge Road from SR 43 is closed until December. 
Please use the following directions to get around the road closure on SR 43.

  • From Bloomington, go west on SR 48/Third Street to SR 43.
  • Follow SR 43 to Burke Shiloh Road. SR 43 makes a 90 degree sharp right turn to the north at Burke Shiloh Road, so you will continue straight onto Burke Shiloh Road instead of following the turn in SR 43.
  • Go up up up Burke Shiloh Road, winding around until you reach a four-way stop at Switchboard Road after 1.5 miles.
  • Make a sharp right at the stop sign and continue for 1.3 miles on Switchboard Road to the stop sign at Porter Ridge Road.
  • Turn left on Porter Ridge Road and continue for 0.4 miles to Green’s Bluff Road.
  • Turn right on Green’s Bluff Road and continue to Pawpaw Road.
  • Turn left on Pawpaw Road and continue to the gate at the Green’s Bluff access road.
  • Follow the access road to the parking area.

The total distance from I-69 at Third Street to the Green’s Bluff gate is about 13 miles or 25 minutes.

Here’s a Google Map link to the driveway on Pawpaw Road: https://goo.gl/maps/TJPcD4E2gAFvTXi2A

We’ll meet at 9:00 am on Saturday, October 21st, and work until 3:00 pm. Please bring water and gloves. HHC will provide tools, training, and lunch.

A NOTE from The Nature Conservancy:
“The Nature Conservancy is so happy you are helping build a trail for visitors on our property. When you arrive for the workday, you’ll be asked to sign an annual TNC volunteer agreement, or you can request an electronic waiver to be signed in advance. To request an electronic waiver, please send an email to Esmé Barniskis <esme.barniskis@tnc.org>.
Thank you again from everyone at TNC!”