The beautiful Metroparks are a lovely place to hike and connect people with nature at deeper level helping cultivate care for conservation. Not to mention the many benefits for those who hike. Since 2021, more than 1,000 participants have enjoyed the Metroparks thanks to volunteer-led hikes.

In 2020, nearly all of the hikes on the program calendar had full registration, and participants were often asking for more hikes at their favorite Metroparks. Alissa Caple, Outdoor Skills Specialist, saw the need for more hikes with volunteers.

Denise Fonner and Chris Czech were attending almost every hike Alissa was leading. As time went by, Alissa was able to rely on them as trustworthy co-workers. They provided suggestions on hike routes and shared and talking points during hikes. The volunteers took on more leadership roles as they hiked together more and became natural candidates for the first Volunteer Hike Leaders.

Denis and Chris’ passion for hiking in the Metroparks inspired more people to volunteer as hike leaders. Alissa and Hannah Gillen, Volunteer Engagement Specialist, created a training process to support leaders to help them become more familiar with the parks and more comfortable leading a group. With help from Ashley Smith, Manager of Public Programs, a process was established that helped volunteers feel equipped to lead.

The first official hike leader training was on a warm spring day in May 2021 with a small group of passionate volunteers. As the program grew and evolved, Jude Muir became a very consistent leader. She brought with her years of experience from leading outings with the Sierra Club and made a number of contributions to the program, including adding a mentorship aspect to the training, which allowed new volunteers to learn from experienced ones.

The program started with six new hike leaders in 2021, who gave 40 hours of volunteer service, and has grown to 14 hike leaders who gave 433 hours of volunteer service in 2024.

Thanks to the Volunteer Hike Leaders, an increasing number of people can get out and connect to the beautiful and valuable natural recourses we have in our Metroparks.

Metroparks asked volunteers to share their stories.

By Jude Muir

Our hiking program is really important to me. I've made awesome and like-minded friends. I like that the mission of Metroparks is an important part of hiking in the parks. We can see the restorations at work and the conservation issues at work. I'm learning the trees, enjoying the wildflowers, getting good exercise, and enjoying my friends.

The frogs singing in the spring, the colors in the fall, the winter landscape coated with snow and paved paths that are cleared. The birds, so many birds. These are some of the seasonal gems I get to enjoy as a hike leader.

The growth of the program is really exciting. We have so many interested participants and that's rewarding as a hike leader. I feel valued by the staff at Metroparks. And I like the advantage of being invited to meetings and gatherings that keep us updated on things going on with park projects.

Our parks are well maintained and always clean. I've encountered responsible dog owners with dogs on leash and well behaved. This is not the case in other places where I've been a hike leader. To me, this exudes respect for the park and its guidelines as well as for the park users.

By Jerry Radwanski

Being a hike leader is one of my favorite activities in all of the volunteer work I do for Metroparks Toledo. This is due to several aspects of what it takes to be a hike leader.

First, it takes a real love of being in the parks. Walking the trails of the parks is where I most like to spend my free time. I love the changeability of the forests and prairies. They literally change every day. Seeing the changes that occur in the various plants and animals that make the forests of our parks their homes is just fascinating to me.

Second, it takes a desire to want to share with others the things that we know about the parks. I love being able to tell our hikers about unique features of the trails we are on during any of our hikes. Whether it is the story of the Side Cut of the Miami Erie Canal, or the evolution of Oak Openings from a small plot of land to the 5,000+ acres it is today, or the facts about Secor Metropark being the creation of funds obtained by selling a parking lot in downtown Toledo or explaining the geological history of the glacial grooves at Blue Creek, or any of dozens of other stories that I have learned about our parks. All of this gives me joy and the hikers all seem genuinely interested in learning about our parks.

Third, it takes a genuine love of nature, which I truly do. I love the fact that we live in and around an Oak Savanna, one of only a few in the entire world. Being able to tell the hikers how important our region is to maintaining a healthy ecosystem is highly rewarding and makes me feel like I am contributing back to the planet we live on.

Being a Metroparks hike leader is a truly rewarding experience. Sharing local history and even some of the smallest nature facts with my fellow Northwestern Ohio citizens always brings appreciation from the hikers. It is an experience that enriches us both.

By Holly Eichner

I was an only parent (raised my son alone). Which means by the time my son became a teenager and no longer wanted to hang out with me I realized I needed to find my way back to who I was, not to mention to make some friends. I started attending hikes as a participant because they were free and I liked the park. I quickly met people, made friends and then started volunteering. My besties are two lovely ladies (Jude and Bonnie) I met on your night hikes at swan creek and we have been hiking together ever since!

Hiking with the Metroparks not only gave me a chance to explore new parks but I have met so many wonderful people! I have also made two amazing friends who have become family.

By Marcee Lichtenwald

I love hiking in our Metroparks because it's such a great opportunity to get outside, get fresh air and exercise, and leave behind the stress of everyday life for a moment. We have this amazing park system, with many of the parks right in the middle of the busy city, that helps us reconnect with nature and enjoy a little bit of peace for a moment. I love being a volunteer hike leader with the Metroparks because it's such a great way to build community and share that love of our parks with others. It also encourages others to come out and explore the trails who might not feel comfortable doing so on their own. The joy that comes from meeting new people, sharing my love for the outdoors, and hearing folks talk about how much they enjoyed the hike is honestly one of the biggest perks of being a volunteer hike leader. It’s truly one the most fulfilling aspects of community building I’ve experienced.