News

Experience Nighttime in Nature at Jack-O’-Lantern Hike

 

NICHES Land Trust (NICHES) is excited to announce that the popular Halloween hike at Clegg Memorial Gardens will be held the weekend of October 25–27, 2024. Now in its fifth year, the Jack-O'-Lantern Hike is a family-friendly fundraiser for NICHES that features almost a mile of carved cucurbits and a “People’s Choice” pumpkin carving contest.

 The Jack-O’-Lantern Hike is a non-scary, self-guided walk through the woods on a ¾-mile trail lit with carved pumpkins. Event participants may vote for their favorite pumpkin, and the design with the most votes will win prizes. All proceeds from the event support NICHES and its mission to protect, restore, and sustain Northern Indiana’s ecosystems.

Hikers must register online in advance for a slot between 7:00–10:00 p.m. on Friday, October 25; Saturday, October 26; or Sunday, October 27. The event is free for NICHES Land Trust members. Event tickets can be purchased by non-members at $5 per person. Volunteers, including pumpkin carvers, are invited to attend for free. All participants must register at https://nicheslandtrust.org/jack-o-lantern-hike .

Hikers should park in the Clegg Memorial Gardens main parking lot on the east side of CR 400 E. The hiking path features terrain with steps and hills. Participants should wear sturdy shoes and bring a handheld flashlight.

NICHES also invites community members to volunteer or donate carved pumpkins for the 2024 event. Information about volunteering can be found at https://nicheslandtrust.org/news/pumpkin-carvers-wanted-for-jack-o-lantern-hike. Registered volunteers are invited to pick up a pumpkin from the cottage porch of Clegg Memorial Gardens Starting Monday, October 13, until supplies last. Jack-O-Lanterns should be carved at home and then can dropped off on the front porch of Clegg Memorial Gardens on Thursday, October 24, or before Noon on Friday, October 25. NICHES will supply the illumination. The winning carver will receive a gift membership to NICHES, a copy of Dan Child’s wildflower identification book Into the Woods, and other NICHES merchandise.

 

About Clegg Memorial Gardens

Clegg Memorial Gardens is a 17-acre nature preserve in Lafayette protected by NICHES Land Trust. Clegg Memorial Gardens is open to the public, free of charge, from dawn to dusk every day of the year for the community to enjoy outdoor recreation in a beloved local natural area. It is located at 1782 N 400 E Lafayette, IN 47905. Clegg Memorial Gardens has been open to the public since the 1960s. In 2014, the Clegg Foundation and NICHES Land Trust formally merged, and Clegg Memorial Gardens became the headquarters of NICHES Land Trust.

 

About NICHES Land Trust

NICHES Land Trust works to fulfill its mission to protect, restore and sustain Northern Indiana’s ecosystems by providing habitat for native species and offering natural places for the education, appreciation, and enjoyment of current and future generations. Since 1995, NICHES has been revitalizing and preserving the environment through the acquisition and management of natural areas in its 13-county service region. Today, the nonprofit organization manages over 4,800 acres of forest, savanna, prairie, and wetlands – all of which are open to the public for free. Learn more at nicheslandtrust.org.

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