March 28, 2024

Hikers hunt for signs of spring

Annual Woodland Wildflower Walk

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A handful of hikers set out Saturday morning to find signs of spring during the annual Woodland Wildflower Walk lead by Jasper County Conservation Naturalist Katie Cantu.

Families and children hiked the trail at Ashton Wildwood County Park as Cantu pointed out perennial plants — common violet, Jacob’s Ladder, wild Geraniums and Jack in the Pulpit.

Marie Quanbeck of Newton said she doesn’t make it out to Ashton Park as often as she would like and the wildflower walk sounded like a great opportunity.

“She (Cantu) is so knowledgeable and she makes the walks fun,” Quanbeck said.

Cantu said there is a short time frame to see a lot of the wildflowers that spring has to offer and it all depends on the amount of rain and sunlight the flowers get.

“It makes spring really exciting,” Cantu said. “This stuff isn’t around long.”

Heather and Maika Takavesi, of Newton, said they found out about the wildflower walk from their neighbor who works for the conservation, and the couple was looking for more physical activities to do with their two children.

Sereana Takavesi, 5, lead the pack of hikers several times with her walking stick and participated in finding bugs and critters under logs. Cantu pointed out millipedes and beetles to the group of children under several logs through out the half-mile walk.

Cantu made sure to point out several highlights along the way including, a rare showy Orchis, a morel mushroom and oak wilt, which is a fungus found on a lot of Black Oak trees at the park.

Cantu also ensured hikers knew where the poison ivy plants were located throughout the trail.

The hike has typically been held on Mother’s Day weekend and was sometimes held at Jacob Krumm Nature Reserve, but Ashton Park has a lot to offer, according to Cantu.

“It really is a hidden jewel in the county,” Cantu said.

Contact Kayla Langmaid at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or klangmaid@newtondailynews.com