By Katherine Mickelson | Guest Contributor
Every Wednesday from March through October, Park Rangers lead free hikes in Cameron Park to help the public explore the trails. Each week, around 40 participants join the rangers to learn more about the park and build community in nature.
Park Ranger Gary Proctor leads many of the hikes. He said he looks forward to the weekly gatherings because of the people he’s met. Since March, the group has welcomed about 225 different hikers for a total of nearly 1,400 miles.
One recent hike focused on the northern area of the park, an area less known to the public. The 2.5-mile route covered sections of the Powerline, Erect and Slinky trails.
Since Cameron Park‘s inception in 1910, the park has evolved to encompass 400 acres along the Brazos River and contains scenic overlooks, playground sets and event spaces.
Proctor said the group hikes are a great way for participants to become more familiar with the trails. The rangers give directions, share safety reminders and can recommend apps for personal route planning. He said he enjoys all the animals they see that typically are not noticed in the rest of Waco.
“It’s a place to get away when you’re still in the middle of the city, but you can escape things,” Proctor said.
Park Ranger Zharla Jensen said the guided hikes began for people who wanted to visit Cameron Park but were worried about getting lost. She said the program helps introduce residents to the trails and showcases the park’s natural beauty.
“Right in the middle of the City of Waco is one of the top five urban city parks in the nation,” Jensen said.
On a typical Wednesday, Jensen said there are two to three hiking groups based on preferred pace. The rangers occasionally share facts about the park’s history or wildlife, but most of the time, participants simply enjoy the walk and conversation.
Some hikes bring unexpected encounters. Jensen said that last year, her first season as a ranger, her group came across a venomous copperhead snake.
“Typically, they move; this one just sat there,” she said.
According to Jensen, the snake had to be pushed off the trail by another ranger’s walking stick.
Jensen also said she understands the fear that newcomers may have about getting lost on their own. In fact, during one of the first hikes she led, she accidentally lost the caboose ranger.
One participant, Trent Langhorne, has been hiking with the group since August after a friend invited her to join.
“I had read about the hikes but thought they were more of a tourist thing,” Langhorne said. “I didn’t realize they were serious hikes.”
She enjoys following the crowd without worrying about directions and has gained a deeper appreciation for the park and its beauty.
“It’s nice to realize there’s this jewel here that we can take advantage of,” Langhorne said.
First-time participant and Waco resident Lindsey Embry said she often runs in Cameron Park but joined the hike to meet new people.
Embry’s neighbor goes every week and invited her and her dog, Mitzy, to join. As a newer Waco resident, she said she was looking for a group to join.
Wilton, Conn., junior Reina Calafell said she enjoys the guided hikes.
“It was a fun way to explore Cameron Park and meet new people around Waco,” Calafell said.
As the sun began to set toward the end of the hike, participants lingered at the trailhead, petting dogs and sharing stories with each other. The hike serves as a reminder to enjoy all that Waco has to offer.
The Wednesday night hikes will continue at 5:45 p.m. each week until daylight runs out for the season, according to the rangers. The weekly hikes are scheduled to resume in March.
Cameron Park includes more than 26 miles of trails for hiking and biking, as well as fishing spots, a disc golf course and picnic areas. Park hours are 6 a.m. to midnight.
For more information, visit the City of Waco Parks and Recreation website.
