Night biking, last-chance paddling and other fall adventures in the South Bend area
The colors of autumn include twinkly lights ― that is, when you're going for a night bike ride. Which is one of ways this week to absorb the onset of bright foliage, including last-chance paddling and photo snapping, along with a glacier tour in late October.
Enjoy these pieces from this week's Outdoor Adventures column.
Night ride
Light up your bike, don a helmet, wear a costume if you like and join a night bike ride mostly on trails from South Bend’s Howard Park on Oct. 15.
Meet at 6:45 p.m. Depart at 7:15 p.m. Opt for seven miles or 15 miles through the University of Notre Dame campus during the football game against Stanford. There will be a pit stop at the South Bend Bike Garage.
There is no cost for this ride, which organizers of Michiana Bike to Work events are leading. Helmets are required.
More on South Bend bike trails:Bikes, brats and beer fest to support work on bike trails
Hike or bike
Do a 6K or 12K Volksmarch walk or a 12K bike ride, much of it on trails, with the Hoosiers Hikers starting anytime between 8 a.m. and noon CDT Oct. 15 at Pullman Park, 550 W. Fourth St., Michigan City.
Water will be available at the start and at checkpoints.
From downtown, take Michigan Boulevard (U.S. 12) west and look for the park on the left soon after the Lighthouse Place outlets.
This event is free. No pets. For questions, contact Bob Buzolich at 574-339-9140 or sonofbuzz@prodigy.net. For more details, find a link in this column online.
Final paddle
Ferrettie-Baugo Creek County Park, 57057 Ash Road, Osceola, will rent canoes and kayaks on Baugo Creek on Oct. 15 as it closes out the season, as long as there's no rain and temperatures stay above 50 degrees.
Check out boats between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Cost is $20 per boat for up to two hours, plus gate fee.
Calumet kayak
Bring your kayak and life vest and join an Indiana Dunes National Park ranger for a paddle on the Little Calumet River from 10 a.m. to noon CDT Oct. 16 and 30.
Start at the Bailly launch point on Howe Road. Parking is available at the Mnoké Prairie parking lot on Howe Road, just south of the Little Calumet River in Porter. For more information, call 219-395-1882 or visit www.nps.gov/indu.
Smartphone photos
Volunteer Ron Seman and the Duneland Photography Club will offer tips to better use your smartphone to take nature photos from 10 a.m. to noon CDT Oct. 15 at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, 1215 N. Indiana 49, Porter. It includes a half hour in the auditorium and an hour and a half hike.
Bike trails near you:Updates on East Bank, Auten trails. Plus biking with sandhill cranes.
Indiana forest open houses
Indiana’s Division of Forestry will host open houses and a guided hike at various state forests on Oct. 17-19, including one from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 18 at Salamonie River and Frances Slocum State Forests. The event will be at the Salamonie River State Forest office off Indiana 524, about 6 miles east of Wabash.
Call 260-782-0430 for more information.
At each open house, staff will offer displays of information and take questions and comments. Written comments can be submitted at dnr.IN.gov/forestry/state-forest-management/public-comment/submit. You can also check that site for open houses at other forests.
A guided hike will start at 5 p.m. at each event.
"These open house events provide Hoosiers with a chance to receive first-hand information about how the state forests are working to provide diverse wildlife habitat, forest products, and recreational opportunities," State Forester John Seifert says in a press release. "They also allow us to receive valuable feedback from our neighbors and users about state forest management.”
Glacier bus tour
South Bend city naturalist Garry Harrington will bring back his bus tour of St. Joseph County sites carved by glaciers on Oct. 30.
There will be two tours: from 1 to 3 p.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m., both starting from Rum Village Nature Center, 2626 S. Gertrude St. in South Bend.
The main column:New park in LaPorte County is like stepping into northern Michigan
Cost is $15, payable in cash or check at the nature center by Oct. 24. For more information, call 574-235-9455 or send email to gharring@southbendin.gov.
Find columnist Joseph Dits on Facebook at SBTOutdoorAdventures or 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Night bike ride and paddling for fall colors around South Bend
