We are so fortunate to have so many places to explore in our beautiful Bighorns backyard. You can explore on two feet, two wheels, or horseback on a growing network of community trails. But it is not your mode of exploration that matters most, it is what your explorations give to you. I was reminded of that this summer when I saw Ally Forsythe find a fossil embedded in a rock on Cliffhanger Trail while she was on a geology hike at Red Grade Trails with her family.
Because of you, Ally and her family had an evening in nature together as a family that they will never forget.
You can see Ally smiling in the photo above as she points at her find. Shortly after the photo was taken, the skies opened and it capital “P” Poured. Her father Andy said Ally didn’t care so much for getting soaked, but getting soaked it not what the hike gave her. “She still fondly talks of how fun it was to go hiking together,” Andy remarked.
Those moments are exactly why community trails have been built, and why programs like Discovery Sessions exist.
“As a family we learn together, make memories, and make connections through
what SCLT provides for the community,” ~Andy Forsythe
Andy brings his family to SCLT events because they give “scope and context to the land around us.” He wants his children to hear stories about the land and its history so they learn why our patch of paradise in Sheridan County matters “as we make our own stories through our experiences together.”
Most importantly, Andy said the opportunities SCLT offers his family helped them find community. “SCLT helped us connect to people of the area when we didn’t know anyone, as well as helping us connect to the community by providing access and opportunities for experiencing the outdoors around Sheridan County.”
More families can connect to what we all love about Sheridan County. But they need help! This is why you are needed.
