Guided tours showcase natural beauty of park
BRADY TWP — Blooming wildflowers brought plenty of people this weekend to the Jennings Environmental Education Center, helped along by guided tours Sunday.
“I just love it,” said Becky Koller of Slippery Rock. “The whole place intrigues me.”
The wildflowers throughout the prairie within the state park began its ascent to the peak of blooming season with a large number of flowers showing their true colors.
Becky and Greg Koller were two of about 40 people to attended tours guided by park staff.
“I'd have to commend Wil (Taylor). He gives a great presentation,” Greg Koller said. “It's all pretty interesting.”
Taylor, the center's manager, said he enjoys providing the tours. He said he missed doing them during the COVID-19 pandemic, and he is happy to be back in that regard.
“We want to showcase the resource,” he said. “We do this so people know it's here, support it and appreciate it.”
Donna Richards of Bellefonte said she was hoping to see one of the park's famous Eastern Massasauga rattle snakes, but sadly, didn't get a glimpse. Richards said the Blazing Star flower was an excellent consolation, along with all the other flowers.
Blazing Star flowers, Liatris spicata, is a purple perennial flower that holds its colorful figure for about three to four weeks, before its bloom season is over.
“The Blazing Star was really something to see,” she said. “(And,) I saw things that weren't even on the list.”
Walt Everly of New Sewickley Township said he brought his sister after he heard about the tours through a function thanking volunteers last week. Everly said he has been coming to the area for years to fish and enjoy the wildlife, and recently he has begun to give back to the park.
Everly said he would recommend for anyone to go through the tour, see the park and help out through volunteering.
“The trail itself is quite a site to see,” he said. “This is a beautiful park.”
The tours brought visitors along the Blazing Star and Prairie Loop trails. Taylor said those two are particularly flat, short and forgiving for most hikers.
“We talked about why the prairie is there,” he said.
Visitors Ray Novotny of Youngstown, Ohio, and Vince Trinckes of Hubbard, Ohio, both enjoyed the tour too.
“It was an informative presentation,” Novotny said.
Trinckes said both he and Novotny both have been visitors and involved with the park for many years; however, he has never had the opportunity to see the park in its peak.
“Each part of the park has its own unique aspect,” he said. “It's a relatively small state park, but it's quite diverse in terms of habitat.”
Taylor said the park's atmosphere will continue blossoming in the coming weeks, as he estimates there is about another one or two weeks until the park reaches its absolute pinnacle.
While guided tours may no longer be available during that time, the park also offers self-guided tours, where the visitor picks up a special guide they can read along the way.
“I expect it'll really be looking good next weekend,” Taylor said.
