Events aim to get Hatters in touch with trails

By Mo Cranker on August 3, 2018.

mcranker@medicinehatnews.com @MHNmocranker

The Medicine Hat Interpretive Program is holding two free events in the coming days, and organizers are hoping Hatters get out on the trails to see their city.

Sunday’s event is called Bike the Bridges and will have Hatters make their way through various parts of the city on their bike.

“We want to get people checking out and more accustomed to the trails in the city,” said park interpreter Marty Drut. “A lot of people in the city know about the trails we have, but we want to help people put it together and show them that there’s so many different places to go and do something like bicycling.

“The other part of it is that I want to point out certain things around the city for people to see.”

Drut is asking anyone interesting in the nine-kilometre bike ride to meet at The Arena parking lot at 6 p.m. with their bike and a helmet — which he says is mandatory to take part in the ride.

“We just want everyone to be safe,” he said. “We’re welcoming anyone to come out, but people should just know their limits and judge whether or not they can do the bike ride.

“It’s pretty flat for the most part, so most people should be able to make the ride no problem.”

The Interpretive Program is then holding a Beyond the Campground hiking event near the Gas City Campground. Drut is asking people interesting to meet at the campground’s parking lot at 7 p.m.

“People are always wondering what to see and do in Medicine Hat, but if you look closely there’s some great hidden gems,” said Drut. “One of those hidden gems is the coulee system that’s just south and east of the Gas City Campground.

“There’s a great paved trail that goes to Echo Dale park, but there’s also some great coulees and trails that you can explore off of that — we’re going to explore one of the coulees near the campground.”

Drut said Wednesday’s event will involve hiking a steep incline, and that it may not be for people with limited mobility.

For more information go to http://www.natureline.info or call the program at 403-529-6225