Weather permitting: Hikes to Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve and Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve

Mary Pat Schmidt leads nature hikes on Saturday & Sunday - 3:30pm-5:00pm

Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal - level-to-sandy terrain with scenic overviews of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal • Lake Michigan beach; sand dunes; ancient ridge-swale shorelines; mature stands of hemlock and white pine; extensive wetlands; old fields; threatened and endangered plants including the dune thistle • Views of two historic lighthouses; access to the ship canal

Bay Shore Blufflands - 2.5 mile hiking trail over level and elevated terrain on bluff slopes • Magnificent views of surrounding landscape and of the Green Bay waters below • Niagara Escarpment; Green Bay shoreline; old fields; wetlands and springs; northern hardwoods and boreal forest communities; eight species of orchids

These hikes are weather dependent and may be cancelled due to inclement weather (storms or high heat).

Mary Pat Schmidt is from Pewaukee, Wisconsin. She was introduced to folk dancing in college at Marquette University, where she took a Phy Ed class in beginning Ethnic Dance and fell in love with it. She has been folk dancing with the Milwaukee International Dancers since the late 1980's, after seeing a notice promoting folk dancing at the International Institute which reignited her passion. In the Milwaukee group, she is on the Leadership Committee.

Mary Pat is also a former member of the Romanian performing group, Viata Romanesca, and the Bulgarian group, Na Lesa. She is now retired from a long career in Medical Technology (laboratory blood work), and besides dancing, spends time hiking and biking with other folk dancers.