Put on your hiking shoes for September’s Hike-A-Thon

Enjoy Oxford will host this year’s “Hike-A-Thon,” in which Oxford can come together to embrace the outdoors and learn about the Myaamia tribe in Ohio. The event will also highlight Oxford’s and Miami University’s trail systems.

The event will be on Saturday, Sept. 5 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at DeWitt Log Cabin. No registration is needed.

Reena Murphy, sustainability coordinator for the City of Oxford, talked to the Oxford Free Press about Hike-A-Thon’s importance. “It’s a long-standing event in our community,” Murphy said, “ it’s always been around in [Oxford].”

Multiple trails will be available for visitors to hike. Guided hikes and educational tours will also be available to the public. 

The tours were implemented last year, according to Murphy, and received positive feedback. 

Murphy added that the tours will be largely self-led and cover topics like the Miami natural areas and the impact of deer on the Oxford community and its ecosystems. 

One specific tour will focus on knowledge of traditional local trees and plants in collaboration with the Myaamia Center and the Institute for the Environment and Sustainability (IES). 

Olivia Herron, director of sustainability at Miami University, said a reenactment at the DeWitt Cabin Homestead would be a part of the event. 

“It’s a good opportunity for community members to get inside that historic cabin,” Herron said. “And learn a little bit about what life would have been like in Oxford when that was somebody’s home.”

The Miami University Equestrian Team will also participate in the event. The team will bring horses for children and families to pet.

T-shirts will be provided and given out for free while supplies last. Water refill stations will be available for visitor use at the event. The event will be pet-friendly and wheel-chair accessible.

Anyone interested in taking part in the event may reach out to Reena Murphy at rmurphy@cityofoxford.org.