Program Focus: The weekend will be a smaller and more intimate version of the Arc of Appalachian’s April Wildflower Pilgrimage with a 15 person limit and a single hike leader that will guide you through three different preserves over two and a half days. The program is suitable for serious botanically-inclined students who want a deep immersion into plant identification and ecology, as well as participants who just want to rejoice in nature’s beauty. May does not have the dense showcases of immense colonies of spring flowers. May’s flowers tend to be more scattered about, which is why “quest” is the perfect word for this event, and Elijah knows just where to look for them!

Tuition: $275 per person. Includes one evening presentation on Thursday, two days of field trips, and simple breakfasts on Friday and Saturday. Registrants will be covering their own expenses for lodging, packed lunches, dinners & transportation.

Location: The education headquarters and lodging for this event will be at the Manor House of the Arc of Appalachia’s Tremper Mound Preserve. Field trips will take place at the Arc-owned Ohio Hanging Rock, Shawnee State Forest, and Kamama Prairie.

Attendance: Workshop attendance will be limited to no more than 15 people.

Leaders: The leader for this event is Elijah Crabtree, Manager of Tremper Mound and Simon Farm Preserves.

Registration Process: Registration is available simply by clicking on the button above and filling out the form. If the event is booked, the registration button will be disabled and you will see an announcement that we are full on top of the page. If you don’t see this announcement, you can be reasonably certain that spaces remain open for the event. When you are finished filling out the registration form, you will see the link that takes you to our payment center. You will not be officially registered until the registration fee is paid, after which time we will send you an emailed confirmation. Please note that lodging is not included in the tuition fee, and is offered at both the Tremper Mound Manor House and in the local Portsmouth region - see below for details. If we are full, you are welcome to give us a call and ask to be put on the waiting list .

Lodging at the Workshop Hub. Lodging is available for an additional fee at the Tremper Mound Manor House. The Manor House is an attractive, rambling 1940s house with many bedrooms that are aesthetic, homey, and comfortable. Linens and towels are provided. The manor house is a convenient place to stay since the manor house is the gathering space for evening presentations and meals. Based on past experiences, the group lodge also helps build camaraderie - which often proves to be a meaningful benefit. The cost to stay in the manor house is $50/per night in a room shared with another registrant of the same gender, and $85/per night for a private room - both sharing a bathroom on a common hall. One room with a queen bed and a private bathroom is available for $100/night. Give our office a call to discuss available options.

Lodging nearby. Optionally, registrants can choose to stay in one of the several Airbnb and motel offerings in the Portsmouth region - roughly 15 minutes away. Also available are lodge rooms at Shawnee State Park Lodge. The lodge is approximately a 25-minute drive away from the manor house, which, because of the 16-mile distance, is not as ideal as staying in the manor house or in town.

Meals: We will offer simple breakfasts at the manor house on Friday and Saturday mornings and lunch components for the Friday and Saturday field trips. Evening dinners are on your own, and many fast food and slow food options are available in West Portsmouth and Portsmouth. Recommendations will be provided to registrants.

Transportation. Participants will drive their own cars to the described trailheads. Car-sharing is encouraged but not at all required.

Cancellation policy.  In case of cancellation, refunds will be granted in full up until April 8, 2025. After that time, all payments are final and if not used, will be recorded as a tax-deductible donation to the Arc of Appalachia unless there is someone on the waiting list willing to take your slot. Registrations are transferable to other parties. If transferring your registration to another party, please be sure to give us the recipient’s name and email.

Cell phone coverage and the internet. Most cell phones work at Tremper Mound Manor House. However, if you want internet access, plan to hook up a hotspot off your phone.

The manor house is right next to one of North America’s most significant indigenous earthworks. All you have to do is walk right outside the door to enjoy the privilege of standing at an ancient sacred site of the Hopewell Culture - Tremper Mound, once the repository of renowned animal effigy pipes of this 2000-year-old culture. Click here for more information on Tremper Mound.

Flying in? Participants may fly into either Cincinnati or Columbus. Both airports are roughly two hours from Portsmouth. 

And there is hiking at Tremper Mound Preserve, too! If you have extra time during the breaks, there are three different trails offerings at Tremper Mound Preserve.

What should I bring? 

• Cell phone in case of emergency and taking photos of wildflowers.

• Raingear is recommended as this course will go on rain or shine. Consider a wide-brimmed hat to shed the rain.

• Water bottle and day pack to carry your lunch.

• Notebook or clipboard, pen, pencils, and paper (for sketching and field notes)

• Pocket money for snacks and small purchases; a credit card for dinners.

• Personal care items (soap, shampoo, etc.).

• First aid kit appropriate to your needs

• Sun hat if you are sensitive

• Optional. Insect repellent for ticks & chiggers, see details below. We will also bring some to share. June is not a time we should have to overly worry about chiggers, thank goodness.

Comfort in the out-of-doors. We will be spending most of our time in the field, so please pack clothing that will allow you to be comfortable in a variety of weather conditions. In southern Ohio, our temperature highs could be anywhere from the high sixties to the low eighties. We encourage you to check the weather forecast before you pack. Night-time lows are equally variable, anywhere from the high forties to the low sixties, but most likely in the mid-fifties. 

Emergency Messages. Emergency messages for course participants can be left at the mainline of the Highlands Nature Sanctuary (937) 365-1935 during daytime hours. Leader’s cell phones will also be provided to you

Should I prepare for ticks, chiggers, biting insects, and poison ivy? In May, the Shawnee region does not support high numbers of uncomfortable biting insects. We do not have black flies and only a very few deer flies and mosquitos this time of year. You may encounter a few ticks in the open fields, and chiggers in tall grass if you choose to wander off-trail (which is another good reason not to) - but again, this time of the year such an encounter is very unlikley. You will have minimal but possible exposure to poison ivy. The leaders know the plant well and will help you avoid exposure. If you do touch the leaves, washing vigorously with soap within an hour avoids reactivity in most people. If any of these challenges are new for you, let us know and we will do our best to orient you to them, help mentor your adjustment, or minimize exposure. That said, no exposure to insects is not a realistic expectation for field studies. Our field-based staff have developed a fantastic homemade repellant recipe for flying insects, ticks, and chiggers made of essential herbal oils that is stunningly effective and 100% natural - see below for deeper information

Please click here to learn about the considerable hazards presented by ticks and chiggers and prepare your own insect repellant that is safe to use, affordable to make, and will give you the confidence to enjoy the out-of-doors.

Questions or interest in making lodging reservations:
For event & lodging information: Cassidy Drummond, Education Coordinator at 937-794-3360
Email: cassidy.arcofappalachia@gmail.com