Creeping through the Frank Knowles/Little River Reserve at Spooky Walk
Things that go bump in the night didn’t keep locals from turning up for a Spooky Walk through the Frank Knowles/Little River Reserve.
More than 100 people turned out for a creepy trek through the wood organized by The Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust and Westport Land Conservation Trust.
“The whole point of these type of events is to get people using the property,” said Westport Land Conservation Trust Executive Director Ryan Mann.
The Spooky Walk has been held several times in the past by the Dartmouth Trust and so they joined with the Westport Trust to further promote the event and get more people excited by the vast amount of land at their disposal.
Starting at 5:30 p.m., the walk, guided by Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust and Westport Land Conservation Trust members, wound through the forest. Though it was a family-friendly event, the hike started at sunset so much of it was spent in the dark.
The forest path was decked out with hanging skeletons, the trail guided by flickering (fake) candles and hanging lights to guide the way. Several minutes of trekking through the forest led to a clearing filled with costumed kids prowling about to scare the hikers.
Eighth graders from Dartmouth Middle School volunteered for the event to help tell scary stories and give the families a fright. Garbed in creepy costumes and ghoulish masks, volunteers Nate Stone, Braely Nato, Ava Cloon, Sabrina Pires, Sarah Gioiosa, Andrew Banno, Will Smith, Riley Haynes and Sara Lawson are all National Junior Honor Society members with grade averages of 93 or higher. Their good grades gave them the privilege of participating in this event.
Most events held by Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust and Westport Land Conservation Trust have an educational tinge to them, typically regarding the wildlife inhabiting the grounds. However, the Spooky Walk was just a chance for families to enjoy the autumn forest.
“I can’t tell you how many times…we hear ‘wow, I’ve never been here.’ And this type of event… exposes people to areas they don’t know yet,” Mann said.
