Get Outside: Local hiking and foraging group shares knowledge, encourages exploring region together

573 Hiking & Foraging co-founder Jada Guzman knew she was surrounded by natural food and medicine in the Southeast Missouri nature around her, but felt frustrated because she felt she didn’t know anything about it. At the same time, she knew there were people in the area who had an interest in foraging, and she started thinking it would be cool if there was a local group to promote knowledge-sharing about foraging in the region.

The group’s other co-founder, Leigh Ludolph, had a background in herbalism through working at an herbal medicine shop for a year after she graduated from college; she also wanted to get back into learning about herbalism and foraging. She found out Guzman was interested in starting a group, and in July 2023, they created the 573 Hiking & Foraging Facebook group. Since, they’ve watched the community they’ve created grow.

A Facebook group with a mission to “collectively share our knowledge and experiences surrounding all things hiking and foraging in SEMO area,” the group has nearly 850 members on Facebook; turnout varies at in-person events, Ludolph said. Online, members post photos and questions about flora and fauna they find in the area for other members to help identify and comment on; in-person, members of the group hike and participate in outdoor activities together at various places throughout Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

“The communal aspect and the sharing of knowledge is probably my favorite part, just ‘cause I’ve learned so much in the short while that we’ve been doing it,” Guzman said. “And especially post-COVID, it’s nice to be able to be outside with other people. It’s fun. I dig it.”

573 Hiking & Foraging co-founder Jada Guzman prepares for a hike before attendees gather. The group, which started in July 2023, is Guzman's brainchild.Photo by Megan Casasola

Both moms, Guzman and Ludolph wanted to create a group in which the events are open to children, so families have a way to learn about nature together and meet other families who are interested in similar topics. They want to help families have a “bonding experience” and get involved in nature together, participating in hands-on nature identification activities.

“Nature is kind of intimidating and scary to a lot of people that did not grow up around it,” Ludolph said. “I see a lot of people that are wanting to get into it and teach their kids about it, but they just don’t know where to start, kind of. And so, I feel like there’s this comfort in going with a group — it makes it more accessible, it makes it where you can go somewhere that you might not have normally gone with your kids if you didn’t know about it.”

In the past, the group has gone on a hike to identify mushrooms, collaborated with Trail of Tears State Park staff to do a snake feeding demonstration, and worked with the University of Kansas to participate in a monarch butterfly catch and release, in which they tagged butterflies to track migration patterns.

The group has also participated in an indoor elderberry syrup class and hopes to incorporate more opportunities for learning indoors while the weather is cold.

“It’s like a back-to-roots thing. It feels good to just revert back to old ways,” Guzman said. “I think it’s very important to not let those things get lost, too. So even just piquing a little bit of interest, it keeps it going. Keeps that light lit.” The co-founders enjoy being connectors that get people access to information, and they often team up to promote outdoor activities other groups are already doing. For this, Ludolph uses her experience in marketing and graphic design. They enjoy seeing people’s friendships blossom when they meet up

in-person for these group adventures.

573 Hiking & Foraging co-founder Leigh Ludolph laughs before a group hike. As a mom, Ludolph wants to create hands-on nature identification activities for families in the region to enjoy together.Photo by Megan Casasola

“Nature connects a lot of people together that wouldn’t normally be together,” Ludolph said. “So, we’ve kind of just got all these different people that are all interconnected by nature, and I think it’s cool that we can all set aside our differences to talk about something we care about together.”

Approximately 30 people came together to hike Snake Road in the Shawnee National Forest on a 573 Hiking & Foraging excursion in late October. According to National Geographic, Snake Road is the only place in the world that closes each year, so the amphibians and reptiles who live in the area can migrate. The area is ideal for the animals’ migration because of the ecological environment.

“The [snakes and other animals that migrate] get to go live their best lives in the spring and summer months down in the swamps, and then when they get cold and they want to sleep up throughout fall and winter, they migrate up towards the bluffs, because that’s a perfect place for them to hibernate and survive the winter,” said Ian Peak, guest guide for the excursion who taught attendees about foraging as the group walked along the trail.

Attendees Melissa and Willow Morris recently moved from St. Louis to their farm in Southern Illinois and said they have many snakes on their new property. They came to the Snake Road excursion as their first trek with 573 Hiking & Foraging to learn more about what’s around them and because their son loves snakes.

“We have a large population of timber rattlesnakes on the farm, and one of the things we really wanted to instill in [our son] is not to be afraid of them, but also be very respectful of them,” Willow said. “So, something like this seemed like a really good opportunity to really encourage that.”

Hikers enjoy exploring nature together at a 573 Hiking & Foraging excursion at Snake Road in the Shawnee National Forest. Approximately 30 participants attended the event.Photo by Megan Casasola

Their son made new friends with the other children on the excursion and agreed he was excited to see snakes.

“Every meat eater is my favorite animal,” Elijah Morris said.

For others who want to get involved in excursions like this one, Guzman and Ludolph encourage them to join the

573 Hiking & Foraging Facebook group and post their questions, as well as their knowledge, on it. They also encourage people to show up to in-person events. If someone has knowledge about a specific topic related to the outdoors and would like to lead a hike or workshop, they encourage them to reach out via the Facebook group to set up an event.

Children play together on a hike at Snake Road with 573 Hiking & Foraging. The group is a place for people of all ages to explore the outdoors together.Photo by Megan Casasola

For those who live in a different area code who want to start a similar group, Ludolph and Guzman said they are happy to help get the group started; in a similar vein, the 618 Hiking & Foraging group in Southern Illinois is their sister group.

More than anything, the co-founders encourage people to “just show up,” even — and especially — if they don’t feel like an expert in the outdoors.

“I feel like something about these events rekindles this inner child in people,” Ludolph said.

“Oh, yes,” Guzman agreed. “[Nature is] like one big playground, you know?”