CAMPBELLSPORT — People will be hike the northern unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest in the dark for the annual Winter Solstice night hike.
Sunday night is the longest night of the year—making it the 2025 Winter Solstice.
"This is when the sun reaches its lowest point," Jackie Scharfenberg said. "It's extremely important. So many people are disconnected from nature these days. They spend so much time at their jobs, they're so busy or they're just more urban dwellers."
Scharfenberg is a retired naturalist with Friends of the Kettle Moraine State Forest and she will lead the night hike starting at Zilmer Trail in Campbellsport.
"It's extremely important. So many people are disconnected from nature these days," she said. "They spend so much time at their jobs, they're so busy or they're just more urban dwellers."
Watch here: What to expect during Sunday's Winter Solstice night hike
She said people come from Washington, Sheboygan and Fond du Lac counties to get away from the hustle and bustle of this time of year.
"There have been so many studies that prove how much mental health and physical health," she said. "They keep finding more and more good things that getting outdoors does for a person."
Along the 1.5-mile long trail they'll take breaks, breathe and listen to the breeze. They'll also learn about Winter Solstice traditions dating back thousands of years in multiple cultures.
"It's a good feeling. This is one of the things I really enjoy doing is just getting people to enjoy the outdoors, make their connections," Scharfenberg said. "Hopefully they have a good experience because... If you love things then you're willing to protect them, so it's kind of a stepping stone for a lot of folks."
When the hike ends, they're going to do a tradition where the campfire will be lit, they'll write down a goal they want to accomplish to help nature or a habit that they'd like to change, put it in the fire, burn it and send it off into the new year.
The hike is 6:30-8 p.m. Sunday night, it costs $13 for a day pass car sticker, and people can just show up at W833 County Rd SS Campbellsport, WI 53010.
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