BISMARCK — Badlands Conservation Alliance is hosting an outing to western North Dakota on Saturday, April 27, to celebrate Earth Day. The group will hike 5.5 miles of the Maah Daah Hey Trail in the Little Missouri National Grassland. Badlands Conservation. Alliance Executive Director Shannon Straight will be guiding the hike and providing background on the conservation initiatives in the area.

Participants will meet at Chimney Park in Medora at 9 a.m. MDT on April 27 and depart together at 9:15 a.m. MDT. At the conclusion of the hike, Dakota Cyclery will provide a shuttle from Coal Creek to return participants back to their vehicles. The hike from Plumely Draw to Coal Creek is moderately strenuous and will last three to four hours.

Hikers must bring their own food, water, sunscreen, first-aid supplies and other gear. Hiking shoes or boots are required. No potable water is available on the trail. Dogs are allowed on the portion of the Maah Daah Hey Trail the group will be hiking. Dogs must be on a leash in developed areas, including the trailheads for Coal Creek and Plumely Draw. This trail is shared with horses. This is a section of non-motorized U.S. Forest Service land.

Badlands Conservation Alliance members and nonmembers are encouraged to participate. The event is free and open to the public, and there is no fee required to hike on this section of the Little Missouri National Grassland.

“It’s a beautiful hike,” said Shannon Straight. “It’s not intimidating, but it is the Badlands, and it’s a glorious place to hike.”

Interested individuals should RSVP to the alliance or Straight.