When: June 18, 2025 @ 8:30 pm
EXPLORE YOUR BIOLUMINESCENT BACKYARD!
Pinnacle Park has a vibrant night life scene: lightning bugs and foxfire worms! Join us for this evening hike on the lower Forest Therapy trail loop to view and learn about these beautiful bugs. We will discuss how to identify different species, the firefly life cycle, the magic behind their glow, and how to attract similar insects to your property. In addition to multiple different species firefly species, we may also hear owls hooting in the distance, or a flying squirrel scurrying around in the trees.
All participants will be given a red-light device (flashlight or headlamp) to use for this hike, but are also welcome to bring their own red-light device. Please do not bring standard white- or yellow- light devices; these not only disturb the lightning bugs, but also affect our ability to properly view them.
This walk will be about a mile on a maintained, moderate-grade trail that is medium difficulty. Roots and rocks are present in the trail, as are other hazards like poison ivy. Participants are encouraged to wear pants and closed toed shoes. A rock that is obvious in the daytime is much more subtle in the evening! We will meet at the Pinnacle Park trailhead (end of Fischer Creek Rd in Sylva) at 8:30pm on Wednesday, June 18th. We will be out until around 10:30pm. This program is weather-dependent; it will still occur in light rain or drizzles, but will be cancelled in the case of heavy rain or dangerous conditions. Email Skye with any questions. Please leave pets at home.
Tickets are $10, and availability is limited to reduce disruption to the fireflies and improve our experience out in the woods together. Click here to head to our ticket purchase page and secure your spot (this link will take you to a different page), then strap on your boots and get ready for a light show!
This same event is available on Friday, June 27th and Saturday, June 28th.
MEET YOUR GUIDE
As Mainspring’s Conservation Outreach Director, Skye Cahoon inspires people to connect with their local landscape and value the conservation efforts that protect it. As a kid, she could often be found climbing trees, hunting for salamanders, or chasing fish at her local swimming hole. Her passion for nature grew with her, and in 2020 she earned her Zoology B.S. from the University of Maine. Integrating her experience in wildlife research with her excitement about the natural world, Skye now strives to make science fun and accessible. She leads a variety of educational programs here at Mainspring, and enjoys continuing to learn about the diverse and fascinating creatures that call the Southern Appalachians home.
