Lick Creek Road is open.

 

The Lick Creek Road is open!

As of this afternoon (12/30/22), the Lick Creek Road is clear of ice. So you can get in that last ride of the year. Remember, only the Wet Weather Trails are open at this time. Enjoy!
Be Safe! Enjoy your ride!
Kathy 
Editor

Dirt Trails are closed as of 12-29-22

 

One last time for 2022

The Dirt Trails are CLOSED

Eager to hit the trails at Shimek now that the temps are warming? NOT SO FAST!!! Icy Roads and closed dirt trails. This morning 12/29/22 the roads entering the Lick Creek Unit are way too icy for vehicles pulling horse trailers. See these photos provided by Patrick Thomas, DNR Technician, this morning. No, you do not want to drive on that stuff with your horses in tow--not even if someone is holding your beer. As the snow melts on the frozen ground, we get slimy, slick dirt trails and as the ground softens over the next few days, they will be soggy so the dirt trails are closed for now.

When these roads into Lick Creek clear, you can ride on the Wet Weather Trails which are open, but ALL DIRT TRAILS ARE CLOSED.

Update: Later in the day we had a report from a frequent rider who pulled in in her car. "Way to icy to drive in...even in AWD and no trailer. Backed down and no riding tomorrow either!"

 

As always, stay safe!


Kathy
Editor

First Day Hike 2023

 

Bring in the New Year with a brisk walk in the forest.

The weather looks like it will be in the 40's for the First Day Hike. If you choose to participate in the walk, please dress appropriately.

 I have attached a "suggested trail" map for you to follow.

Join the DNR First Day Hike Challenge at Shimek State Forest

Shimek State Forest invites you to participate in the 2023 First Day Hike Challenge to ring in the New Year through the digital State Park Passport.

“First Day Hikes are a popular tradition in state parks, and the Passport is a great way for people to enjoy winter hikes on their own or with their family,” said Sherry Arntzen, Bureau Chief of Parks, Forests and Preserves.

With the First Day Hike Challenge, park visitors can check into Shimek State Forest, along with more than 50 participating state parks on the passport from Friday, Dec. 30, 2022 through the end of Sunday, Jan. 2, 2023. Every check-in will qualify for a prize drawing of a 2-night stay at a cabin at Pine Lake State Park. Restrictions will apply on the cabin stay, with reservation fees and other business rules applying.Visitors can go to as many parks as they wish during the weekend -- every check-in counts as a contest entry. These are self-directed hikes.

At Shimek State Forest, staff recommend the trails near Black Oak Lake.

Suggested Trail: Start at the Black Oak parking lot area for a short .25 mile loop is around the lake. For a longer 3-mile hike, start at marker 6 then to marker 5. At marker 4 go up the long steady hill to marker 3 then out to the road and back down to the parking lot. Hikers can expect to be surrounded by the quiet beauty of nature in winter, and experience spectacular views, beautiful settings and the cultural treasures offered by Iowa’s state parks and forests. Hikers should dress for the weather, including sturdy boots, and keep track of current weather conditions. Currently weather predictions for that day are a high of 40 degrees and chance of showers.

Attached to this post is a map of the location of Black Oak Lake.

For more details on First Day Hikes in Iowa’s State Parks and Forests, and to find links to sign up for the Parks Passport, visit www.iowadnr.gov/firstdayhikes.

Happy New Year

Kathy

Editor

Shotgun Deer Season Begins 12-3-22

 

 

 DNR has announced that over 100,000 hunters will be expected in the woods in Iowa for the upcoming Deer "Shotgun" seasons where shotguns and certain rifles can be used. 

Shotgun one is Dec. 3-7; shotgun two is Dec. 10-18.

 Hikers and Riders might prefer to schedule their visits to Shimek at other dates as Shimek State Forest is open to hunting during these seasons except very near campgrounds. Many horses can be easily spooked by people appearing by surprise by the trail as well as the sound of gun fire nearby. If you are there during these seasons for any reason,

 BE SURE TO PUT BLAZE ORANGE ON YOURSELF AND, IF RIDING, PUT BLAZE ORANGE ON YOUR HORSE ALSO.

As always, be safe when visiting the forest.

Editor

Kathy

Donations from Sara for her birthday

 

Friends of Shimek received a 

birthday fund donation.

Thank You! Sara Woosley Sara has for the past two years, used the occasion of her birthday to ask for donations through Greater Good on her Facebook page for Friends of Shimek. This year FOS received a check for $170, thanks to Sara and friends. A most generous act from a great young horsewoman. Sara is shown here with Arab gelding Toi on a ride at Shimek. 

The Board of FOS says "Thank you, ma'am."

 Anyone can use their Facebook page to create such donation for FOS --donations are always most welcome and needed for trail maintenance and other projects.

If you have any questions on how to or would like to donate, please contact any of the FOS Board members, Forester John Byrd, or DNR Patrick Thomas.  You can also leave a message on our Facebook page.  Someone will gladly answer your question.

Kathy

Editor

 

Shimek State Forest Fall Forestry Field Day

Shimek State Forest Fall Forestry Field Day

October 4, 2022

Here is the map on how to locate the White Oak Campground.

Registration and fees are listed on the above flyer.  

Enjoy your day in the forest.

Kathy

Editor

Shimek Forest Lower Camp getting some much-needed improvements.

 Please excuse our mess as we make improvements!

Shimek DNR summer staff Dave and Bill have been busy working this week so please excuse our mess in the Lower Campground as we work to make the camp pads easier to back in.

Here, Bill has been using a stump grinder to remove a few stumps from trees that had to be removed.

 Update and photo courtesy of 

Technician Patrick Thomas

Kathy

Editor

REVISED - Dirt Trails are now OPEN 6-18-22

New UPDATE

The dirt trails have been opened as of 

3:00 pm TODAY

6/18/22 AS OF 3PM TODAY ALL TRAILS IN SHIMEK LICK CREEK WILL OPEN! Forester Byrd said: "At 3pm today, Saturday, the trails will open. They might be damp in a few places but the next several days look to be dry. At this point I have to try to find every opportunity to open when I can since it has been a challenging spring."

Enjoy the rest of the weekend on the trails but do watch out for soggy places for despite the sun and heat, the shade keeps some spots soggy long after dust is up elsewhere.

Revised

RAIN and more RAIN

 6/17/22 MORE RAIN ...SHIMEK FOREST LICK CREEK DIRT TRAILS STAY CLOSED!

Message from Forester John Byrd as of 9 AM: "Shimek had 4 tenths to an inch more rain. Branches and sticks down all over the roads, etc. Cleared a few bigger trees off the roads. Lick Creek road has a couple of minor washes and it is rough in some spots. I was really hoping to get the dirt trails open but it seems like mother nature won't give me a chance, so they stay closed.

Thank you for staying off those trails this weekend."

Wet Weather Trails remain open.

The pesky horse flies have made their appearance with week. Please protect your animal accordingly.

The extreme heat is also showing its ugly side. Please use caution when riding in these excessive temperatures. Remember to hydrate your animal as well as yourself. A water hydrant is located in the upper and lower campground. They are available for anyone to use. You will need to provide a bucket to water your animal.

A post will be made on our Facebook page as well as this blog page when the dirt trails will be open for use.

Be Safe and Stay cool!

Kathy

Editor

Dirt Trails are now closed 6-8-22

 

The weather keeps interrupting using all the Shimek Forest trails.

Shimek Forest's Lick Creek Unit DIRT TRAILS ARE CLOSED. Shimek has had more rain. Forester John Byrd sent the following message: "The trails are closed for now. WWT is OPEN. Chance of rain remains today and there is a 70% chance on Friday.  It's Friday.  There was a significant amount of rain again to add more water to the already very wet slippery trails.

Lick Creek is flowing pretty strong so be careful when crossing it. When the trails dry, they will be opened."

As a gentle reminder - Please stay off the dirt trails until the foresters reopen the trails.  Riding the muddy trails can be dangerous to the animal and possibly the rider.  It makes the trails harder to dry with the deep pockets of water that fill up from the animal's hoof prints. We are fortunate to have two very well-maintained Wet Weather Trails to enjoy in the meantime. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

May your troubles be less, your blessing more, and may nothing but happiness come through your door (BG)

Kathy

Editor

All Trails are open 6-3-22

 

Shimek State Forest's Lick Creek Unit - All trails are open

Added note from riders today 6-3-22: Dirt trails still very muddy and slick. Bad water crossings. Most left them and returned to Wet Weather Trail- they did not feel the trails were safe for their horses right now.

Good news for trail riders at Shimek State Forest's Lick Creek Unit: All Trails are open as of 6/3/22. Please be aware that there are still a few soft places on the dirt trails. There could be some downed trees on the dirt trails as the crew has not had time since it has dried some to check nor remove them. 

Ticks are very thick.  There is some itch weed present in some of the lower areas near the creeks.  Please check yourself and your animals thoroughly when you are done riding or hiking.

Trail status can be checked anytime at the DNR Trails CLOSURE site. When not listed, trails are open. 

https://www.iowadnr.gov/.../State-Parks/Alerts-and-Closures 

Enjoy your ride.

Kathy

Editor

5/26/22 Lick Creek Status Update

5/26/22 Critical Status Update from Forester John Byrd re Lick Creek Unit Trails: “The weather has not cooperated in SE Iowa this week at Shimek Forest. Areas have received up to 2.5" of rain and the landscape is very wet. The dirt trails will remain CLOSED through the holiday weekend, but the Wet Weather Trails will be OPEN. There are a lot of horse tracks filled with water on the dirt trails where people have ridden despite the trails being closed. This is creating problems because water can not drain out of them. Continued riding on dirt trails while they are closed will result in longer drying times and more maintenance to fix them. Thank you for your support and have a great weekend!” Addendum from FOS: It's soggy there!! STAY OFF THOSE DIRT TRAILS. Don't ruin our dirt trails because you are selfish and want to ride anyway! When those deep tracks finally dry out, they are hard and dangerous for our horses when we ride through there. The horse that pulls a tendon could be yours!

Successful workday on 5-19-22

 A successful workday was completed on May 19, 2022

New stalls are under construction in the Lick Creek Unit. 

New stalls are under construction in the Lick Creek Unit. As weather permitted during the first two weeks of May, the Shimek DNR Crew has been adding stalls to two of the existing horse stall buildings. They have added two sets of two stalls to the first shelter in the Lower Campground and one set of two stall to the shelter in the Upper Campground. The funds have been provided by a grant from the Lee County Charitable Fund (1/3 of cost of materials ) and you, our Friends of Shimek, (two-thirds of the material costs). The many hours of labor and the equipment to put up the frame and roof on these has been provided by our very skilled DNR Shimek Crew led by Forester John Byrd. Installation of stall boards was done by DNR staff and FOS volunteers on the 5/19/22 Work Day. The ones at the Upper campground are completed and the ones in the Lower await gates.

On May 19, FOS held a Volunteer Work Day. Volunteers Bob Achenbach and Becky Hassman and the DNR Crew members Ben Hassman, Eric Martin, Heath Fraise and Patrick Thomas worked together to construct stall walls for the three new sets of stalls that have been added to the existing stall buildings. Volunteer Marsha Achenbach cleaned firepits, Forester John Byrd and FOS President Ringo Covert cleared some recently fallen trees off the trails.

                     

 New hitching rails were also installed in the upper campground.

DNR Summer Staff Bill Mathias and Dave Forsythe replaced two hitching rails in the upper campground that day also.

It was a very productive day. A lot of work was accomplished on this beautiful day.

After a morning out on the trails clearing trees that were down, Forester John Byrd and FOS President Ringo Covert discuss the day. Both wish to thank the DNR Crew and the FOS Volunteers for their hard work .

Thank you to the many hands that helped plan, purchase materials, organize the project, and assist with the construction of the new stalls and hitching rails.  It takes group effort to accomplish these tasks to make Lick Creek Unit a better place to ride and shelter your animal.

We strive to keep the forest free of trash and litter.  Please if you pack it in, pack it out.

May you enjoy the trails you ride.  May your heart be warmed by friendly conversation, campfires, and joyful memories.

Photos courtesy of Patrick Thomas

Editor

Kathy

Work Day has been scheduled for May 19, 2022

 Do you have any spare time to help out? 

FOS WORK DAY Thursday May 19th at 9:00 AM.

Meet at the Lick Creek Lower Campground for a morning of volunteering. Work needed includes clean-up the campgrounds, remove any downed trees on the trails, pickup litter from the trails.

DRUM Roll here...install the walls for the stalls of the newly expanded horse shelters! The Lee County Charitable Fund and FOS funded the materials to construct three additional stalls. The DNR crew has provided all the labor to construct the building additions. However, now we need Volunteers that can swing a hammer, operate a saw or drill, hold or carry boards, to help construct the stall walls as shown in the photo here. (Bring tools you can use for this.)

To reduce the likelihood of COVID spread, this will be a "Bring your own lunch" work morning. Drinking water will be provided. In case of weather cancellation, that will be posted here and on the FOS Blog.

There is a lot to be done---hope you can come help us make the Lick Creek equestrian resources better or enjoy a morning observing the many wildflowers now in full bloom while you pick up trash or remove downed trees.

Any amount of time that you can spare will be greatly appreciated. If this day does not work for you, please contact Forest Headquarters at 319-878-3811 or DNR Technician Patrick Thomas on his cell phone (319-931-7805) to schedule some time to help out on a different day.

As always:

May your troubles be less, your blessings more, and may nothing but happiness come through your door. (BG)

Editor

Kathy

photo courtesy of Lora Conrad.

New 911 sign at the entrance of Lick Creek

Shimek Forest has a 911 Address

Good News Update from Lick Creek Unit - Shimek State Forest 4/28/22

Let's start at the entrance. See the 911 sign in the photo? Lick Creek now has its own 911 Address. No, don't start having your mail delivered here when camping -- But if you need any emergency service such as medical, police, or fire services while there, give this 911 address when you call on your cell phone. Also tell them where in Lick Creek to come (Upper Campground, Lower Campground or other location).

Shimek State Forest - Lick Creek Unit

1176 Highway 2

Farmington, IA 52626.

Next--the road into the campgrounds has been graded and smoothed so that is oh so much better for pulling your horses in trailers--not jarring their teeth right now. The rains and winter had really put the road in bad shape --so we are thrilled to find it in good shape, for now. Thanks much to the road crew.

Forester John Byrd and the DNR Crew have been clearing the downed trees off the trails. Our intrepid rider and Board Member Marsha Achenbach rode the Wet Weather Trails today--rain or not (yes-it rained there today!)--and let us know that all the downed trees have been cleared off the Wet Weather Trail--save one newly fallen smallish one your horse can step over (well, hers did anyway). She says: "It's on the smaller WWT section across the creek. Then if going clockwise around the loop—just past the step over is a nice patch of bluebells on the left.":

So the last piece of great news--the spring wildflowers are in full swing at the moment--the lovely bluebells are here--almost two weeks later than expected --and so are spring beauties, violets, false rue anemone, Dutchmen's breeches and other early spring flowers to enjoy. Morels are rumored as they have been found in several southern Iowa counties already.

SO--Enjoy riding the Wet Weather Trails--and remember, the Dirt Trails are CLOSED as rains continue still.

May your troubles be less, your blessing more, and may nothing but happiness come through your door.

Enjoy your time in the forest!

Editor

Kathy

Photos

courtesy Lora Conrad