METEOR HIKE @ Elephant Rock State Park TEST

This Saturday we are closing out the year with a bang! We are partnering with Missouri State Parks to bring you an epic end of the year hike!

Join us for a short 2 mile hike at Elephant Rock State Park followed by an evening beneath the stars. This Saturday December 11th is the peak of the Geminid Meteor Shower and we have an exciting day planned for you to take it all in!  Melanin and Meteors yall! Where else can you find vibes like this?

We will start the afternoon off with an education tour of Fort Pilot Knob which is a historical site right outside of Elephant Rocks. There is rich black history tied to this site as 60+ freed slaves fought in the civil war there to help win the battle of Pilot Knob.

Our friends at MO State Parks will provide the historical context and we will head to Elephant Rock following to have lunch. Lunch will be provided free of charge. Following lunch we will hike Elephant Rock which is a family friendly and handicap accessible trail. About a mile in we will stop to lay out and prepare for the meteor shower at dusk. We will have the opportunity to lay out and watch the sky light up with fire balls during the unique meteor shower. Upon conclusion we will descend the hike and conclude the day with reflections.

Here is a detailed outline of the day:

• 12:45 -MEET UP @ South County Mall parking lot , 18 S County Center Way, St. Louis, MO 63129
• 1:00PM -BUS DEPARTURE from South County to Fort Pilot Knob
• 2:15-3:15PM-Arrive at Pilot Knob, tour the museum and learn the black history, 118 Maple St., Pilot Knob, MO 63663
• 3:30PM -Catered Lunch at Elephant Rock State Park
• 4:00PM -Hike @ Elephant Rock State Park
• 5:30PM- Watch the Geminid Meteor Shower
• 7:00PM -Depart from Elephant Rock State Park
• WE WILL ARRIVE BACK AT SOUTH COUNTY MALL NO LATER THAN 9 PM

Transportation will be provided in partnership with Missouri State Parks. If you do not wish to utilize the provided transportation navigate to BATTLE OF PILOT KNOB HISTORIC SITE 118 MAPLE ST. PILOT KNOB, MO 63663 and arrive no later than 2:15pm. 

1. Registration: All attendees are required to register. Everything included with this hike is complimentary, but donations are encouraged.
2. What to wear/pack: water, breathable athletic clothes (layer up, avoiding cotton), a jacket or sweatshirt, a backpack to hold all of your belongings, hiking boots or shoes with good traction -NO VANS, a hat, a mask, Rain jacket or emergency poncho (optional), Your favorite plant-based snack: fresh fruit, nuts, granola bars etc. Be sure to LAYER UP! Sleeping bags will be provided to keep warm at the top of Elephant Rocks where we will be viewing the shower. Please remember that you will have to carry the items you may want to utilize while sitting and viewing the meteor shower. 
3. Location: ELEPHANT ROCKS STATE PARK (BATTLE OF PILOT KNOB).  Please be on time and meet us at South County Mall  18 S County Center Way, St. Louis, MO 63129 at 12:45 PM.  If you plan on meeting us at the state park please navigate to BATTLE OF PINE KNOB HISTORIC SITE 118 MAPLE ST. PILOT KNOB, MO 63663. This event is located approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes outside of St. Louis. Please look the location up the night before and allow yourself plenty of time to get there!
4. Time:  Meetup at 12:45 PM. The bus will leave at 1pm sharp. If you arrive later than 1pm you will miss the bus and have to drive yourself.  The drive is 1 hour and 15 minutes from South County Mall. Please plan accordingly with timing.
5. Transportation: Bus transportation is provided complimentary and will depart sharply at 1pm. Please arrive no later than 12:45pm to get checked in and loaded. To ride the bus arrive at South County Mall parking lot , 18 S County Center Way, St. Louis, MO 63129
6. Weather: This event is rain or shine. The weather is predicted to be sunny with a high of 62 and a low of 32 degrees. We will be outside watching the meteor shower at night when the temperature drops. Make sure to layer up, brings, gloves, a stocking cap and anything else you need to stay warm. We will have hand warmers and hot cocoa. Also bring a rain jacket
7. The Meteor Shower: A meteor is a space rock—or meteoroid—that enters Earth’s atmosphere. As the space rock falls toward Earth, the resistance—or drag—of the air on the rock makes it extremely hot. What we see is a “shooting star.” That bright streak is not actually the rock, but rather the glowing hot air as the hot rock zips through the atmosphere. When Earth encounters many meteoroids at once, we call it a meteor shower. December’s meteor shower is called “Geminids” he Geminid meteor shower is caused by a stream of debris left by the asteroid, 3200 Phaethon. When the Earth passes through the trails of dust every December left by 3200 Phaethon, we see the Geminid meteor shower as the dust (meteoroids) burn up in Earth’s atmosphere creating meteors. We will provide sleeping bags to lay out in and stay warm while we star gaze. Please feel free to bring a throw blanket or anything else you need to stay warm. We will stargaze from 5:45pm until 6:45pm. 
8. Level of Expertise: This is an easy family friendly hike and handicap accessible trail. A good pair of sneakers will do great.
9. Social Distancing: *All participants must register. Walk-ups will not be allowed.  Space is very limited to ensure social distancing measures and masks are required. All participants will be required to sign COVID waivers
10. Waivers: Everyone must sign a waiver. If you have not already signed BOTH our Covid Waiver and Liability Waiver please do so before arriving to help speed up the checkin process. Click here for the covid waiver https://forms.gle/ZueeExgTZGLK6H227 . Click here for the Liability waiver https://forms.gle/ynnxanLFjfJzgkr96 .
11. Food: A light lunch will be provided by BPWH.  Although food will be provided it is suggested that you pack extra to be on the safe side. Please make sure to pack healthy snacks for the hike. Snacks are a critical part of our diet. We will be burning calories along the way so snacks are a great way to keep your engine running.  We will also provide snacks and hot cocoa as we watch the meteor shower.    
12. About Us: @blackpeoplewhohike was created to inspire people of color to step out of their comfort zones and get active outside! We meet up twice a month on Sunday mornings at different locations within the St. Louis area. Current Sunday Funday activities have included hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, and hot yoga! Future Sunday Funday actives include bicycling, skiing, and zip-lining. We have new people that join each week who are new to these various activities and we welcome that! This group is all about new experiences! We are on Instagram at @blackpeoplewhohike. If you are not already following us, please do so here! @Blackpeoplewhohike You can also follow us on Facebook here @Blackpeoplewhohike !

@Blackpeoplewhohike is a group of friends and perspective friends who enjoy hiking and other activities together. It is not a professional event planning or guide service that assumes any responsibility for your safety.