Category Monthly Hikes

Jul 30 2017

Volunteers needed for trail building

Trail Work Days – Work has begun on trailbuilding!  Friends of Rocky Glen will be having trail building work days. Participants should wear long pants and bring a shovel and/or a small brush saw and work gloves. We will meet at the parking lot on Kickapoo Creek Road.

Please direct questions to Rick Fox at 309-369-5330 or rick@rickdfox.com.

Aug 5, 2017, 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Aug 13, 2017, 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Aug 20, 2017, 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Aug 27, 2017, 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
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Sep 28 2016

Rocky Glen Celebration & Fundraiser

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A fundraising event sponsored by the Friends of Rocky Glen, (FORG), to help provide a hiking trail for Rocky Glen park will occur on Saturday, October 8, 2016, from 10 am to 6 pm at Jimmys Bar, 2701 Farmington Road in West Peoria. There will be free guided hike tours throughout the day, free light breakfast, free lunch and free live music from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Donations are welcome. There will also be merchandise and memberships available for donations.

Rocky Glen is a new 125 acre Peoria Park District natural area located off of Kickapoo Creek Road that includes a unique box canyon and two seasonal waterfalls. Nearly 2000 people have hiked this canyon over the past 5 years with the volunteer group Friends of Rocky Glen. Construction of a parking lot will begin this fall will allow the community year round, dawn to dusk access.

According to Dave Pittman, FORG President, funds from the event will be used to help construct a hiking trail from the new parking lot up the 100 foot bluff then down into the canyon and the large sandstone rock outcroppings. “Rocky Glen is a very unique combination of geology, unique meadows and human history. We hope to develop signage along the trail that will tell its story of coal mining and late nineteenth century union organizing efforts that really did happen right here”.

Rocky Glen supporters will have a chance to listen to some great homebrew country rock and acoustic music with Brian Dennison, blues artist with roots in Peoria’s south end. Brian recently performed at the Peoria Riverfront Blues and Heritage Fest. Dennison writes his own music and loves to play, always seeking to entertain and stretch his vocal range.  The polished clarity of his song I’M DONE, provides excellent background melodies, while the hard rocking title song from his CD, SOUTH END CELEBRITY, is great country rock. The well written tribute to his grandparents in SAVE A SEAT FOR ME and the beautiful images in FLOWERS, reveal his great talent. Anyone who spends some time listening to Dennison will hear some quality Peoria talent.

For more information please contact FORG President Dave Pittman at 309-573-2354, dvdgpittman@gmail.com.

 

Sep 1 2015

Special Announcement – Monthly Hikes

After the planned October 10th hike, monthly hikes will be suspended until Spring 2016 at the earliest. The Friends Of Rocky Glen board of directors made this difficult decision after repeated encounters with a Kickapoo Creek Road neighbor who questioned the legality of using right of way for parking and the safety of leading groups along Kickapoo Creek Road. During the monthly hike hiatus, FORG will be working to clarify the legality of parking/drop off along Creek Road, develop formal safety procedures and explore alternatives. For the September 12th and October 10th hikes, a property owner adjacent to the glen entrance has granted us permission to use his driveway to drop off and pick up hikers.

FORG remains committed to partnering with Peoria Park District to open this beautiful park to the public as soon as possible.

Jun 29 2015

4th Annual Rocky Glen Fundraiser at Jimmy’s

Join us for the 4th annual Rocky Glen Fundraiser at Jimmy’s!

Saturday, July 18th from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM

  • 2801 W Farmington Rd
  • West Peoria, IL

All proceeds go to developing a parking lot for public acess at Rocky Glen

Hikes throughout the day at Rocky Glen

  • From 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
  • Rocky Glen is not yet open to the public, so access to the area has been granted to the Friends of Rocky Glen by the Peoria Park District. We meet in the parking lot at Jimmy’s Bar on Farmington Road and then carpool to the hiking area on Kickapoo Creek Road.
  • Come Prepared: Wear long pants, hiking shoes, and be prepared to get wet or muddy.

Free food!

  • Light breakfast including fruit, coffee, orange juice, and energy bars
  • Lunch:  hot dogs and potato chips

Free Music from 12:00 to 8:00 PM including (in order of appearance)

  • John Fuller
  • Just a Friend
  • Jade Season
  • Sarah Marie Dillard
  • TNT & Friends

50-50 Raffle!

Rocky Glen T-shirts and Merchandise!

Friends of Rocky Glen Memberships

Donations gratefully accepted.. 

Call 309-573-2354 for more information.  Join the facebook edition of the event HERE.

Oct 13 2014

Halloween Fundraiser at Sky Harbor Steakhouse

FRIENDS OF ROCKY GLEN

An Illinois not-for-profit corporation

2422 W. Moss, West Peoria, IL. 61604 309/676-5237

http://www.FriendsOfRockyGlen.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information: David Pittman (309) 573-2354 dvdpttmn@aol.com

HALLOWEEN FUNDRAISER FOR FRIENDS OF ROCKY GLEN

Friends of Rocky Glen is sponsoring Halloween fundraiser from 6 – 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31 at Sky Harbor Steakhouse, 1321 N. Park Road, West Peoria, IL.

The event includes a hog roast, a costume competition and a bag toss competition, with live music indoors by Denise Adams from 7 – 10 p.m.

Pre-register for the bag toss at Sky Harbor or call 573-2354. A $40 entry fee per team includes two buffet meals, smores and free soda. Warm up begins at 5:30 p.m. with competition at 6 p.m. The winning team will receive 25% of entry fee

Rocky Glen is a box canyon with 80-foot sandstone walls covered with carvings, seasonal waterfalls, rare plant communities and a rich history of coal mining, labor organizing and outdoor recreation.

Rocky Glen came into public ownership in December 2012 when it was purchased using previously set aside natural areas funding. The property was transferred to the Peoria Park District in December 2013. Currently Rocky Glen is only accessible on Friends of Rocky Glen monthly hikes and during other approved events. Friends of Rocky Glen is a non-profit group dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Rocky Glen.

More information is available on the Facebook page for the event at http://bit.ly/rockyglenhalloween.

Oct 2 2014

Drum Circle at Rocky Glen – October 11th

FRIENDS OF ROCKY GLEN

An Illinois not-for-profit corporation

2422 W. Moss, West Peoria, IL. 61604 309/676-5237

http://www.FriendsOfRockyGlen.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information: (call/text OK for both)

Teresa Smith (309) 339-8491

or David Pittman (309) 573-2354 dvdpttmn@aol.com

DRUMMING SPONSORED BY FRIENDS OF ROCKY GLEN

Friends of Rocky Glen is sponsoring a drumming event from 3 to 6 pm on Saturday Oct. 11. Participants will meet at the Jimmy’s Bar parking lot, 2801 Farmington Road, to car pool to the Rocky Glen trailhead.

The event will be led by Jimmy Lakota Edwards and FORG board member Teresa Smith.

Participants should dress in weather appropriate gear and bring their own instruments. The hike is approximately 1/3 mile each way and moderately difficult.

Drum circle gatherings are special because they are inclusive of all ages and levels; they build community, form group consciousness and allow us to feel oneness.

A $10 donation requested. Funds raised will go towards a parking lot and trails so that Rocky Glen can be opened to the public.

Rocky Glen is a box canyon with 80-foot sandstone walls covered with carvings, seasonal waterfalls, rare plant communities and a rich history of coal mining, labor organizing and outdoor recreation.

Rocky Glen came into public ownership in December 2012 when it was purchased using previously set aside natural areas funding. The property was transferred to the Peoria Park District in December 2013. Currently Rocky Glen is only accessible on Friends of Rocky Glen monthly hikes and during other approved events. Friends of Rocky Glen is a non-profit group dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Rocky Glen.

More information is available on the Facebook page for the event at https://www.facebook.com/events/386978124789774/

Sep 19 2014

Vendor Fair Sponsored by the Friends of Rocky Glen

FRIENDS OF ROCKY GLEN

An Illinois not-for-profit corporation

2422 W. Moss, West Peoria, IL. 61604 309/676-5237

http://www.FriendsOfRockyGlen.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information: Michele Ohl, 309-339-0347, mreyling@hotmail.com

VENDOR FAIR SPONSORED BY FRIENDS OF ROCKY GLEN

Friends of Rocky Glen is sponsoring a vendor fair from 11 am to 3 pm on Sunday, Sept. 28 at the Landmark Recreation Center, 3225 N. Dries Lane, Peoria. (Enter near the bowling alley.)

A variety of vendors will have goods available for sale. The book Horseshoe Bottoms, and Friends of Rocky Glen memberships will be available. Adjacent to the fair, “The Bullpen” sports bar inside Landmark will be open and serving several drink specials.

Funds raised will go towards a parking lot and trails so that Rocky Glen can be opened to the public.

Rocky Glen is a box canyon with 80-foot sandstone walls covered with carvings, seasonal waterfalls, rare plant communities and a rich history of coal mining, labor organizing and outdoor recreation.

Rocky Glen came into public ownership in December 2012 when it was purchased using previously set aside natural areas funding. The property was transferred to the Peoria Park District in December 2013. Currently Rocky Glen is only accessible on Friends of Rocky Glen monthly hikes and during other approved events. Friends of Rocky Glen is a non-profit group dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Rocky Glen.

More information is available on the Facebook page for the event at https://www.facebook.com/events/1530792193808918/

Dec 9 2012

December 2012 – Hike to Rocky Glen

Check out the latest pictures from our December 8th monthly guided hike to Rocky Glen!

Sep 16 2012

Latest Photos from August and September Hikes to Rocky Glen

It has been a busy 2 months for the Friends of Rocky Glen.  Our first 2 fundraisers are in the books, and we are gearing up for our third at Forest Park Nature Center on October 14th.  Enjoy some of the highlights from the August and September hikes!

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