Portsmouth’s Connex is ready to highlight the hills once again as they explore a hike led by Connex’s Wendi Waugh this week.

The hike will be the Lookout Trail on Mackletree Road off Ohio SR 125. The group will meet at the Mackletree shelter house on Roosevelt Lake. It is a three-mile loop.

“I’d say it is an easy to moderate hike,” Connex’s Wendi Waugh explained. “It has some elevation, but it is a relatively easy trail. I like that it is a loop. A loop is always attractive. It is just a good, easy hike that, once I show people where it is, it will be easy to take family and friends on their own. There isn’t a permit required. It is well maintained. It is just a good, refreshing hike.”

While Connex hosts a variety of events a year, they’re always eager to hit the trails and introduce people to new hikes.

“We like to expose locals to the park and forest,” Waugh explained. “I’m always surprised that some people have lived here their entire life and don’t know everything we have in the outdoors to embrace and enjoy.”

The group recommends people to bring water for hydration and wear comfortable clothes and prepare themselves against sun and insects.

The upcoming hike is just one of many they frequently host for the community. Their schedule is regularly posted on social media. They also operate monthly bike rides, called Tour de Portsmouth, monthly full moon kayak floats in Turkey Creek Lake, and specialty events such as Safety Town and the Wild Ride. They’re one of the busiest non-profits around, generating dozens and dozens of events a year to get people active in the community. Follow them on Facebook for more information on their events.

“This has really been a banner year for Connex. We’re still super excited with what we were able to accomplish with the Wild Ride and Tour de Portsmouth series,” Waugh said. “What I’m most excited about is that Connex is now becoming a household name in the area, because that means more people are getting out and enjoying the outdoors as a community.”

Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2022 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved