First Day Hike at Fort Phil Kearny

Every January, Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site participates in the “First Day Hike” program a national initiative designed to encourage not only a healthy and active lifestyle but an appreciation for the nation’s parks and historic sites.

Site Superintendent Sharie Shada talked about the Fort Phil Kearny hike and the Trail End Hike.

Starting at the Fort Phil Kearny Interpretive Center, over 100 hikers participated in the one-mile walk around the fort grounds.

There were stops at several locations on the fort grounds, where hikers heard brief history narratives about the fort. Locations included sites of the enlisted men’s quarters, the cavalry barracks, the officer quarters, and the sutlers store. Near the sutler’s store location, Shada said the fort had a chaplain, and he kept records of his time at the fort.

The event was free and open to the public. Dogs were welcome and several walkers brought their dogs. One was Barbara Vaughan, with her dog, “Hunny” who were visiting from Berlin, Germany.

Vaughan said she was born in the United States but has lived in Germany since 1993. Her mother and father moved to Banner, Wyoming about 16 years ago, but unfortunately, her father died in 2016, so Vaughan comes back to Wyomimg each year to see her mother.

She said her mother was feeling under the weather and didn’t come on the hike, but Vaughan and Hunny attended both of the hikes this year.

The weather was mild, and there were hot drinks and refreshments after the tour in the Interpretive Center.