Friends Wilderness Center

04/20/2026

Repair to Rezbar & Dee Vintage in old town Charlest Town on Saturday, 25 April, 2026. Our general manager Kimberly Benson will be leading a Visible Mending Workshop in this awesome vintage clothing boutique!

Tickets available through eventbrite. Don't hesitate! Space is limited.

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https://www.eventbrite.com/e/visible-mending-workshop-tickets-1987401860464?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile&fbclid=IwY2xjawRTDsRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF1UTgzVm8yZWVKQUNub1FFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHlNP8py657-o8eNPwBxq32wyCF15lyBSI3WAwQmUMMXW-VfFeIk7r-bbh3hS_aem_gor3yeyn3TAY77CG96clag

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CCHj39apj/

Slow down through visible mending. Together we will repair beloved clothes, practice care, & find renewal in small, meaningful expressions.

04/14/2026

Hike down to the Shenandoah to view the wildflowers in the afternoon. There is plenty to enjoy after a morning of forest bathing.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/blankets-of-blue-bells-and-other-buds-spring-wildflower-walk

04/10/2026

Forest Bathing is incredible.
You won't appreciate how much you need this experience until you are here!

April 18 (AM & PM sessions available).
Join the morning session, bring a lunch & hike to see the wildflowers in the afternoon.

Unity with Nature Forest Bathing invites you to slow down, listen, and let the forest hold your attention. Guided pauses, gentle walking, and quiet reflection help you reconnect with your senses and the living landscape.A guided forest therapy walk typically lasts around two hours and covers about a...

10/24/2024

Rolling Ridge Conservancy works with local hunters to manage the deer population in our woods. We value our relationship with the hunters, who provide a necessary service in the absence of predators. Deer overpopulation leaves deer unhealthy and malnourished, and over-browsing has decimated the forest understory. Hunters harvest deer safely and thoughtfully and use the venison for food.

Conservancy trails will be closed to mountain bikers from October 24 through December 31.

Conservancy trails will be closed to hikers from October 24 through October 27 and from November 25 through December 31.

07/30/2023

Incredible day of emphemeral art. Four hours of creative, meditative play: nature scluptures, patio painting with water, water caligraphy, sand mandalas... Dedicated artists ranged from elementary students to retirees.
So much fun, we are going to repeat the event quarterly to explore seasonal changes in color pallet and media. Watch our event schedule for upcoming opportunities: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/friends-wilderness-center-58474394433

07/27/2023

SAGE IS BACK HOME!!!
Thank you all for your concern and assistance.
Facebook distribution was key to his return because he lost his tags (again)--probably in the river as he was wearing them earlier this week.
The lovely couple, who were caring for him on the Western shore of the Shenandoah at Acorn Bend, received notice of the postings from a friend.
We can't thank you all enough. Please feel free to drop by the center anytime, so we can express our gratitude.
Sage will be wearing a new collar, tags, and probably a GPS tracker.

UPDATE 7/28: SAGE is STILL MISSING!
We are still hoping to be reunited. THANK YOU ALL for your care, support, networking...
The Golden at Berkely County animal control is not our boy, but I hope the publicity help him find his way home.

Friends Wilderness (305 Friends Way, Harpers Ferry) is located on Rolling Ridge Conservancy at the end of Mission Road near the border of WV/VA on the Eastern panhandle, just north of Cool Springs Campus. Email: [email protected]. Phone: 304-261-7956.

PLEASE HELP US locate our dear friend SAGE, also known on the mountain as Osage, 'MAPS', Rolling Ridge Retriever... Please share this with your networks. He is sorely missed.

Early yesterday morning, Sage befriended a visiting Boy Scout troup, accompanying them to Cool Springs, where they continued their canoe trip down the Shenandoah. He reportedly swam alongside, guiding in the river as he so often does on the trails. They reported that he returned to shore significantly before their pull-out at Big Eddy but could not provide further geographic details. He could be on either side of the river from the northern tip of Cool Springs down stream.

Sage is microchipped and should be wearing a collar with up to date tags. He is incredibly friendly and approachable. Every new acquaintance is a potential best friend.

Shenandoah River Campus At Cool Spring Battlefield

Rolling Ridge Study Retreat

07/20/2023

A RAINBOW of color prepared for Saturday's event:
Art in Nature
July 22, 2023, 10 AM to 2 PM
Come see what we have planned!
Bring a bag lunch & get creative!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-in-nature-make-it-goldsworthy-registration-513377073647?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

07/17/2023

Club moss is a facinating native. It dominates in some areas of the forest floor, tenaciously holding back aggressive invasives like stilt grass. Green throughout the year, they resemble an embroidered quilt of miniature cedars draping around the bases of the forest trees. Club moss never fails to make me smile.

07/07/2023

I love to feel the play of light & dark in the summer forest. The contrasts are sensory, viseral.
Darkness noticably cools your skin and fills your nostrils with earthy moistness. Tastebuds detect notes of loam, minerals, tanins... The full canopy mutes distant sounds, tuning your ears to understory birds, the rustle of leaves at your feet...
Light can feel less welcoming: searingly brilliant, immediately drawing beeds of sweat to your brow. But it smells of sweet hay, tastes like berries, and carries the drumming of woodpeckers and cries of raptors from considerable distance.

07/06/2023

Ghost pipes might look like mushrooms, but they are parasitic plants. Rather than photosynthesize, they rely on carbohydrates sapped from the roots of other photosynthetic plants.