Springtime in Bluebell Valley: A Nature Walk to Reconnect and Renew 💙

Date: Sunday April 13, 2025

Time: 10:00 AM- 11:30 AM
Location: Bluebell Valley (Meet at the Rock Island 98th St (Vale) Trailhead parking lot)
12600 E 98 St, Kansas City, MO 64138

Join us for our April Nature-Connection Event, a rejuvenating springtime walk through one of Kansas City's most beautiful and serene landscapes—Bluebell Valley, located just off the Rock Island Trailhead. This rich, vibrant bottomland along the Little Blue River comes alive each spring, blanketed with the delicate hues of Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) and other stunning spring ephemerals. It’s a breathtaking celebration of nature’s renewal and the return of warmer days.

This walk offers more than just a scenic route—it’s an opportunity to slow down, reconnect with nature, and restore your own sense of balance and peace. We’ll take our time to enjoy the beauty around us, appreciating the wildflowers, the sounds of the river, and the quiet serenity that this area provides.

Highlights for the Walk

While the trail along the river is mostly flat, there is one short, steeper hill on the way down from the Rock Island Trail. Be prepared with sturdy shoes that can handle a little mud, and leave your worries behind as you engage fully with the natural world around you.

After the walk, take some time to reflect, chat with fellow participants, and absorb the peace of the surroundings. It’s not just a walk—it’s a chance to deepen your connection to nature, cultivate resilience in the face of life’s challenges, and foster a sense of community.

Details:

Location: Rock Island Trailhead, Bluebell Valley
Distance: Short but meaningful (with time to linger and connect)
Footwear: Sturdy shoes suitable for mud and uneven terrain
For more information or any questions, please contact Anna Graether at anna@theresilientactivist.org.

We hope to see you there for a walk that will nourish your spirit and deepen your connection to the natural world.

Why Nature-Connection is Important 🍄‍🟫

We *are* nature but our culture and lifestyle can separate from our connection with our environment. Re-establishing our sense of awareness and belonging in nature by breaking down barriers and spending more time outdoors helps each of us in different ways. It can reduce anxiety and depression, improve physical health, inspire creativity, improve clarity of thought, facilitate problem-solving, and help us gain perspective.

In a society where loneliness is an epidemic, rediscovering our sense of belonging within nature can help us feel a little less adrift and provide comfort when relationships with others fall short.

About Trail Leader and Board Member, Anna Graether

"Anna Graether is a board member of The Resilient Activist, a Johnson County Master Naturalist, and a Deep Roots Nature Advisor.

Her focus is on impacting climate change through speaking about, writing about and planting more native plants at home, in her neighborhood and in her city."