OLLI Members to Share an Epic Adventure

Josh Raney

Members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute post along with the OLLI director, Josh Raney, at Kings River Overlook.

Ask members of the U of A's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) about Josh Raney's hikes, and they will tell you, his hikes are the best. This April, Raney is stepping up his game and offering a hike of a lifetime. Raney, OLLI director and volunteer hiking guide, will lead 20 OLLI members on "A Total Eclipse of a Hike," today, April 8, during the Total Solar Eclipse of 2024. Hikers will participate in a short hike along the Buffalo River Trail within the path of totality and end at the Steel Creek Campground, where the group will enjoy lunch and the view of the eclipse from the large fields below Roark Bluff. Solar eclipse glasses will be provided.

"I've been thinking about leading this hike since I first heard of the eclipse," Raney shared. "Our members love getting outdoors and experiencing new things. What better new thing than a total eclipse?"

Of the 20 people registered to take the hike, Judy Unrath, longtime OLLI member and hiking enthusiast, was one of the first people to sign up. "I wasn't going to miss this trip and the bragging rights to say, 'I was there, in the middle of the Great North American Eclipse's path.' It won't happen again in my lifetime, and I am grateful to OLLI for offering this epic adventure."

This spring the institute has offered hikes to Kings River falls, Hawksbill Crag and, later this month, wildflower and birding hikes in partnership with the Ozark Natural Science Center. OLLI hikes range in levels of difficulty and are often led by naturalist guides. 

OLLI is based in the College of Education and Health Professions and provides opportunities for over 500 adults to share intellectual interests, meet new people and explore cultural topics with peers. To learn more visit olli.uark.edu.