Grand opening of The Wilds' Hellbender RV Campground scheduled for May 30
CUMBERLAND — The Wilds is officially open for summer and will celebrate the grand opening of its Hellbender RV Campground on May 30, offering a new way for visitors to experience the conservation center.
The 75-acre campground includes 47 full-service RV sites, 26 primitive camping spots, hiking and biking trails, a playground, camp store and dog park, according to an announcement.
Named after the eastern hellbender, North America's largest amphibian and an endangered species in Ohio, the campground aims to highlight the importance of protecting natural waterways and local wildlife.
The Wilds, located on nearly 10,000 acres of reclaimed surface mining land, is an award-winning destination known for its conservation efforts and immersive experiences. It is home to more than 30 rare and endangered species, including takin, Père David's deer, greater one-horned rhinos, southern white rhinos and Masai giraffes.
The Wilds' Hellbender RV Campground is being built at intersection of Zion Ridge Road and Ohio 146, with 47 full-service RV spots and 26 primitive camping sites. "Now that the snow and ice is off the ground, at least for a little bit, they're wrapping up the utility connections to each of the lots," said Dr. Joe Smith, vice president and director of The Wilds.
A variety of daily tours
Visitors can explore The Wilds through various daily tours, such as the Open-Air Safari Tour and the Wildside Tour. Specialty tours include the Zipline Safari Tour, Fishing Safari, Horseback Safari, Sunset Tour and Birding at The Wilds experience.
For those looking to extend their stay, The Wilds offers several overnight accommodations, including the adults-only Nomad Ridge yurts, family-friendly Cabins at Straker Lake, a lodge and the WildNights at the Outpost camping experience.
The Hellbender RV Campground is expected to welcome an estimated 35,000 visitors annually, providing a boost to local tourism and economic growth. Reservations are available through The Wilds' website.
"The Wilds has always been a place where conservation and adventure come together, and we are incredibly excited to open the Hellbender RV Campground this season," Dr. Joe Smith, vice president of The Wilds, said in the announcement. "This new experience will provide our guests with even more opportunities to connect with nature while celebrating a remarkable Ohio species whose resilience mirrors the mission of The Wilds. Whether you're camping under the stars, exploring our pastures, or learning about our conservation work, there is truly something for everyone.'
The Wilds is open year-round, with a full line of tour options running from May through October and specialty tours available from November through April. For more information about tours, conservation initiatives, events and educational opportunities, visit TheWilds.org.
This story was created by Jane Imbody, jimbody@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct or share your thoughts at http://bit.ly/3RapUkA with our News Automation and AI team.
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Hellbender RV Campground at The Wilds scheduled to open May 30
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
PennDOT suspends major construction projects for U.S. Open
With thousands of people flocking to the U.S. Open at Oakmont over the next week, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is suspending most of its major projects. 'So we've taken a lot of effort, a deep dive into all those projects to make sure there isn't something that we're not thinking of that could pop up,' said Doug Thompson, Assistant District Executive for Construction for PennDOT. Thompson said the agency is approaching the open in a similar way it would an extended holiday weekend - by lifting as many lane restrictions as it can to keep traffic moving. Where projects cannot be suspended, the agency is moving work to the evenings, like work on the Parkway West near Pittsburgh International Airport. 'We only have one project on the Parkway West, just on the western side of Interstate 79,' Thompson said. 'We'll have some nighttime work that will be going on there, we know daytime restrictions, so again, people coming from the airport through during the daytime, you know, going to the event, they'll see no impact from construction projects.' The United States Golfing Association (USGA) has developed a plan for fans to get in and out of the Open. Fans are encouraged to use lots at Hartwood Acres and the Monroeville Mall, where shuttles will run between the course and the lots throughout the day. Thompson says 'What we're doing is we're taking a look at any of our construction projects that may impact those routes and we're making sure that they're traveling or their shuttles are traveling, we're making sure that we don't have any work going on, any lane restrictions that would impact those travel routes,' Thompson said. PennDOT is pausing its project along Route 8 in an effort to keep traffic headed to the red lot near Hartwood Acres moving. The agency is also pausing work on the replacement of the Commercial Street bridge, which carries the parkway east from the Squirrel Hill tunnels toward the Edgewood/Swissvale exit. 'We will have zero lane restrictions going on from the 9th to the 16th day or night on that important quarter because that's a big point for people traveling either from the airport or from the south getting on the Parkway and getting to like, for example, that blue lot [at the Monroeville Mall] so they can get a shuttle to go to the event,' Thompson said. PennDOT contracts with various construction crews to carry out its projects, and in some cases, was able to write the work stoppages into the plan from the beginning. In other cases, Thompson says the agency works with contractors to keep traffic flowing and projects on schedule. 'Sometimes it'll cost us some more money to accommodate the contractor with some of their operations, but, you know, that's just what we have to do in some of these instances like this with such a major event to make sure the roads are clear.' Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW,
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Holyoke panel seeking new members to help boost local tourism
HOLYOKE — Aiming to boost local tourism and community engagement, the city of Holyoke is calling on residents to join its tourism panel. Hotel owners, restaurant owners, and those with a strong background in the tourism or hospitality industry are encouraged to apply for a spot on the Tourism Advisory Committee. The committee is particularly interested in a young person from Holyoke, under 21 years old, who wants to share information about events happening in the city. Priority will be given to candidates with experience in these areas. The tourism committee is made up of experts and community members. Participants include members from the Wistariahurst Museum and the International Volleyball Hall of Fame. The committee helps the city with everything related to tourism, such as planning events, finding sponsorships and promoting Holyoke. It also dispenses funds to local events and projects that make Holyoke a fun and friendly place to visit, the committee said on Monday. For 2025, the committee funded 11 upcoming events. These include the Holyoke Paper Festival on June 7, Holyoke Pride Festival on June 11 and The Great Holyoke Brick Race on Oct. 11. Other funded events are: Paper City Oaks semi-pro indoor lacrosse at Fitzpatrick Arena this summer Holyoke Historical Society Garden Tour on July 12 fourth-ever Sideways Door: A Festival of Ecstasies and Escape Routes from Sept. 19 to 21. Imagined Worlds Mural Project with the Holyoke Children's Museum Lemonade and Laughter at the Merry-Go-Round in the fall The Holyoke Canals and its Mills in the fall Broadway Brings Joy's Spring Spectacular Showing: A free night of musical theater in the fall. More information on the committee can be found online. Cover letters and resumes should be sent to the Office of Planning and Economic Development. More information can be found at Explore Holyoke. Read the original article on MassLive.
Tom's Guide
26-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
Save $40 on the golf balls Ben Griffin used to win the Charles Schwab Challenge
The Charles Schwab Challenge has wrapped up, and Ben Griffin took home the big win. I actually got to play a hole with Ben Griffin at an event a couple of months ago, and now he's winning on the PGA Tour. Is there a connection there? Of course not, but I just wanted a chance to say I got to play with him, and this seemed as good a time as any. Anyway, back to why you're here: you can get a 48-pack of the MaxFli Tour X golf balls for $119 at Golf Galaxy; the same balls Griffin used to win this weekend's PGA Tour event. They won't help you win on the PGA Tour because you're not Ben Griffin, but they're an incredible golf ball at $119 for four dozen ($30/ dozen). They usually sell for $39/dozen. (For more deals, check out our Memorial Day sales live blog). The MaxFli Tour X is a great ball that rivals far more expensive models like the Titleist Pro V1X and TaylorMade TP5x. This model, which Ben Griffin uses, offers high flight and high spin, perfect for the golfer who wants it all. If you're like me and you want a lower flight, you can get the same deal on the MaxFli Tour S (the ones I use) or MaxFli Tour golf balls. I first wrote about the new MaxFli golf balls a few weeks ago while covering the company's return to golf clubs. After trying all three models, I found the Tour S worked best for my lower skill game, but one of the three Tour models will work for any player, including someone as skilled as Ben Griffin on the PGA Tour. If you're sick of spending nearly $60 on a dozen golf balls, the MaxFli Tour X, Tour S or Tour are the perfect alternative. In my experience, performance and durability are right up there with more expensive balls, which is all you can ask for. The biggest thing is making sure you choose the right ball for your game. Tour X offers the highest flights and the most spin on long irons around the green. The Tour S offers the lowest flight and least spin on long irons while offering grip on the greens. The base Tour offers mid-height ball flight and mid-spin on long iron shots. Like the other two models, it's designed to provide lots of spin and stopping power on chips around the green. Whatever ball you choose, you can't beat $30 a dozen for a tour-level golf ball (with a proven track record of tour wins recorded quickly).
