Night of the Fireflies: Hiking and Watching Fireflies in the in Night Forest

Written by Rocky Xu Cheng

Publish Date: May 29, 2023

Unlike the previous event at George Bush Park, adverse weather did not fill the weeks ahead of this event, but rather it came in the form of a harsh storm mere hours before the event was set to start. Luckily, Stephen F. Austin Park, or at least the majority of the trail we were set to hike, was spared from the worst of the rains.

As our latest event to date, the May 28th Night of the Fireflies hike was meant to start at 5:30. Getting there a bit ahead of time, the volunteers set up the barbeque equipment and got to know each other better. When the special children arrived, the hotdogs were already sizzling on the grill.

After we finished eating and split up into groups, we began the descent into the Brazos River Basin to start the hike. From the moment we set foot into the denser part of the forest, fireflies could already be seen. Some of the blinking creatures hovered around the trail, but many more could be seen in the unreachable parts of the forest. As it gradually got darker, so seemingly did the number of fireflies.

The winding trail took us deep into the forest and into a small clearing, where the bright lights of the fireflies became even more pronounced. On the way back, we witnessed a snake crossing the road. This, paired with the numerous other creatures and the ever-present fireflies, immersed us into the wonders of nature around us.

The ending of the hike was the most magnificent. Now fully dark, to the point where your hands became barely visible in front of your face, the fireflies claimed the spotlight. As we ventured towards a small opening at the end of the trail, the fireflies seemed to grow denser and brighter, culminating in a blinking mass of light at the conclusion of the trail.

To all the volunteers and participants of this event, the fireflies served to emphasize the majesty of nature. As these tiny emissaries of light strive to brighten their surroundings, so should we humans try to make the world a better palace.

Thanks to the six families with special needs attending the event. The event can only be successful with your trust.

Special thanks to Fei Feng, Dan(Dannie) Xiong, Haoyu(Rob) Feng, Owen Ge, Long Ge, Haofei Deng, Eric Wang, Sarah Wang, Yuyang Cao, Yifan Wu, Stella Zhao, Ansley Liu, Xiaowei Huang, Alice Peng for volunteering at the event and making the experience for every participant even better.