SIBLEY — Take a hike.

That’s what the Friends of the St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge are hoping area outdoorsy types will do.

Ten members of the Friends of St. Catherine Creek worked throughout the morning of Sept. 27 to clean debris from Hurricane Gustav off the Magnolia Walking Trail in the refuge, which was completely covered and blocked off.

Friends president Pete Smith said the 3.6-mile long trail had at least 15 large downed trees, as well as limbs and other debris covering it

“We had four wheelers, we had a gator with a spray rig on it to spray the weeds and grass running into the trail, a tractor with a box blade and two chainsaws,” Smith said. “We had a lot of trees to move, and there were chainsaws, tractors, wenches and pulling. We expected to be there all day.”

The group, which consists of 36 total members, works year-round to assist the five full-time staff members of the National Wildlife Refuge, who also run one near St. Francisville.

“We help at the refuge with whatever they ask us to do. The Friends group was real instrumental in building that walking trail,” Smith said. “They need a lot of friends to help them do things around there.”

The Friends group is also working on raising money to build a $250,000 educational center on the nearly 26,000 acres.

“We can bring in busloads of people and teach them about the outdoors, water quality, wildlife, grass, birds — whatever. We got a grant recently from Walmart for $10,000 to buy equipment to add to the refuge. We’re getting close to $100,000. If we get $125,000 we’ll have enough to apply for our match grant.”

Smith hopes to bring all sorts of people to the area to enjoy everything from fishing and hunting to bird watching and walking.

He said a group of about 30 bird watchers came from the Louisiana hiking on Oct. 11.

“With all the water we’ve had — we’re in the migration pattern from down the river —we’ve had shore birds just by the thousands of all different kinds. We’ve got eagle residents — two nests — and we think we have another one.”

Visiting the trail, and the refuge, is free. The only charge is an annual-usage fee for those who plan to hunt or fish.

The refuge is also about to start groundbreaking for a new office building, behind which a pond is being rehabbed.

The plan is for the pond to become a kids’ fishing area with a little pier and a 300- to 400-yard trail.

“Everybody’s welcome,” Smith said. “There’s a lot of things down there. We just need more people around the area to know it’s there and use it.”

While archery for deer, fishing and squirrel hunting are all in season, the Magnolia Trail is designated specifically for walkers.

Refuge manager Bob Strater said the whole area was affected by Gustav but is back to normal now.

“The trail leads to couple different loops,” he said. “It starts out in the bottom of St. Catherine Creek, and overlooks the cypress swamp and another cypress area, and extends through the hills and bluffs around Natchez. It’s almost all forested and provides the walker with exceptional views.”

The Friends of St. Catherine Creek group is always looking for new members. Membership costs $20 per year per individual or $30 for a family.

The money goes to refuge upkeep, and the group’s next meeting is Nov. 10 at the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians.