Breathtaking beauty: Five ways to round out summer on the EMU campus

Whether you’re visiting EMU for the first time or have walked its grounds for more than a decade, some spots on campus never lose their magic. With summer break winding down, temperatures (hopefully) starting to finally dip, and the first day of classes (Aug. 26) fast approaching, here are our favorite places on campus to spend the summer.

5 — Stroll through the East Garden

Located just across the pond south of the Suter Science Center’s greenhouse, a short walk across a wooden bridge and through some lush greenery reveals a plentiful patch of produce. The fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown on the campus gardens by the student-run Sustainable Food Initiative are used to supply the EMU Free Food Room, which supports members of the campus community experiencing food insecurity. 

Bonus tip: For an air-conditioned and educational detour, duck into the nearby D. Ralph Hostetter Natural History Museum and browse the displays of fossils, insects, birds, and wildlife inside the science center’s main entrance. 

4 — Practice your pickleball

Bring your paddle and your A-game out to the six new pickleball courts on Park Road, which were installed at the end of last year. The enhanced outdoor courts space, which also includes four new tennis courts, is the result of a partnership between EMU, Eastern Mennonite School, Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community, and other organizations and private donors. “A lot of people in the Harrisonburg community come out to play on the EMU pickleball courts—people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels,” said Levi Clymer ’25, former co-president of the EMU Pickleball Club. “That’s the beautiful thing about pickleball.”

Bonus tip: After the game, stretch out those calf muscles with a lap around the neighboring EMU track, which was dedicated in October. During the summer, track lanes 5-8 are open to the public from 6-10 a.m. and 6-9 p.m. daily, except for special events. Or take a stroll along the Northend Greenway, a paved shared-use path that stretches from EMU, passes by picturesque fields and streams, and will eventually connect to Downtown Harrisonburg.

3 — Walk through the Park Woods

Take advantage of the shaded paths that wind their way through Park Woods, a 13-acre oak-hickory forest that adorns the northeast corner of campus between Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community and Eastern Mennonite School. Walk along the recently completed Weaver Loop perimeter path and breathe in the scents of the native trees and understory. The paths are regularly used by walkers of all ages, from children at the K-12 school to retirees at the senior living community.

Bonus tip: See if you can find the rustic cabin located in the clearing at the heart of the woods. Built as a gift by the classes of 1946 and 1950, the cabin was the central hub of socialization and recreation on EMU’s campus for more than 40 years…Read more about it here.

2 — Toss some discs

Play a round of disc golf on EMU’s nine-hole, par-27 course. The stomping grounds of 2025 college disc golf national champion Jesse Longenecker, the course is dedicated in honor of his late brother, Nathan. Try to keep your cool while sinking your putt at some of the course’s tougher holes—we think the basket perched on top of the tree stump is awfully tricky!

Bonus tip: After finishing the eighth hole, wander over to the prayer labyrinth, a spiral-looking maze just up the hill above the Seminary Building. The feature offers those at EMU a unique way to connect with God.

1 — Gaze out from the EMU Hill

Take in the majestic vista of Massanutten Mountain and the city of Harrisonburg from the summit of the EMU Hill. If the trek doesn’t take your breath away, the view surely will (note: parking is also available at the top of the hill by the Astral Hall recording studio). No matter how long you’ve been at EMU, it’s one sight that never seems to get old. 

Bonus tip: Want a similar view without the hike? Head to the Campus Center balcony—a favorite spot for Trina Trotter Nussbaum ’00, MA ’17, director of EMU’s Center for Interfaith Engagement. She remembers falling in love with EMU the first time she looked out from that very spot. “All it took was one look at those mountains, and they seemed to tell me, ‘You belong here,’” she said. And, according to Macson McGuigan ’17, campus photographer and resident lover of lightning bugs, the overlook offers prime firefly viewing after sunset.

What are your favorite places on campus to capture its breathtaking beauty? Leave a comment below!