{"id":59392,"date":"2025-08-04T16:47:05","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T20:47:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=59392"},"modified":"2025-08-04T16:48:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T20:48:06","slug":"breathtaking-beauty-five-ways-to-round-out-summer-on-the-emu-campus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2025\/breathtaking-beauty-five-ways-to-round-out-summer-on-the-emu-campus\/","title":{"rendered":"Breathtaking beauty: Five ways to round out summer on the EMU campus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whether you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5 \u2014 Stroll through the East Garden<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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A visit to the East Garden on Friday afternoon revealed an ample supply of tomatoes, bell peppers, squash, and a variety of native flowers.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Located just across the pond south of the Suter Science Center\u2019s 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<\/a>, which supports members of the campus community experiencing food insecurity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus tip:<\/strong> <\/em>For an air-conditioned and educational detour, duck into the nearby D. Ralph Hostetter Natural History Museum<\/a> and browse the displays of fossils, insects, birds, and wildlife inside the science center\u2019s main entrance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4 \u2014 Practice your pickleball<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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An aerial view of the new pickleball courts on EMU’s campus, looking south along Park Road. The courts are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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<\/a>. 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. \u201cA lot of people in the Harrisonburg community come out to play on the EMU pickleball courts\u2014people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels,\u201d said Levi Clymer \u201925,<\/strong> former co-president of the EMU Pickleball Club. \u201cThat\u2019s the beautiful thing about pickleball.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus tip: <\/strong><\/em>After the game, stretch out those calf muscles with a lap around the neighboring EMU track, which was dedicated in October<\/a>. 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>, a paved shared-use path that stretches from EMU, passes by picturesque fields and streams, and will eventually connect to Downtown Harrisonburg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3 \u2014 Walk through the Park Woods<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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The Weaver Loop perimeter path in Park Woods was dedicated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in October.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus tip: <\/strong><\/em>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\u2019s campus for more than 40 years\u2026Read more about it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2 \u2014 Toss some discs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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During a ceremony (pictured) in April 2022, EMU’s disc golf course was dedicated in honor of Nathan Longenecker, class of 2024, an avid disc golfer who was diagnosed with brain cancer during his first year at EMU and died in October 2021, just eight months later.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Play a round of disc golf on EMU\u2019s nine-hole, par-27 course. The stomping grounds of 2025 college disc golf national champion Jesse Longenecker<\/a>, the course is dedicated in honor of his late brother, Nathan<\/a>. Try to keep your cool while sinking your putt at some of the course\u2019s tougher holes\u2014we think the basket perched on top of the tree stump is awfully tricky!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus tip: <\/strong><\/em>After finishing the eighth hole, wander over to the prayer labyrinth<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1 \u2014 Gaze out from the EMU Hill<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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A view that\u2019s every bit worth the climb.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Take in the majestic vista of Massanutten Mountain and the city of Harrisonburg from the summit of the EMU Hill. If the trek doesn\u2019t 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\u2019ve been at EMU, it\u2019s one sight that never seems to get old. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus tip:<\/em> <\/strong>Want a similar view without the hike? Head to the Campus Center balcony\u2014a favorite spot for Trina Trotter Nussbaum \u201900, MA \u201917, <\/strong>director of EMU\u2019s Center for Interfaith Engagement. She remembers falling in love with EMU the first time <\/a>she looked out from that very spot. \u201cAll it took was one look at those mountains, and they seemed to tell me, \u2018You belong here,\u2019\u201d she said. And, according to Macson McGuigan ’17, <\/strong>campus photographer and resident lover of lightning bugs, the overlook offers prime firefly viewing after sunset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What are your favorite places on campus to capture its breathtaking beauty? Leave a comment below!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether you\u2019re 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 ... read more about Breathtaking beauty: Five ways to round out summer on the EMU campus<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":302,"featured_media":59402,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5583,14715,17562],"tags":[18492,9764,18313,18493,18490,17394,18414,18491],"feature":[17427,17426,17241,17422],"class_list":["post-59392","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-community","category-campus-life","category-digest","tag-beauty","tag-campus","tag-disc-golf","tag-emu-hill","tag-nature","tag-park-woods","tag-pickleball","tag-scenic","feature-emu-home-page-feature","feature-myemu-feature","feature-news-feature","feature-news-landing-page-main-feature"],"yoast_head":"\nBreathtaking beauty: Five ways to round out summer on the EMU campus - EMU News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2025\/breathtaking-beauty-five-ways-to-round-out-summer-on-the-emu-campus\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Breathtaking beauty: Five ways to round out summer on the EMU campus - EMU News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Whether you\u2019re visiting EMU for the first time or have walked its grounds for more than a decade, some spots on campus never lose their magic. 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