Photos courtesy of Kristine Brey
Crescent Trails outings are consciously planned to be chill events. Some are for Sisters only, some are for kids and many are for families to explore the benefits of nature together.
When Kristine Brey and her family moved to Milwaukee from Madison in 2022, she was unfamiliar with the area, so, true to her nature, she organized a group to explore the city and all the natural beauty our state offers.
Crescent Trails now has more than 200 members who get together three to four times per month (fewer during the cold winter months) to appreciate nature while deepening their faith.
Crescent Trails organizer Kristine Brey, second from the left, with the group kayak adventure on the Milwaukee River
“After we moved to Milwaukee, I started doing Milwaukee Rec’s organized walks to learn about the parks and trails and to get to know the area better, and I thought, ‘It would be so nice to do this with other Muslim women.’ I just thought it would be really cool to organize walks, meet new people and do outdoor activities with other people,” said Brey.
Brey said there are numerous Muslim women groups in the Milwaukee area, but that the majority are educational and very few, if any, are outdoor based.
To fill that void, Brey created the Crescent Trails group in May 2023 via WhatsApp. Outings have included trail walks in Milwaukee County parks, picnics, experiencing the full moonrise over Lake Michigan, tree planting at Mequon Nature Preserve, halaqa gatherings, planetarium visits, a book swap at Atwater Park, tie-dying, an Earth Day cleanup, fishing, kids’ Salawat gatherings, camping, kayaking and trips to state parks like High Cliff and Lapham Peak and the Cherney Maribel Caves in Manitowoc County.
Brey, whose travel agency Open Palm Travel Co. focuses on environmentally friendly, sustainable, educational trips, enjoys organizing and planning Crescent Trails outings but says plans are nothing without the people who participate.
“Crescent Trails wouldn’t exist without the people who come. It’s a community that has really blossomed,” she said. “We are more active with all our activities and talking with each other,” Brey said, adding that there’s group chat for social engagement on Thursday nights that is mainly nature-based and it’s sometimes a trivia contest.
“There is so much we can learn about everything here in Milwaukee and Wisconsin. But we make sure to keep it light and fun because the world is so hard right now. We need to bring a little lightness into our lives.”
While Crescent Trails experiences emphasize connecting with faith and others, the main thing is simply spending time outdoors.
“Being outside is so important for our health and mental wellbeing—especially for our children in today’s world. It’s about outdoor education. It’s about fresh air, clearing your mind and marveling at God’s blessings and all His creations.” said Brey. “All my best childhood memories are being outside—exploring the neighborhood, playing in the woods, riding my bike, building snow tunnels and igloos. That’s what I want for kids today.”
Most Crescent Trails outings are “Sisters Only” or “Sisters + Kids,” but there are also a variety of family activities, including the upcoming skiing event at Crystal Ridge in Franklin, Wisconsin. All of the outings, said Brey, are “chill.”
“At most events, you can come and go as you please. If you want to get out there and hike 10 miles, great. If you have your kids along and you want to take it slow, that’s perfect. I just want people to come and have fun—to go someplace they’ve never been, learn something new and just spend time outside,” Brey said. “We have so much here, like Lake Michigan, that many people never experience.”
Birdwatching at Havenswood State Forest with Crescent Trails
Since it was established two and a half years ago, Crescent Trails has covered a lot of miles and packed in a wide variety of memorable experiences.
“I like to do a recap every year and reflect on all the things we’ve done. I create a map and highlight all the places we’ve been,” said Brey. She has a wealth of ideas and big plans for future Crescent Trails outings.
“There are so many parks here that we haven’t been to yet. And I have ambitious plans for the future, like a cranberry bog tour, going to Witches Gulch in Wisconsin Dells in the fall, a train ride across the state—there are so many things I’d like the group to experience. My ultimate goal is domestic trips and maybe even international travel.”
Family tree planting at Mequon Nature Preserve
Exploring the scenic trails at Lake Vista Park
Greenfield Park Salawat gathering
But no matter where the group lands on map, being out in nature is its central intention.
“Everyone just feels better when they get outside,” said Brey. “There’s no better way to teach about Allah and appreciate what God gives us in nature than by being in it. It’s just being outside. There’s really no better way to describe it.”
Crescent Trails is open to all women, Brey said, and suggestions for outings and activities are welcome. The group and an updated schedule can be found on WhatsApp and Instagram.
