Goat Trekking in Galena

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Christina Eisbach recalls her childhood of endless days spent exploring the land where she lived. “It was all timber and native prairie with wildlife and the ecosystem still intact,” she says. “It’s a wooded wonderland!” Animals were also a big part of her life. “I had chickens, geese, cows, dogs, cats, horses, and goats.” She dreamed of sharing her love of the land and animals with others.

Christina still lives on the land located 15 minutes east of downtown Galena, Illinois. Her two daughters, Sydney and Samantha, are the fourth generation on the property that their great-grandparents, John and Lois Eisbach, purchased in 1958. They, along with Christina’s father, John, were in the forestry and lumber business and planted more than 100,000 oak, walnut, and red pine trees on 300 acres. Her father had a sawmill, specializing in custom lumber. “That’s how he made his living off the land for more than 50 years, from the 1970s until last year,” she says.

One year, her younger daughter, Samantha, asked for baby goats. “This would be so much fun!” Christina says. “I jumped at the chance. We bought two and bottle-fed them.

“We discovered they followed us everywhere. Every day after school, after work, we took the girls, goats, and a couple of dogs on walks with us. We headed out on forested trails that my husband, David, maintained for our own recreational use. It was one of those fun activities that made us forget about our day and the stress and concentrate on the goats’ head-butting, prancing, and playing while we fed them treats. It was super calming.”

As Sydney approached her pre-teen years, she began looking ahead at colleges. Christina was astounded at the financial burden and wondered, “How are we going to pay for this?”  An entrepreneur herself, Christina suggested they open a business that the girls could operate. “You can learn how to start a business, run a business, and gain life skills that will come in handy later in life.”

She suggested they conduct guided goat hikes. However, the girls were skeptical about whether people would pay to do that. Christina pointed out that Galena attracts about 1.5 million visitors annually, most from urban and suburban areas, who don’t have access to land, let alone goats. “It could be a fun way that you can share who you are and what this land is about, and impart some knowledge about open spaces, family land, and animals.” The girls agreed to try it.

And Hoof It Goat Treks took off running. “We started with five goats — our two plus three leased from a friend — in the summer of 2019,” Christina says. “We’re now up to 37 goats, each named, with more on the way.”

In addition to goat treks, they host a three-day summer camp for kids ages 5 to 12. “They learn about keeping animals and the care of them. They fingerpaint the goats with washable paint that’s then rinsed off,” Christina explains. They go on scavenger hunts, learn about animal tracks, and create crafts. Of course, they also take walks wandering the woods with goats. “The camp concludes Friday night when we include campers and their families for a bonfire and s’mores.”

Now that the girls are grown, Christina leads public walks for groups of 30 to 35 people, along with one goat for every couple of people. “I take out a herd of people and a herd of goats,” she says. For private groups, she requires a minimum of six people. Christina provides chopped carrots if visitors want to feed them.

Christina says visitors are enthralled by the goats’ charm and antics. Cheryl Gabriel, of Branson, Missouri, says, “The goats were cute, sweet, affectionate, and gentle. It’s a great experience for people who are seeking a unique outdoor adventure.”

Tours are held year-round, except if it rains (goats don’t like to get wet) or if the temperature is below zero. “We walk in snow and have snowshoe rentals. Fall is an amazing time when we get vibrant colors,” Christina says. The gently rolling terrain is suitable for all ages and abilities and can accommodate strollers.

The cost is $24 for adults and $19 for children under 10 for a one-hour, 1.25-mile trek. Reservations are required and available online at HoofItGalena.com or by calling (563) 663-6944

The Next Step

In 2020, Christina was the first business approached by Galena Country Tourism to add special activities through their Forever Original Experiences program. Tom Rynott, Communications Director, says the program had a two-fold goal. “It was started to supplement our event calendar, peak and non-peak times, with some curated activities to fill in the week. We also wanted to expand our offerings to potentially interested groups coming here.”

Events Christina came up with have proved popular: Hoof It + Sip It involves Fergedaboutit, a local winery, which offers each person a glass of wine to take on the goat trek, and afterward they sample six 1-ounce wine tastings with goat cheese and other pairings. Hoof’n & Groove’n begins with an evening goat trek followed by a roaring bonfire and live music.

This year, she added Goats & Floats, where guests enjoy a root beer tasting and make root beer floats that they take on the goat trek. Offered in conjunction with Root Beer Revelry, a downtown craft soda shop, Tom says, “It’s a family-friendly event.”  

Through education, enjoyment, and exposure, Christina has fulfilled her vision of sharing her land and animals. She says, “It’s all about the fun, laughter, and pure joy of walking with goats through native prairie and forests.”

Reservations are required and can be made online at HoofItGalena.com or by calling (563) 663-6944.