UPCOMING EVENTS AT STATE PARKS, FORESTS, AND TRAILS
WATCHABLE WILDLIFE OPPORTUNITIES AND INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS
Check with the park or forest of your choice for additional activities and special events not listed. Most events are free of charge; park admission sticker required unless otherwise noted. Events and times subject to change.
Friday-Saturday, October 17-18, 2008
• Kettle Moraine State Forest—Northern Unit, Campbellsport, (920) 533-8322 - Halloween Nature Hikes. The creatures of the night are awake and waiting to tell you their stories! Take a fun-filled stroll through the dark autumn woods to meet some animal characters of the dark including a spotted salamander, a striped skunk, a gray tree frog and a little brown bat. This is not a scary hike and is appropriate for those over 5 years of age. While waiting for your hike, play some fun-filled games, make a craft to take home, or snack by the glow of a campfire. In the event of severe weather, the event will be canceled for that night. Long Lake Recreation Area. Groups leave every 6 minutes from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Each hike lasts about one hour.
• Point Beach State Forest, Two Rivers, (920) 794-7480 - Haunting Halloween Weekend. Friday, walk our Spooky Halloween Trail. Saturday, enjoy a pumpkin carving contest, educational scavenger hunt, photo opportunities with Smokey Bear, and scrapbooking. A costume parade at the lodge will start off the trick or treating which will be from 5:30-7 p.m. in the campground, wagon rides through the campground to see the decorated campsites, and the Spooky Halloween Trail are available in the evening. All campground roads will be closed from 4-9 p.m. during the trick or treating and wagon rides. Some activities may require a fee. Sponsored by Friends of Point Beach State Forest.
Friday, October 17, 2008
• Kettle Moraine State Forest—Northern Unit, Campbellsport, (920) 533-8322 - Nature Storytime: Going Batty. We'll enter a bat's world to learn about these nighttime bug eaters and why they are our batty friends. This hour of nature fun awaits 3- to 6-year-olds with accompanying adults. Ice Age Visitor Centers. 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
• Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee, (414) 527-0232 - One Wild Saturday Morning Drop-in: Bones. All vertebrate animals have bones - femurs, ulnas, tibias, and many more. Assemble some skeletons, make a skeleton to take home, compare some different animal skeletons, and much more. You and your family or youth group can drop in between 9 a.m. and noon to discover cool things about nature through hands-on activities, experiments, crafts, games, and picture books. Environmental Awareness Center. No admission sticker required.
• Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area, Horicon, (920) 387-7877 or (920)-485-3029 - The Birds of Horicon. Guided hike. Meet at DNR offices on the north end of Palmatory Street, Horicon. 10 a.m. Managing Our Wildlife. Guided hike. Meet at DNR offices on the north end of Palmatory Street, Horicon. 1 p.m.
• Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan, (920) 451-4080 - Monster of the Milky Way. Enjoy an evening learning about black holes with Kevin Koski of Rustic Skies. See the explosive birth of a black hole to its cannibalistic death throes. Travel through the belly of a;super massive black hole to see when it will erupt and destroy our Milky Way. No pets allowed. Sanderling Nature Center. 7-8:30 p.m.
• Lake Kegonsa State Park, Stoughton, (608) 873-9695 - Candlelight Hike. Spend a beautiful fall evening hiking along the 1.2 mile White Oak Nature Trail, which will be lit with hundreds of glowing jack-o-lanterns and luminaries. Warm up by the bonfire and enjoy refreshments provided by the LKSP Friends Group. Grills will be provided to cook on. Sorry, no pets are allowed on the White Oak Nature Trail. There is no fee for this event, but a valid park admission sticker is required. This event is weather permitting. 6-9 p.m.
• Richard Bong State Recreation Area, Kansasville, (262) 878-5600 - Vista Explorer Hike. Explore a beautiful but seldom-explored part of the park before it closes for the winter. Bring your curiosity! Vista Picnic Area. 9:30-11 a.m. Worms Eat My Garbage. Join Jeanette Smith to learn why you would want worms in your basement. Learn how easy and earth friendly it is to compost using red worms. Discover some unsavory secrets about earthworms. Visitor Center. 1-2 p.m.
• Roche-A-Cri State Park, Friendship, (608) 339-6881 - Pumpkin Walk. Games 3-4:30 p.m. Non-Haunted Hay Rides 3-5 p.m. Presentation by Naturalist Janna Misener 4:30 p.m. Haunted Hay Rides 6:00-8:30 p.m. Last tickets sold at 8:30 p.m. Walk around the 1-mile pumpkin-lit mound road. Food and drink concession available. Free admission. Hay rides $2. Games and face painting are free. Starts at office picnic area. 3-8:30 p.m.
• Wyalusing State Park, Bagley - Gaylord Matti, (608) 831-8108 - Five- and Ten-kilometer Walks. Noncompetitive recreational events for the entire family. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. The same routes will be followed on both days. The fee for the walks is free,or $3 for Volksport credit. Sponsored by Dairyland Walkers Volksport Club. Start at the entrance station or follow the signs.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
• Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area, Horicon, (920) 387-7877 or (920)-485-3029 - Fall Colors. Guided hike. Meet at DNR offices on the north end of Palmatory Street, Horicon. 11 a.m. Kids' Basic Tree Identification. Bring a T-shirt for leaf printing. DNR offices on the north end of Palmatory Street, Horicon. 1 p.m.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
• Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee, (414) 5277-0232 - Preschool Storytime: Chipmunks on the Move. Now you see them, now you don't! Find out why chipmunks are busy this time of year. Environmental Awareness Center. 9:30-10:30 a.m. No admission sticker required.
Friday, October 24 and Saturday October 25, 2008
• MacKenzie Environmental Education Center, Poynette, (608) 635-8105 - Haunted Hay Ride. Join us from for a fun and spooky hay ride around the MacKenzie Center property. Zombies, Witches, Graveyards, Ghosts and more! $5 for adults, $3 children age 3-8; includes a campfire with snacks too! Dress appropriately for the weather, costumes welcome. The MacKenzie Center is 2 miles East of Poynette on County Road CS and Q, only 25 miles north of Madison. 6:30-9:30 p.m. both evenings.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
• Devil's Lake State Park, Baraboo, (608) 356-8301 - Aldo Leopold Half-marathon and 5-Kilometer Run . Five hundred backcountry runners will experience the broad vistas and spectacular trails of Devil's Lake while under the duress of running 13 miles. Registration for the event reached capacity and is closed. Sponsored by Aldo Leopold Foundation and Great Lakes Endurance . Start at the North Beach Shelter.
• Governor Nelson State Park, Waunakee, (608) 831-3005 - Halloween Hike. A festive event to celebrate Halloween. Hike a torchlit trail and enjoy snacks by a campfire. Costumes are welcomed but not required. Dress to be outside. 6-9 p.m.
• Harrington Beach State Park, Belgium, (262) 285-3015 - Halloween Candlelight Hike. Take a candlelight hike on a haunted trail through Harrington Beach. Telescopes for the public to view the night sky will be provided by the Northern Cross Science Foundation . Meet at the Ansay Welcome Center and Puckett's Pond. Sponsored by the Friends of Harrington Beach and the Northern Cross Science Foundation. Candlelight and haunted hike 6-9 p.m., public viewing of the night sky 6-11 p.m.
• Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area, Horicon, (920) 387-7877 or (920)-485-3029 - Invaders of Woods and Wetlands. DNR offices on the north end of Palmatory Street, Horicon. 10 a.m. Bird-scaping. DNR offices on the north end of Palmatory Street, Horicon. 1 p.m.
• Interstate State Park, St. Croix Falls, (715) 483-3747 - Gray Ghost's Appalachian Trail Through Hike. Join "Gray Ghost" Chet Anderson for a photographic tour of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. He hiked all 2,176 miles of the trail through 14 states from April to August of this year. Ice Age Center. 1 p.m.
• Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan, (920) 451-4080 - Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants. Come hike with John Johnston to search for these unique and interesting plants found at Kohler-Andrae and learn about their uses. Wear comfortable shoes. Closed gate west of Camp host site. 2-3 p.m.
• MacKenzie Environmental Education Center, Poynette, 608-635-8105 - Haunted Hay Ride. Join us for a fun and spooky hay ride around the MacKenzie Center property. Lumberjack Zombies, Witches, Graveyards, Ghosts and more! Sponsored by Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Friends of the MacKenzie Center, and Department of Natural Resources. 6:30-9:30 p.m.
• Mirror Lake State Park, Baraboo, (608) 254-2333 - Halloween Mystery Hike. The hike will follow an easy 1 mile torch lit trail through the woods. Children of all ages can help the Rangers solve a mystery by stopping at clue stations along the way. The Friends group will have food and beverages for sale and a couple of roaring bonfires to relax and warm by. Sponsored by Friends of Mirror Lake. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Richard Bong State Recreation Area, Kansasville, (262) 878-5600 - Eco-Halloween Hike. You are invited to meet some characters who make "Night Noises" at this non-scary, family event. Enjoy jack-o-lanterns, Halloween skits, campfires, refreshments, games and crafts. Shelter #1. Come anytime between 6:30 and 8 p.m. to sign up for a hike.
• Willow River State Park, Hudson, (715) 386-5931 - Halloween Bash. A fun-filled family event with crafts, games, snacks, and storytelling. Fee $2 per person. 6-8 p.m.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
• Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area, Horicon, (920) 387-7877 or (920)-485-3029 - Wisconsin Ice Age. DNR offices on the north end of Palmatory Street, Horicon. 11 a.m. Animal Adaptations. Take a guided hike and see how animals are preparing for winter. Meet at DNR offices on the north end of Palmatory Street, Horicon. 1 p.m.
