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, July 24, 2009
? Kettle Moraine State Forest - Northern Unit, Dundee, (920) 533-8322 - Nature Detectives: Discovering Secrets. Junior Forest Explorers, we'll hone our detective skills to help us discover some of the secrets of nature from unraveling tracking stories to uncovering hidden animal homes and mysterious patterns. This program is based on the activities found in the new Wisconsin Explorers booklets. This fun-filled program is for all 6- to 12-year-olds. Ice Age Visitor Center. 9:30-11 a.m.
? Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan, (920) 451-4080 - Walk The Park's Woodlands. Hike the Woodlands Dunes Trail with Drew Morris. Learn about tree identity, age of trees and other interesting facts. Family hike. No pets allowed. Meet at the trailhead near the playground. 10 a.m.
? Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, (920) 854-5976. - Kayak Tour: 10 a.m. - 12 Noon. Must pre-register at Nature Center. $15/person. Please phone (920) 868-3258 for complete information. The Masked Bandit: 10-10:30 a.m. Nature Center. Raccoon story, finger play and craft.
? Potawatomi State Park, Sturgeon Bay, (920) 746-2890 - Forest Invaders. Join DNR entomologist (someone who studies insects) Bill McNee as he talks about invasive insects that threaten Wisconsin's forests. The Emerald Ash Borer will be the focus of this presentation. Learn what you can do to protect our trees! Amphitheater. 8 p.m.
? Whitefish Dunes State Park, Sturgeon Bay, (920) 823-2400 - Big Red Tent - Habitats. Discover nature, check out a beach toy, and learn something new. Programs begin on the hour and involve a craft and educational activity. Each week focuses on a different theme. Will be canceled of rain or lightening. Sponsored by Friends of Whitefish Dunes State Park. On the beach by the second access. 1-3 p.m.
? Willow River State Park, Hudson, (715) 386-5931 - Universe in the Park. Meet at the Willow River Nature Center to ejoy a presentation of the night sky. Following the presentation will be opportunities to look through telescopes. There is no charge for the event but a park sticker is required on your vehicle. 9 p.m.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
? Hartman Creek State Park, Waupaca, (715) 258-2372 - Universe in the Park. Amphitheater. 8:30 p.m.
? Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee, (414) 527-0232 - Havenwoods Butterfly Count. Help count the butterflies at Havenwoods. we'll spend a short time inside learning about what they look like. Then we'll head outside to see how many butterflies we can find. This free special event is for people of all ages. 10 a.m. - noon. No admission sticker required.
? Kettle Moraine State Forest - Northern Unit, Dundee, (920) 533-8322 - Traveling through Wisconsin's Natural Habitats. Join David Stokes as he travels through some of the state's natural habitats including stops at Lake Michigan, the northern forest, the prairie, the pond and river. Using humor, songs, stories, live animals and things to touch, David will entertain and educate about the animals and plants that call these habitats home. This is an outdoor program, so remember to bring your blankets and lawn chairs. This program is best for adults and youth over the age of 6 years. Sponsored by Friends of the Kettle Moraine. Meet at the Mauthe Lake Recreation Area Picnic Shelter, or in case of inclement weather, the Ice Age Visitor Center a half mile west of Dundee off of State Highway 67. 7-8:30 p.m. Drop In at the Beach: Fascinating Fish. How do fish swim? How do they breathe underwater? How do they eat? Find the answers to these questions and much more as we wade through the world of Wisconsin fishes. Adults are encouraged to participate with their children. Sponsored by Kettle Moraine State Forest - Northern Unit. Long Lake Recreation Area South Beach. Drop in any time 1-4 p.m. Exploring Nature: Tough-shelled Turtles. Wisconsin is home to 11 species of turtles. You will be amazed at how these tough-shelled reptiles are adapted to survive in a wide variety of habitats. You may even get to meet some live turtles. This program is best for families/groups with children between the ages of 5 and 12 years. Ice Age Visitor Center. 9:30-11 a.m.
? Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan, (920) 451-4080 - Dutch Oven and Outdoor Cooking. Noon - 1:30 p.m. Join park volunteers for an outdoor cooking demonstration using recipes from the park cookbook Cooking with Friends. This will be a great opportunity to pick up some tips and gather ideas for your next camping trip or cookout. Amphitheater. Noon - 1:30 p.m. Kite Building Workshop. Join in the fun of making and decorating a pocket sled kite, then head right out the door to fly it! The workshop is best for children 12 and under; 4-year olds will need parental help. There is a $4 charge per kite kit. Call the park office to register for a session. A vehicle admission sticker is required. Meet near the outdoor shelter. 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Search the Sky with the Naked Eye. Join Joe and Mary Glover to learn to read the night sky without a telescope. After class move outdoors to test your skills. Bring a chair or blanket and flashlights, and remember to dress for lakeside weather. No pets allowed. The program is free, but a vehicle admission sticker is required. Meet at the Sanderling Nature Center. 8 p.m.
? Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, (920) 854-5976. - Morning at Weborg Point: 8 - 9 a.m. Meet at Weborg Shelter Building. Join the naturalist for an easy walk along Peninsula's cobblestone shore. Identify common shorebirds and summer flowers. Easy walking. Salamander Hunt: 10-11 a.m. Nature Center. How are frogs and salamanders alike and different? Learn about these amphibians then take a woods walk to catch and release them. Flashing Fireflies: 7 - 8 p.m. Nature Center. Fastastic firefly facts, story and cool glow stick craft. $1 donation/glowstick.
? Pike Lake Unit - Kettle Moraine State Forest, Hartford, (262) 670-3400 - Habitat Hike. Join our volunteer naturalist for a morning habitat hike. Check at the office headquarters for location. 10 a.m.
? Potawatomi State Park, Sturgeon Bay, (920) 746-2890 - Geocaching. Geocaching combines technology with getting outdoors. The 2 hour program will begin with an introduction followed by hands-on experience locating several temporary caches. GPS units available for use during the program. This is a family program, but parents please accompany your children. Amphitheater. 10 a.m. - 12 Noon. Scaley and Slimey Creatures of Potawatomi. Want to know what frogs are hopping and which snakes are slithering around Potawatomi? You'll discover some fun facts about reptiles and amphibians and meet a few critters too. Campground Shelter. 7 p.m.
? Richard Bong State Recreation Area, Kansasville, (262) 878-5600 - Skills Rodeo and Cookout. Come and join the fun at Richard Bong State Recreation Area and help support ATV/OHM Riding. A skills course will be set up to test your ATV/OHM riding ability. Each run on the skills course costs $5. A cookout will be held at 11 a.m. and the skills rodeo begins at 1 p.m. You can meet local riders and join the Richard Bong ATV/OHM Riders. Local vendors will have OHM and ATV gear. All events are held in the Old ATV Parking Lot. Sponsored by the non-profit, Richard Bong ATV/OHM Riders Inc. Creatures of the Night. Join us for this night hike to listen and look for what really does go bump in the night! Amphitheater. 8-9 p.m. How to Stay Found. Learn to use a compass and read a map. Outside, you will play a game to test your newly found skills. Recommended for ages 8 and up. Visitor Center. 9:30-11 a.m.
? Roche-A-Cri State Park, Friendship, (608) 565-2789 - Learn to Geocache. Ever wonder about geocaching? The Ealys will help you get started on this fun outdoor activity. Several caches await being found in the park. Meet at the Kiosk picnic shelter. 2 p.m. Whitefish Dunes State Park, Sturgeon Bay, (920) 823-2400 - Viewing the Night Sky. Do you know what you are looking at up in the night sky? Discover aids and equipment that can help you explore this unique universe. Be introduced to the "Sky Map" and how to use it. See how optical aids, binoculars, and telescopes, help see some objects. Learn which aid is the right one for you and how they work. The evening ends with star-grazing (in the fourth parking lot about 9 p.m.) with the Door Peninsula Astronomical Club members and their fabulous telescopes. Sponsored by Friends of Whitefish Dunes State Park. Whitefish Dunes Nature Center. 8 p.m. Sand Sculpture Contest. Bring friends and family to help make sand creations on the beach. Prizes for everyone with grand prizes in three categories. Contact the park for a rule sheet. You must be present to win. Sponsored by Friends of Whitefish Dunes State Park. Building only allowed by second beach access. Sculptures can not begin before 8 a.m. Register 12:30 - 2 p.m. Judging 2 p.m. Awards 3 p.m.
? Wyalusing State Park, Prairie du Chien, (608) 996-2261 - Astronomy Program. Meet at the Lawrence Huser Astronomy Center in the park. Sponsored by the Starsplitters of Wyalusing. 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
? Devil's Lake State Park, Baraboo (608) 356-8301 - Concert in the Park. Nancy Rago's Gem City Combo will perform in the north shore picnic area, just east of the Chateau. Bring a lawn chair or blankets. In case of rain, the concert will be held inside the Chateau. Sponsored by the Friends of Devil's Lake State Park. The concert is free, but vehicles must have a valid vehicle admission sticker. 6 p.m.
? Hartman Creek State Park, Waupaca, (715) 258-2372 - Laurel Geyer Painting Demonstration. 10 a.m.
? Kettle Moraine State Forest - Northern Unit, Dundee, (920) 533-8322 - Old-time Nature Skills, Games and Crafts. Take a step back in time to enjoy some old-time fun. Play outdoor/nature games like graces, sack races and pin-the-tail on the skunk. Try your hand at some nature crafts that would make your great-grandparents proud such as silhouettes and pressed flower bookmarks. You will also be able to test your skills at archery, tracking and cross-cut sawing. In the event of threatening weather, this event will be canceled. Mauthe Lake Recreation Area. Noon - 4 p.m.
? Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, (920) 854-5976. - Fossil Frenzy: 10-11 a.m. Nature Center. Fossils are animals and plants that have turned into rocks. Find out how. Then go on a hunt for a replica trilobite fossil to unearth and keep. $1 donation/fossil. CCC at Peninsula State Park: Enjoy a 15-minute video featuring a Depression-era work group that left an indelible mark on Wisconsin state parks. See historic photos, too.
? Potawatomi State Park, Sturgeon Bay, (920) 746-2890 - Scaley and Slimey Nature Crafts. Kids, and their parents, can pop in at the Nature Center to make one or all of the amphibian and reptile crafts that we'll have available. Drop-in program. Nature Center. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Monday, July 27, 2009
? Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan, (920) 451-4080 - Night Hike. Families are encouraged to meet Officer Morgen to experience walking around the park at night with only the aid of natural light. No pets allowed. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Free program. Vehicle admission sticker required. Meet at the enclosed shelter. 8:30 p.m.
? Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, (920) 854-5976. - Cemetery Walk with Jessy Thorp: 10-11 a.m. Meet at Weborg Shelter. Park in Weborg day use lot. Mrs. Thorp's husband perished on the Hackley Shipwreck of 1903. Listen to the tragic tale, and other Door County stories, too. Easy walking. Mystery Critter: Stop by the Nature Center any time from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to see if you can identify a mystery critter. Win a prize!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
? Hartman Creek State Park, Waupaca, (715) 258-2372 - Hellestad House Open. Hellestad House. 1-4 p.m.
? Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee, (414) 527-0232 - Preschool Storytime: Evening Chirpers. Chrrp-chrrp. Treet-treet-treet. Join us to listen to the crickets and discover how insects make different sounds. This program is for preschoolers, ages 3-5, and their parents, grandparents, or other adult, not for day care centers or organizations. 9:30-10:30 a.m. No admission sticker required. Junior Rangers - Evening Chirpers. Chrrp-chrrp. Treet-treet-treet. Join us to listen to the crickets and discover how insects make different sounds. This program is for primary age children, ages 6-8, not for day care centers or organizations. 9:30-10:30 a.m. No admission sticker required.
? Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, (920) 854-5976. - Bear Hunt: 10 - 11 a.m. Nature Center. Discover the "bear facts" about a favorite Wisconsin mammal. Then, follow clues along a trail that lead you to a special Peninsula teddy bear. $12/bear. Sign-up at Nature Center or call (920) 854-5976. Cloud Windows: 1 - 2 p.m. Nicolet Beach Playground. Make a photo cloud window, a cool tool to keep that will help campers and boaters as they have "eyes to the skies."
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
? Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, (920) 854-5976. - Outdoor Cooking: 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Nature Center. Spider Dogs, Pit Toilet Jello, and Mineshaft Pigs are just a few of the items on the menu. All recipes from Peninsula's bestselling cookbook. $2 donation/person. Samples only: please show others you know how to share. Bat Watch: 8 - 9 p.m. Welcker's Shelter. Discover amazing bat facts, then watch bats fly from their day time roost to feast on mosquitoes. Rain? We'll talk inside the shelter building.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
? Interstate State Park, St. Croix Falls, (715) 483-3747 - Nature Storytime. Naturalists Julie Fox and Barb Walker will share a story and activity with preschool through kindergarten children and their parents. The short activity after the story will reinforce the story's 'nature-related theme. Nature Storytime generally will last 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the participants. 10 a.m.
? Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, (920) 854-5976. - Beautiful Butterflies: 10-10:45 a.m. Nature Center. How is a butterfly different from a moth? Find out, then craft a butterfly to keep.
? Whitefish Dunes State Park, Sturgeon Bay, (920) 823-2400 - Big Red Tent - Rocks! Discover nature, check out a beach toy, and learn something new. Programs begin on the hour and involve a craft and educational activity. Each week focuses on a different theme. Sponsored by Friends of Whitefish Dunes State Park. On the beach by the second access. 1-3 p.m.
