Let’s go on a safari! Discover the various animals that would be found on a safari including elephants, lions, and zebras. Go on a local expedition through the Nature Play […]

With fungi, people might think of mushrooms, yeast, or mold, but there is another interesting group. Learn about lichen and their importance in forest ecosystems. Hike the trails looking for […]

The Discovery Center will be open for visitation. Visitors can choose to participate in unstructured and/or structured activities. Activities and attractions include bird watching via the Windows on Wildlife, mounted animals and live animals on display, nature videos, field guides and nature books for reading, touch table and puppets, and seasonal displays and exhibits. A […]

The vegetables in the McKinnis garden are not ripe yet. One of those is tomato. There will be fried green tomatoes to sample and receipts to be shared. Litzenberg Memorial Woods McKinnis House 1-4 PM All ages are welcome. Free; registration is not required. Chris Allen callen@hancockparks.com  

Aim, shoot, and score! Learn safety measures and the basics of archery from a Certified Archery Instructor while shooting arrows at targets with a compound bow. Archery equipment will be provided. Oakwoods Nature Preserve Dold Lake 7 PM Ages 16 and up. Click here to register with $10 per person by 1 PM on Tuesday, […]

Plein Air Gatherings are an opportunity for artists to get together and paint or draw outdoors “en plein air” in Hancock County parks.  All adult artists who use any medium conducive to working outdoors are welcome.  If you are new to plein air painting or are hesitant to go out on your own, these gatherings […]

Playing with shadows can be fun. Explore shadows through hands-on activities like watching a shadow puppet show, creating paper shadow puppets, tracing the shadows of toy animals, reading the time on a sundial, and playing a shadow matching game. Oakwoods Nature Preserve Discovery Center 10 AM Ages 3-6 with an adult; other aged siblings are […]

Explore the Blanchard River Greenway Trail, which used to be a railroad corridor but is now a walking path. Enjoy a leisure walk down the trail and see possible wildlife on the river, such as Painted Turtles, Mallards, and Great Blue Herons. Meet at Riverside Waterfalls Pavillion parking lot. Centennial Park 6 PM All ages […]

Vogelsong Conservation Area, which was created to protect water quality, expand wildlife habitat, and provide natural beauty, can be reached by hiking the Blanchard River Greenway Trail from Eastpoint Area. Exploration will involve hiking around the small prairie and along the edge of the riparian forest, looking at the Blanchard River from the pedestrian bridge, […]

Resident and migratory birds are here for the summer. Some of these birds can be seen through pictures and displays and by hiking the trails, such as Indigo Bunting, American Goldfinch, and Northern House Wren. Riverbend Recreation Area Big Oaks Activity Area Mariann Dana Younger Memorial Pavilion 6 PM All ages are welcome. Free; but […]

Children can get dirty and clean at the same time with suds and sand. Have fun mixing colors with suds painting, making colored sand and colored sand art, blowing homemade bubbles, and sculpting with sand and foam. Wear clothes that can get stained. Riverbend Recreation Area The Meadows Activity Area Shelter 6 10 AM Ages […]

Explore Aeraland Recreation Area, which is a rural county park in a quiet country setting. Hike the Highline Trail with scenic views of the South Branch Portage River, and the Upland Trail that traverses a 13-acre meadow. Check out Goose Lake and look at fungi, trees, wildflowers, birds and other animals, and visit the bat […]