Join the Outdoor Recreation School for a hike and enjoy the benefits of spending time in nature. Take time to be active, connect with others, breathe in the crisp November air and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature along the Mississippi River. If there is snow we will snowshoe or use traction devices. $6/person.

Join staff from Mississippi Gateway Regional Park and the Outdoor Recreation School to try two very modifiable activities. You will get to experience the accessible features at Mississippi Gateway while fishing in the Mississippi River and practicing archery. Participants under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Trained staff and volunteers will lead instruction and modify the program for needs. A family, friend or PCA is encouraged to be present at the program to assist with transfers, communication or other personal needs if necessary. $15/person.

Enjoy a fun evening of pub-style trivia along the banks of the Mississippi River. Get a team of 2-8 people together and compete by answering river-themed questions for some Big Year of Rivers swag! The doors open at 6 p.m.; feel free to bring dinner and/or socialize before trivia starts at 7 p.m. The questions will be adult-level in difficulty, but all ages are welcome. $10/team up to four people. Registration will be by table: For teams of 2-4 people, ONE team member should register to reserve 1 table. For teams of 5-8 people, TWO team members should register to reserve 2 tables.

Join the Outdoor Recreation School and Gary’s Custom Fishing Rods while you visualize and construct your personalized keepsake. Each participant will receive a six-foot, medium light graphite rod blank. You will get to select between spinning and bait casting rod design. All participants building a rod must register and pay. Participants aged 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult actively engaged in assisting their child; this adult can also register to build their own rod while assisting their registered child or simply assist their child during the program at no additional fee. This program is entirely indoors. $150/person.

Check out animal skulls up close, and learn how teeth and other features can tell us about what an animal eats. All ages welcome. Free.

Become a nature detective with a naturalist's toolbox! Explore what's happening in the park using thermometers, hand lenses, binoculars and your own sharp observation skills. Look closely, discover amazing plants and animals, and see how nature changes with the seasons! All ages welcome. Free.

Drop in at any time to meet a few of our live animals up close and discover what makes these critters unique! All ages welcome. Free.

Make flowers, turtles, butterflies, hopping frogs and more from paper you fold yourself. Fold a boat to send down the Mississippi River. See live animals and use them to provide inspiration to decorate your origami animals. All ages welcome. Free.

Come play outside! Every month we will explore a different area of the park and do seasonal activities. All ages welcome. Free.

Take a self-guided poetry walk near the river. Let the river inspire you to write your own "river of words" using paper and pencil or magnetic words. You can also add your ideas and sketches to our community poem. All ages welcome. Free.

Learn about local mammals by touching and looking at their skulls and furs. Play a matching game to match the skulls and fur. Ask a naturalist questions about the furry animals that live in the park. All ages welcome. Free.

Learn and practice skills to stay warm and cozy in the woods. Make a shelter that blocks the wind. Try different fire-starting methods to make your own campfire. Boil water for tea or cocoa. Ages 5+. $6/person.

Drop off your child for an exploration of the habitats in the park. Hike, play games, do experiments, and discover what lives in the fields, forests and river. Activities are student-led and take place entirely outdoors whenever possible. $155/Student.

Sagittal crests, temporal bulbs and rostrums—there’s a lot you can discover from a single skull! Explore mammal skull anatomy and learn how different skull adaptations reveal insights about the day-to-day lives of animals. Practice identifying common mammal skulls and how to use clues to figure it out on your own. $6/person.

Calling all adventurous kids! Explore, play, create and enjoy two full days of outdoor adventures. Enjoy games, crafts and learning from the land. Pack your curiosity and let’s go. $113/youth.

What makes a biome a biome? How many biomes does Minnesota have? Learn the answers to these questions, plus more about the relationships between the land and life in these incredible spaces. $6/person.

Park Pals is a child, parent/caregiver program for infants, toddlers and adults, where caregivers role models the value of connecting with nature through play. Experience the park through the seasons with other nature-curious families. Through storytelling, craft, and exploratory strolls in the park, we will learn about the plants and animals that live here. $108/pair/9 sessions.

Nature School is an outdoor, inquiry-based preschool program that supports child development through nature play and exploration. Designed for children ages 4 – 6, it helps the next generation foster connections with themselves, each other and the natural world. To enroll children must be 4 or 5 years old by September 15, and fully potty trained. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9-11:30 AM. September 15, 2026 – May 20, 2027.

Enjoy a family-friendly outdoor Halloween program. Learn geocaching basics before searching the park for hidden caches. Discovered caches may contain your ticket to a treat, treasure or the occasional trick! Costumes are encouraged. All ages welcome. $7/person.

Cut rocks using a lapidary saw. Bring your own rocks or use the rocks that are provided. Find out what kinds of rocks are most common in Minnesota and use our collection to try to identify your rocks. $6/person.

From changing leaves to flowing rivers, we are surrounded by natural art. Join naturalists in making the park even more beautiful with temporary art installations. Learn from the animals around us noticing how they also make art in the world when they make a paw print, drop a feather, or scrape the ground with antlers or tails. After taking a walk to gather inspiration from our animal neighbors, we will make our own art by collecting and arranging rocks, sticks, leaves to make our own temporary art pieces. We will then leave our art behind for other park visitors to find. Ages 8-12 years old. $12/person.

Ready for some Halloween fun? Warm up your imagination by creating fantastical creatures out of natural materials. Then, let's gather around the campfire for spooky nature stories—who knows what may appear?! Ages: 8-12. $12/person.

Have you ever wondered what animals do to survive the winter? Build insulated nests for "baby animals," take a hike along the river to see signs of animals and how they're preparing, then check to see if your "baby animal" survived the cold. $12/person.

Join us in appreciating the unseemly parts of nature as we explore the role dead organisms play in our ecosystem. Peek under logs, inspect dead trees and search for fungi on a guided wander through the park. Expect to be outside and to get your hands dirty while we admire the changing environment around us. Ages: 8-12. $12/person.