Join the Outdoor Recreation School to explore the park on a Scandinavian-style kicksled and enjoy the wonders of winter around you. Kicksledding is an activity enjoyed by all ages. If snow/ice conditions don’t allow for kicksledding, we will go on a winter hike instead. Equipment provided.

Join a naturalist on a leisurely stroll through Hyland Lake Park Reserve while exploring the clues wildlife leave behind. Whether the ground is snowy or muddy, March is an ideal time to look for animal tracks and and other signs of the animals that are active in winter. Depending on conditions, snowshoes or ice cleats will be available.

Take your art materials outside! Immerse yourself in nature while using hike-able art mediums such as watercolor or drawing. Practice nature journaling and learn new art techniques such as printmaking. This camp includes lots of reflection time, outdoor time and hiking. We recommend this camp for kids who already have a high interest in art and that want to learn some unique art mediums in nature.

Trees deserve a day of celebration! Learn how to identify six different trees found in Elm Creek Park Reserve by investigating their bark, leaves and trunk. Practice aging a tree to find the age of the oldest tree around the nature center. Put your newfound skills to the test by taking a self-guided hike to identify marked trees along the trail. Drop in anytime. Each family will receive a free tree sapling to grow at home. Each group must include at least one registered adult, age 18+. $10/group (1-5 people per group).

Join the Outdoor Recreation School for a guided evening on the trails as we welcome the changing season, learn about the significance of the equinox, and enjoy the sights and sounds of early spring. Wrap up the night gathered around a cozy fire with gooey s’mores and good company.

Celebrate the spring equinox and the Big Year of Rivers by joining an Outdoor Recreation School instructor for a sunset hike along the Crow River.

Evergreen trees not only offer up year-round color, they offer protective factors that benefit human health like phytoncides: natural oils emitted by pine, fir, spruce and cedar trees that boost your immune system. We will find, identify and smell two different evergreen species on a 45-minute hike. Returning to the warmth of the fireplace, we will make evergreen sachets for you to take home while we sip evergreen tea.

Experience the joy of summer camp and spending family time together in nature. Learn all about the animals that call Minnesota home. Hike the trails to search for animal homes, hideouts and clues they have left behind. Get up close, touch and help feed the animal ambassadors living at Richardson Nature Center. $36/person.

Experience the joy of summer camp and spending family time together in nature. Explore the three major habitats of Richardson Nature Center within Hyland Lake Park Reserve. Hike the oak forest and search for signs of animals. Sweep the tallgrass prairie with nets to catch and identify insects. Paddle a canoe on Turtle Basking Pond for a closer look at wildlife. Spend the day outside together exploring all parts of this beautiful park. $36/person.

Explore the barn and beyond with hands-on activities, hikes and games. Each day we’ll trek to visit the animals, harvest from the gardens and uncover a new secret of life on the farm.

Celebrate Earth Day with us. Make an earth-like seed bomb, filled with wildflower seeds, to bring home and spread pollinator-friendly plants in your own space. Explore the park on your own, take a hike, play in the Nature Exploration Area or view Richardson's animal ambassadors indoors. No reservations needed; drop in anytime.

Discover what makes mammals so unique. Observe and touch pelts and skulls of Minnesota mammals, try matching skulls with their correct furs, and learn to decipher if an animal is a predator or prey by looking at its skull. Hike on your own with a scavenger hunt sheet and search for animal tracks and signs. No reservations required; drop in anytime.

Watch some kooky animal puppets as they stop Trasher the Trash Can from trashing nature. Performance begins promptly at 1 p.m. After the show, try your hand at making an art project related to the show until 3 p.m. or join a naturalist led exploration from 1:30–2 p.m. Join Walk with a Naturalist at 2 p.m. for a longer nature hike or stay and make art throughout the afternoon.

Spring is popping up all around us, come see what’s blooming! Learn about Minnesota’s early-blooming wildflowers and explore plant biofacts up close. Take a self-guided hike to look for ephemerals and other signs of spring along the trail. No reservations needed; drop in anytime.

Join a naturalist for a walk along the trails. Observe seasonal changes happening across the habitats and landscapes. Bring binoculars if you have them or some will be available to borrow at the park. Drop-ins welcome. Hike departs shortly after 2 p.m. from in front of the visitor center.

Are you looking for new trails to explore in 2026? Do it while connecting to the rivers and waters in the Park District, as part of our 2026 Big Year of Rivers. First, a naturalist will be available to suggest trails at Eastman that meet your needs and goals. Then, keep the momentum going with a list of trail suggestions for the other Three Rivers' parks you can to visit this year. The possibilities are endless! Free. No reservations required.

Explore trails, meet new friends and feel the health and wellness benefits of exercising in nature. Instructors from the Outdoor Recreation School provide instruction and technique for using Nordic walking poles and will lead a weekly hike. Most of the hikes will be on unpaved dirt trails of Three Rivers parks within the South Metro. Experience the whole-body benefits that Nordic pole hiking provides while also experiencing the social benefits of the club. Nordic walking poles are provided for use during the program. Be sure to have sturdy shoes or lightweight hiking boots to hike on unpaved, possibly muddy trails with hilly terrain. Meets every Monday from April 27th to June 8th at 5:45pm-7pm.

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. Schedule: March 9 & 23 April 6 & 20 May 4 & 18

Spring brings new life on the farm! Join us to discover the wonders of spring as we visit the greenhouses, prepare the gardens and welcome baby animals. Help the farmers with chores while you explore the farm through hikes, seasonal activities and games.

Color is everywhere, and capturing some to keep can be fun and messy! Learn about respectful collection of natural materials, then take a short hike to sample from the woods, fields and trails around Eastman Nature Center. Use a mortar and pestle to release the essence of flower, leaf and soil, and create your own palette before creating a painted record of the shades you discover.

Listen to a presentation all about the black bears of Minnesota, including what to do if you see a bear and about the bear often found in Elm Creek Park Reserve. Afterward, go on a bear myth-busting hike to learn about animal signs, like tracks, scat and more, that people often confuse for bears.

Join the Outdoor Recreation School to explore the park on a Scandinavian-style kicksled and enjoy the wonders of winter around you. If snow/ice conditions don’t allow for kicksledding, we will go on a winter hike instead. Equipment provided.

Join the Outdoor Recreation School to explore the park on a scandinavian-style kicksled under the full moon while enjoying the wonders of winter around you. If snow/ice conditions don’t allow for kicksledding, we will go on a winter hike instead.

Take a closer look at the hidden worlds around us! Each day, campers will explore a new level of magnification using different types of microscopes to reveal the tiny details that make up our natural world. From hand lenses to dissecting scopes to high-powered compound microscopes, we’ll journey deeper and deeper into the micro world taking micro hikes around the park to collect fascinating samples along the way. Campers will even have the chance to view their own cells up close. Inspired by these incredible discoveries, we’ll create artwork that celebrates light, color and the often unseen patterns of nature. For a full day of adventure, combine with Nature's Protectors Camp in the afternoon. Includes a monitored lunch hour between camp sessions.

Jack, our great horned owl, is celebrating his hatching time! Join in the festivities as you play games, learn about owls along a short hike and touch owl artifacts. Create some owl art using natural materials, spend time visiting with our owl and enjoy a birthday treat. Solve the mystery owl code and get a prize. This program will be held mostly outdoors.

Join us for a once monthly program exploring the creative arts and natural world. Cozy up for a story or song, head on a hike to observe the wild surroundings and create an art project inspired by what you find. This program will occur primarily outdoors with access to the indoors for restroom breaks and when necessary for some artmaking activities. $7/person. Ages: 2-6 plus adult. Siblings under age 2 are free but must register.

Discover the natural world with your preschooler through free play, a craft and a naturalist-led hike. Explore the beauty of spring outdoors while we learn about animal babies and search for animal nurseries. This program involves both indoor and outdoor activities. $6/person. Ages 2-6 plus adult.

Discover the natural world with your preschooler through free play, a craft and a naturalist-led hike. Learn which animals stick around in the winter as we explore the trails and put out food for the animals to eat. Search for tracks, scat, homes and other signs that tell us who is active in the winter. $6/person. Ages 2-6 plus adult.

Discover the natural world with your preschooler through free play, a craft and a naturalist-led hike. Learn how spring rain helps flowers and other plants grow. Reservations required. This program is designed for ages 2-6 and an accompanying adult. Both adult and child must register and pay. $6/person. Ages: 2–6 plus adult.

Join our puppet friends. Explore activities before the show and hike on your own afterward. Maximum of three children per adult. Program is a combination of indoor and outdoor activities. Please dress for the weather. Bring a bag lunch and eat with other participants after the program. $6/person. Ages 2-6 plus adult. Under 2 are free but must register.

Explore nature with your preschooler as you both participate in hands-on discoveries. Listen to the book "The Salamander Room" by Anne Mazer. Meet and touch our animal ambassador salamander. Make a salamander art project, and go for a hike in the woods in search of salamander hiding places. $6/person. Ages: 3-5, plus adult.

Spend your summer days exploring the outdoors through hands-on adventures and nature discoveries! Team up with the Outdoor Recreation School and Richardson Nature Center to uncover the critters and creatures that call Minnesota home. From nature hikes and creek or lake explorations, to log rolling, geocaching and more, every day brings a new adventure. All equipment is provided.

Explore nature as an artist with drawing, painting and photography! Our art adventures will take us near and far: hike, canoe, gather inspiration and materials from nature. Try gesture sketches, and paint in watercolor and ink. Use a camera to create engaging photos, paint the outdoors and try your hand at land art. Make and take your own art tools, and canoe and be inspired by new scenes. Equipment and supplies provided.

Bre-e-e-p! Croak! Hike through forest and wetlands listening for the symphony of songs from toads and frogs as they emerge from their winter hibernation. Learn about the toads and frogs that call Minnesota home, including how to identify their calls. The hike will be moderately paced along rolling turf and non-paved trails. Reservations required by two days prior.

Join naturalists to catch the rise of the full moon on an evening hike through the forest and prairie. Look and listen for signs of animals. Learn the significance behind the "Worm Moon." The hike will be moderately paced along rolling turf and woodchip trails.

Explore the outdoors, hike, bike, and canoe through the trails and waterways of Carver Park Reserve. Play games and solve challenges with other campers. Try swimming, tie-dye and solo hiking (just a little while). You’ll even spend a full day on the trail with adventures along the way. Bikes and helmets required for one day of camp.

Discover the animals that swim, walk and slither in the park. Meet reptile and amphibian ambassadors and learn about them through games, play, art and hikes. Search for food to feed them and learn fascinating facts about their life cycles. Sign up for Go Buggy camp for four days of fun.

Drop off your preschooler to experience nature in the spring through outdoor adventures, discovery hikes and hands-on nature activities. Each week focuses on a new nature topic. This program is mostly outdoors. $187/11 sessions.