See, smell and touch beaver biofacts. Learn the difference between beavers and muskrats. Go on a self guided hike to look for beavers and beaver-chewed trees. Free.

Learn about nature at your own pace through free, hands-on experiences. Each week features a different topic, with a naturalist available to share insights and answer questions. Activities change weekly and may include self-guided activities such as a short hike, exhibit discovery or using an exploration kit. Designed for individuals, families and learners of all ages. Drop in anytime, no registration required.

Learn about nature at your own pace through free, hands-on experiences. Each week features a different topic, with a naturalist available to share insights and answer questions. Activities change weekly and may include self-guided activities such as a short hike, exhibit discovery or using an exploration kit. Designed for individuals, families and learners of all ages. Drop in anytime, no registration required. All ages welcome. Free.

Learn about nature at your own pace through free, hands-on experiences. Each week features a different topic, with a naturalist available to share insights and answer questions. Activities change weekly and may include self-guided activities such as a short hike, exhibit discovery or using an exploration kit. Designed for individuals, families and learners of all ages. Drop in anytime, no registration required.

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. Join the Walk with a Naturalist at 2 p.m. for a longer nature hike or stay and make art throughout the afternoon. All ages welcome. Free.

Learn about nature at your own pace through hands-on experiences. Each week features a different topic, with a naturalist available to share insights and answer questions. Activities change weekly and may include self-guided activities such as a short hike, exhibit discovery or using an exploration kit. Designed for individuals, families and learners of all ages. Drop in anytime, no registration required. Free.

Hike the trails near the prairie and uncover the pages of "If You’re Not from the Prairie" by David Bouchard as you go. Complete the trail and the story! Find a naturalist out on the trail to learn more about the plants and animals that call the prairie home. All ages welcome. Free.

Celebrate the changing season with an evening outdoors. As day and night find balance, join the Outdoor Recreation School for a guided hike through the beauty of autumn—crisp air, changing leaves, and the sights and sounds of the season all around us. After the hike, gather around the campfire to relax, connect and roast marshmallows. Bring warm layers, your sense of adventure and welcome the new season with us! $8/person.

Enjoy the optimal fall hiking season and explore the parks in Scott County with an Outdoor Recreation School Instructor. Hike a different trail each week. Make new connections and meet fellow hikers or bring a friend along! Expect variable trail conditions. Locations subject to change; an updated schedule will be provided to registered participants. This program is in partnership with Scott County. $30/person.

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.

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.

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. All ages welcome. Free.

Explore the trails, meet new friends, and experience the whole-body benefits that Nordic pole hiking provides while exercising in nature. Outdoor Recreation School instructors educate on the Nordic walking technique and lead a weekly pole hike. Explore a mix of paved and unpaved trails in French Regional Park, Fish Lake Regional Park and Baker Park Reserve. Please wear sturdy shoes or light hiking boots for hilly terrain and potentially muddy ground. $48/person.

Step into the quiet embrace of the forest and let nature wash over you. Shinrin-Yoku, or “forest bathing”, is more than a walk—it’s an immersion of the senses, a return to the wisdom of the trees. Feel the cool whisper of the breeze against your skin. Breathe in the earthy scent of moss and pine, and the sweetness of damp leaves. Hear the rhythmic rustle of branches, the distant call of a bird, the gentle trickle of water over smooth stone. With each step, the weight of the world softens, your mind quiets, your body unwinds. Guided by a certified Forest Bathing practitioner, you’ll be invited to slow down and engage deeply with your surroundings—touching bark craggy as time, watching sunlight dance through shifting canopies, tasting the crispness of the air itself. Through gentle prompts and mindful reflection, you’ll rediscover the innate connection between yourself and the living world. This is not a hike, nor a destination—it is an experience of presence, a practice of simply being. Benefits of Shinrin-Yoku: Reduces stress and anxiety, boosts mood and mental clarity, supports immune function, enhances mindfulness and connection. Come, step into the forest. Let it restore you. This program is in partnership with Scott County.

Explore the trails with your baby in a carrier or all-terrain stroller. We will hike at a slow to moderate pace and allow the babies/toddlers to engage in safe, sensory experiences along the way. Drop-ins welcome. Ages 0-3 plus adult. Free.

Blast off in to space as we explore our solar system and beyond. Learn about the moon, the other planets in our solar system, stars and many other celestial bodies that are floating throughout the universe. The second week (March 8) will be an evening session for stargazing. The last week (March 22) will be an evening session for a full moon hike. $24/student.

Step back in time and discover the world of Laura Ingalls Wilder through stories and a guided walk on the prairie. Learn about the plants that grow there and make prairie tea using natural ingredients. Make cornbread to go with your tea, just like a pioneer family might have done. Create a simple pioneer toy to take home, and spend time exploring the sights, sounds and beauty of the prairie. All ages welcome. $8/person.

Venture into the prairie in search of monarch butterflies preparing for their incredible 2,000 mile journey to Mexico. Learn how these remarkable insects are tagged for research and observe them in various stages of their life cycle. Try your hand at finding and catching a monarch or other prairie insects using a net. This program includes a hike along rolling, woodchipped trails. All ages welcome. $6/person.

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.

Go on a hike with a naturalist looking for milkweed and monarch caterpillars. You'll learn how to identify milkweed plants and the many different stages of the monarch butterflies life cycle. Lightweight long sleeves and pants recommended for hiking off-trail in tall grasses. Free.

Celebrate the Big Year of Rivers with a creek adventure. Join us for a parent-child event with a local author of the children's book "Me and You in the Big Green Canoe." Design your own mini canoe paddle and sit in a canoe for a photo opp. Listen to the story as it's read and acted out by the author. Hike to the creek to make a nature boat and watch it float down the creek. Ages 4-8 with an adult only, no younger siblings. $6/person.

Learn about the frogs and toads that live in our area through hands-on activities. Make an art project, do the frog jump, and meet a toad. Hike to the forest to search for toads and dig for worms in the dirt. Bring a picnic blanket to sit on. This is not a drop-off program; both the adult and child must register and pay. $6/person.

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 how the plants and animals in the park are getting ready for winter. This program is primarily outdoors. This program is designed for ages 2-6 and an accompanying adult. Both adult and child must register and pay. $6/person.

Discover the beauty of the natural world with your preschooler through free play, a craft and a naturalist led hike. Learn which flowers are blooming, where we can see them and which animals need them most. $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.

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.

Did you know that Minnesota is home to hundreds of moth species? Discover what makes these winged insects so unique and learn the important role they play in our ecosystem. Enjoy an evening hike through the forest and prairie, then see what moths and other late-night critters are attracted to a “light tent”. The hike will be moderately paced along rolling turf and non-paved trails. All ages welcome. $6/person.

Join naturalists to take in the symphony of sounds and sights of late summer. Listen for crickets, frogs, owls and other nighttime wildlife. Learn why animals call at night and how tiny insects make big sounds. The hike will be moderately paced along rolling turf and woodchip trails. All ages welcome. $6/person.

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 history of the Noerenberg family on a guided walk through the property. From their home "Wilkommen" to the eye-catching boat house to the historic barn, learn about the family connections to the lake and the land during the Gilded Age. $9/person.