Outdoor Nature Hike Programs

Explore our Outdoor Nature Hike program catalog! These programs are typically 1.5-2 hours. Ready to get started? Fill out a program request form.

TITLE	DESCRIPTION	PARKS	SEASONS
Spring Changing Seasons Walk	How does nature wake up from winter? Wander the park trails and engaging your senses and your mind in the natural processes that are at play as winter turns to summer.	Various	Spring
Spring Wildflowers	Before leaves are fully unfurled, the old, undisturbed forests of Ottawa County blossom in the beauty of spring ephemeral wildflowers. Search for and identify the variety of these short-lived beauties at Hager Park, Grose Park, Grand River Park or Rosy Mound.	Hager Park , Grand Ravines, Grand River, Rosy Mound, Kirk Park, Grose Park	Spring
Twilight Hike	In spring, as light of day turns to dark of night, wildlife springs to life. Come experience your favorite parks in a whole new way as you explore them by the light of fading day!	Various	Spring
Birding for Beginners	There are so many birds, and it can be overwhelming to know them all. So, if you love birds, where do you start? This presentation and walk will help you through the process of becoming a “fledgling” birder, ready to get out and start engaging with more birds!	Grand Ravines, Grand River, Connor Bayou, Hemlock Crossing	Spring, Summer
Dune Discovery	Hike the wooded dunes along the Lake Michigan shoreline. How does a forest grow on sand? Find out how ancient processes, combined with natural energy flow, give Michigan a unique environment found nowhere else on earth.	Rosy Mound, Kirk Park, North Beach Park	Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer Nature Walk	Explore the diversity of life busy at work in our parks during the summer. With the plants and trees at their fullest and the insects abundant, creatures thrive as new life is reared and cared for. You'll be introduced to how all the elements of each habitat works together to form a web of life.	Various	Summer
Fall Changing Seasons Walk	How and why do leaves change color? How does life adjust to the changing season? Wander the park trails in the splendor of fall color while engaging your senses and your mind in the natural processes of plants and animals that are at play as summer turns to winter.	Various	Fall
Prairie Wildflowers	During the summer months the restored prairie at Hemlock Crossing blossoms into many colors of wildflowers, inviting a wide array of pollinators and their predators for us to find and observe.	Hemlock Crossing, Upper Macatawa Natural Area, Grand Ravines	Fall, Summer
Coffee with the Birds	Enjoy a cup of coffee as you watch the birds at the feeder station at the Nature Center. An educator will join you to answer questions and help engage you with the birds, who they are, and what they are up to.	Hemlock Crossing	Fall, Winter
Winter Nature Walk	How do creatures survive winter? They get MAD! Move, Adapt or Die. On this hike you’ll learn about the different things creatures do to adapt to survive the cold winter weather. Along the way you'll also encounter and interpret the tracks of critters that remain active.	Various	Winter
Geologic and Human History of Grand Ravines Park	Grand Ravines Park has a rich history both geologically and culturally. Explore this unique park and add dimensions of understanding to how the ravines were formed how human actions have impacted them and how human once thriving human activities here have long since disappeared.	Grand Ravines	Year-round
Michigan Forest History	There’s a story to be told that explains how and why the forests of Ottawa County look the way they do. In Ottawa County Parks, that story continues with active habitat management for the benefit of biological diversity and the preservation of our natural heritage. Walk the trails of Hemlock Crossing and hear the story yourself and you’ll never look at these forests in the same way.	Hemlock Crossing	Year-round
Michigan Mushrooms Walks & Talks	Learn how to find and properly ID wild mushrooms for edible and medicinal use. Can be offered indoors and outdoors with optional walks.	Various	Year-round
Owl Prowl	After a brief introduction to the resident owls of Ottawa County, prowl a park at night in search of a owls. We'll call for them in hopes of catching a glimpse of these mysterious nocturnal creatures or at least hear them calling in reply. Program can vary from 1.5 - 4 hours depending on 1 of 3 options to choose from: Owl Prowl 1.5 hours - Barred Owl focus, Owls of Ottawa County 2 hours - Includes attempts for all 3 breeding owls of Ottawa County, Owls of Ottawa County EXTREME! Winter only. Includes attempts for all 3 breeding owls of Ottawa County plus several wintering species including Snowy Owl.	Various	Year-round