Join us for a guided hike through the stunning landscape of Paint Mines Interpretive Park. Discover the park’s vibrant formations, unique geological features, and diverse plant life. Along the way, you’ll learn about the area’s rich cultural history—including a look at artifacts such as projectile points found on site. Although a relatively easy hike, the…
Friday, September 12, 6:00-9:00 p.m. Bear Creek Nature Center 245 Bear Creek Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 Break out your best western wear and add a little bird flair for the 16th annual Happy Trails BBQ Fundraiser – The Hoot-enanny at Bear Creek Nature Center. With Santa Maria style tri-tip from Buffalo Gals Catering, wine, beer…
Saturday, October 4 2110 Stella Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921 (and other locations to be announced) Fox Run Regional Park and more! Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day is part of a nationwide annual celebration that encourages kids and families to get outside and ride together! This special event will feature a skills clinic, guided…
Saturday, October 11, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 16444 Gollihar Rd, Peyton, CO 80831 Join us for Sidewalk Astronomy with Colorado Springs Astronomical Society where you will observe the sun though special solar telescopes operated by CSASTRO members. These telescopes enable amazing views of surface features, filaments, prominences and flares on the Sun that can’t be seen…
Saturday, October 18 3:00-4:30 p.m.- Recommended ages 4+ 6:15-7:45 p.m.- Recommended ages 6+ 245 Bear Creek Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 Travel the trails of Bear Creek Nature Center, meeting some creatures along the way that will unravel and dispel myths about some of nature’s “creepy creatures.” Take-home craft and treat included. Costumes encouraged! $10…
Fountain Creek Nature Center 320 Peppergrass Lane, Fountain, CO, 80817 Pumpkin Carving Party Saturday, October 25, 9:00 am. – 1:00 pm Carve pumpkins to leave for the lighted trail at the Jack-o-Lantern event! Pre-scooped pumpkins, patterns, and carving tools provided. Return at night to see your creation in action along the trail. Pumpkins may…
245 Bear Creek Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
719-520-6387
Discover the world of nature with your 2 or 3 year-old. Interactive activities and a short hike make this the perfect introduction to the outdoors for your child. Child must be accompanied by an adult. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration and prepayment required.
Pollinators make the world go ‘round! Watch beekeepers harvest honey from hives, purchase honey and art from the Honey Cottage & Cronk Art, take a hike to view pollinators around Bear Creek, and learn about native plants and the importance of pollinators with the Broadmoor Garden Club! Stories, crafts, ice cream from Josh & Johns, and so much more await!
$3/person, pre-registration suggested
The Bear Creek Restoration Crew conducts quarterly restoration projects including fire mitigation, trail maintenance, and invasive species removal. Varying levels of difficulty for each project.
Email kyleetaylor2@elpasoco.com to join upcoming workdays!
Hoot & holler with fellow nature supporters at Bear Creek Nature Center for an evening of dinner, drinks, art, music, live owls, and more!
Birds of a feather flock together to raise funds for community programs and camp scholarships at the El Paso County Nature Centers.
$75 per ticket, $400 per 6-person table
Children, ages 4-5 with an adult, will enjoy hands-on activities, puppet shows or stories, crafts, and a hike. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration and prepayment required.
Discover the world of nature with your 2 or 3 year-old. Interactive activities and a short hike make this the perfect introduction to the outdoors for your child. Child must be accompanied by an adult. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration and prepayment required.
These programs are for homeschooling families! Programs will run simultaneously so you can bring the whole family. Children 8+ may be dropped off, children 7 & under must have a caregiver attend with them. $4/person. Prepaid registration required.
Caregivers, drop off your child (ages 7–11) for an evening of out-of-this-world fun exploring the wonders of the night sky through astronomy-themed activities, games, and a guided astronomy hike. Dinner is included.
$25 per child /$20 per member child
Prepaid registration required.
Sip your coffee and see new birds during this beginner’s birding class with Mary Rudolph, local bird enthusiast and member of Aiken Audubon! Learn the basics of birding- calls, shape and size, using your binoculars, common birds of the area, and more- all while enjoying a coffee treat on us. Binoculars and birding guides available to borrow at the front desk.
$5/person, prepaid registration required.
The Bear Creek Restoration Crew conducts quarterly restoration projects including fire mitigation, trail maintenance, and invasive species removal. Varying levels of difficulty for each project.
Email kyleetaylor2@elpasoco.com to join upcoming workdays!
Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival in Community, in partnership with Bear Creek Nature Center, allows community members to watch a film that will be screened during their annual film festival October 17-19. Free to the public, donations appreciated! Preregistration required at rmwfilm.org
Children, ages 4-5 with an adult, will enjoy hands-on activities, puppet shows or stories, crafts, and a hike. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration and prepayment required.
Travel the trails of Bear Creek Nature Center, meeting some creatures along the way that will unravel and dispel myths about some of nature’s “creepy creatures.”
Take-home craft and treat included. Costumes encouraged!
$10 per person/ $8 per member.
Pre-registration required for specific timeframes.
Discover the world of nature with your 2 or 3 year-old. Interactive activities and a short hike make this the perfect introduction to the outdoors for your child. Child must be accompanied by an adult. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration and prepayment required.
Get up close with the birds of Bear Creek with Dr. Claire Ramos and students from Colorado State University Pueblo at this one-day banding station!
Our flock welcomes all– no birding experience required. Binoculars and field guides available to borrow from the Nature Center. Subject to change during cold weather for the safety of the birds.
$5/person. Recommended ages 8+.
Prepaid registration required.
Join us for Bear Creek’s 11th Annual Bear Run; a silly, charity fun run and walk for a cause. Choice of 3k or 5k course along the trail! All new runners receive a bear suit to wear during the run and to keep! Returning runners register at a discounted rate. Come early for pre-run festivities including bear yoga, costume contest, and dance party!
Find more information and registration at https://communityservices.elpasoco.com/nature-centers/bearrun/
Discover the world of nature with your 2 or 3 year-old. Interactive activities and a short hike make this the perfect introduction to the outdoors for your child. Child must be accompanied by an adult. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration and prepayment required.
Children, ages 4-5 with an adult, will enjoy hands-on activities, puppet shows or stories, crafts, and a hike. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration and prepayment required.
These programs are for homeschooling families! Programs will run simultaneously so you can bring the whole family. Children 8+ may be dropped off, children 7 & under must have a caregiver attend with them. $4/person. Prepaid registration required.
320 Peppergrass Lane, Fountain, CO 80817
719-520-6745
Fountain Creek is an unsung hero in Colorado’s history. Discover why as we trace its path through time from our prehistoric past through human uses and beyond with interactive lessons and a hike.
Best for ages 8+. $4/member, $5/nonmember. Prepaid registration required.
Discover the magical mystery of the monarch migration to Mexico. See an indoor presentation, make a craft, search for caterpillars and adults to tag and release for research.
Best for ages 7+. $5/nonmember, $4/member. Prepaid registration required.
Discover the world of nature with your 4 or 5 year old.$3 per person including siblings and adults.
Explore nature with your 2 or 3 year old through interactive activities, a story, and a short hike. $3 per person including siblings and adults.
Join the annual tradition and help record the number of bird species and populations found in Fountain Creek Regional Park during fall migration.
$5/person donation
Become a steward of our parks and join the new Fountain Creek Nature Center Restoration Crew. This group will conduct quarterly restoration training and projects including native landscaping, trail maintenance, and invasive species removal. Varying levels of difficulty for each project.
Email andytalley@elpasoco.com to join.
From fashion to gardening to lowering bills, this FREE event will connect the public with local businesses and organizations that can help everyone live sustainably with joy and ease in every facet of life.
Free!
Not “bugs” – arthropods! Learn about insects, spiders, and their relatives with a puppet show, arthropod activity, and guided hike to catch arthropods. Designed for grades K-2. Designed for homeschool families! $4/person
Kickoff this annual week-long clean up event at Fountain Creek Nature Center! We’ll clean the trails, woods, and creek in the park.
Registration strongly recommended; Free!
Discover the world of nature with your 4 or 5 year old.$3 per person including siblings and adults.
We usually associate wildflowers with spring and summer. There are some that will continue to grace our meadows and prairies and maybe even your yards right up until the first hard frost. Learn more about these late bloomers and bring some free wildflower seed home with you.
Age 14+. Prepaid registration required. $5 per person.
Explore nature with your 2 or 3 year old through interactive activities, a story, and a short hike. $3 per person including siblings and adults.
Explore the five habitats at Fountain Creek Regional Park. Watch a short video, do a wetland metaphor activity, and go for a hike with a pond study. Designed for grades 3-6. Designed for homeschool families! $4/person
Carve pumpkins to leave for the lighted trail at the Jack-o-Lantern event! Pre-scooped pumpkins, patterns, and carving tools provided. Return at night to see your creation in action along the trail. Pumpkins may be retrieved after 7:30 p.m.
$5 per pumpkin, you will receive a ticket to the Jack-o-Lantern Trail event for each pumpkin you carve.
Prepaid registration required. Sponsored by Milberger Farms, Pueblo.
Enjoy the lighted Jack-o-Lanterns along the trail, make a craft, hear stories, and roast a marshmallow! Costumes are encouraged at this festive event! Carved pumpkins may be picked up by their owners starting at 7:30 p.m.
Sponsored by Milberger Farms, Pueblo. $5 per person, $4 per member.
Enjoy a hike under the full moon! As we hike we will share stories and lore of the season, the night and the moon. No flashlights please – we will let the moon guide our way. This program is designed for participants 6 years and older; children must be accompanied by an adult. Prepaid registration required. $5 per person
Discover the world of nature with your 4 or 5 year old.$3 per person including siblings and adults.
Explore nature with your 2 or 3 year old through interactive activities, a story, and a short hike. $3 per person including siblings and adults.
Use your senses to explore the wetland and learn about the animals that live there. Includes a puppet show, animal inquiry activity, and a guided hike. Designed for grades Pre-K – 2. Designed for homeschool families! $4/person
Local crafters and artisans will display and sell their unique creations. Enjoy the sights and smells of the season and support local community artists and the nature center through your purchases.
Free to attend and shop!
Pre-registration is required for most programs. Space may be limited. General cancellation policy: No refunds are given for public program registrations unless the program is cancelled by the Nature Centers. In the case of severe or dangerous weather staff may deem the conditions unsafe and may reschedule or cancel an event or program. All refunds will be paid by check. Check refunds may take 3-4 weeks to process.
