Weekend Nature Activities: June 5–7

It’s #NationalTrailsDay and opening muskie fishing and Take-a-Kid fishing weekend! Soooo much goin’ on this weekend!

National Trails Day info.

Take a kid fishing info. Minnesotans 16 or older who take a child 15 or younger fishing don’t need a license that weekend, and opportunities for inexperienced, beginner anglers abound throughout Minnesota.

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Friday, June 5

—Friday morning—
Archery in the Park
9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Itasca State Park

 

—Friday afternoon—

Nature Time at the Beach: Go In Seine
1 PM to 2 PM
Whitewater State Park

Five Facts in Five Minutes: Fisher and Porcupine
1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Itasca State Park

Bird Fest Weekend (06/05/15 – 06/07/15)
Sibley State Park

Tall Grass Story Time
12 PM to 1 PM
Buffalo River State Park

Geocaching 101
2 PM to 3:30 PM
Buffalo River State Park

I Can Fish! Fishing Friday
3 PM to 5 PM
Fort Snelling State Park

 

—Friday evening—

Art at the Park – Opening Night – June
7 PM to 8:30 PM
Tettegouche State Park

Creatures of the Night Hike
7:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Gooseberry Falls State Park

Become Fluent in Loon
7:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Sibley State Park

Fantastic Frogs and Toads
8:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park

Behind the Barricades—The Flood at Jay Cooke State Park
8 PM to 9 PM
Jay Cooke State Park

Owl Prowl
8:30 PM to 10 PM
Whitewater State Park

 

Saturday, June 6

—Saturday mornin’—

Birding at Bear Head
8 AM to 10 AM
Bear Head Lake State Park

Buffalo River Trail Run – National Trails Day
8 AM to 11 AM
Buffalo River State Park

Cherry Tree Planting
9–4 pm—details: 9 a.m. Cherry Tree Celebration and Kite Flying Demo (Como Park, Saint Paul, by the Mannheimer Memorial), 10 a.m.Kite flying by Seikoo and Akiko Nakamura of Nagasaki, Kite-making workshop ($5) from 2 to 4 (Conway field). Three years ago, Saint Paul was presented with 20 cherry trees in celebration of the  100th anniversary  of  cherry tree gifts to Washington D.C. Since then, we have been  planting  additional  trees  at  the  Mannheimer Monument.  Join  us  again  in  planting  more  cherry trees  to  make  a  grove  of  SAKURA  and  beautiful cherry blossoms. To celebrate Saint Paul’s 60th Anniversary as Sister City  to  Nagasaki,  world  famous  hata  kite  master Seikoo Nakamura  will  demonstrate  flying the hatakites, symbol of Saint Paul, Nagasaki Sister City (SPNSCC) organization. Also: A kite-making workshop willbe held  from 2 to  4  at  Conway Recreation  Center Fields, 2090  Conway  Ave. More info. and registration or call  952-261-3891.
Como Park, St Paul—Map_CherryBlossomEvent

Landscape Revival
9:00 am–3:00 pm Join the Monarch Lab at the Landscape Revival where we will be discussing gardening for monarchs, monarch conservation, all things milkweed, and much more. See you there!
Community Pavilion at the Roseville Cub Foods, Roseville, MN

Monarch Monitoring Training $$$
9:00 am–4:00 pm $50, includes course manuals and supplies. Register with instructor Wendy Caldwell maczi001@umn.edu or for Master Naturalists visit http://www.minnesotamasternaturalist.org/courses/register/?courseId=489 The Monarch Lab is hosting a one-day citizen science and gardening training for the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project. Additional $35 you can purchase the MLMP monitoring kit (special Master Naturalist price is $15). The kit includes: an apron, clipboard, pencil, hand lens, ruler, thermometer, a set of life cycle cards, and the book entitled: Milkweed, Monarchs and More: A Field Guide to the Invertebrate Community in the Milkweed Patch. If you purchase the kit when you register for the class, you will receive your kit at the training.
University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus, Skok Hall, 20

BOW – Fly Fishing Workshop
9 AM to 3 PM
Lake Bemidji State Park

BOW – Family Fishing
9 AM to 11 AM
Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park, New Prague

Fly Fishing Workshop
9 AM to 3 PM
William O’Brien State Park

Site Tour and Remove Trash Volunteer
9 AM to 12:30 PM Come out and take a tour of Grey Cloud Dunes SNA to see some of its special features and other management tasks being done here. You will enjoy a day out on a spectacular prairie and savanna overlooking the Mississippi River. We will also tackle the task of removal of trash, focusing on areas nearest the River and near the parking areas. This event will be led by SNA Outreach Coordinator, Kelly Randall. No advance sign-up necessary. Please contact us if you have a large group. Gloves, trash bags, and good camaraderie will be provided. Bring water, lunch, and dress for working in the weather. Footwear appropriate for outdoor work/hiking is recommended. There are no maintained trails, public restrooms nor access to drinking water on this site.
Grey Cloud Dunes SNA

Becoming an Outdoors Woman Fly-Fishing Workshop
9 AM to 3 PM This class includes a presentation on fly-fishing equipment, casting basics, and fly fishing in Lake Bemidji. Bring your own waders or water shoes. There is no fee for the class but all vehicles entering the park must have a current state parks vehicle permit.
Lake Bemidji State Park

Trail Monkey Running Club $$$
9 am Get together with other trail runners to explore Lake Bemidji State Park! Local long-distance trail runners Cris and Jill Bitker will lead the way with tips for getting the most out of off-the-pavement miles. Join us for any or all of the runs. June 6 is the first of four sessions: we’ll start getting familiar with the park’s rolling terrain. Second session, July 11: preview the Jog for the Bog route! Third session, July 25: Jog for the Bog! Fourth session, August 22: a longer route to be determined by participants. Wear comfortable running clothing; water and powerade supplied. No fee for activity but vehicle permit ($5 daily/$25 annual) required to enter the park.
Lake Bemidji State Park (Meet at the Visitor Center at 9 am)

Archery in the Park
10 am Here is your chance to learn how to shoot a bow in a safe, supervised setting. The Archery in the Parks program is designed for families and people of all ages and skill levels. You can get hands on instruction from a certified instructor along with experience with target practice. Learn a lifelong skill. Adult must accompany participants younger than 14 years of age. All equipment provided. Open shoot from 10 am to 2 pm.
Big Stone Lake State Park

National Trails Day Event – Brown’s Creek State Trail
9 AM to 1 PM
Brown’s Creek State Trail

Fossil Field Trip
10 AM to 12 PM
Whitewater State Park

I Can Fish: Trout Fishing
10 AM to 12 PM
Carley State Park

Story Time
10 AM to 11 AM
Glacial Lakes State Park

Bugs & Blooms: Bog Flowers on the Boardwalk
10 AM to 12 PM
Big Bog State Park

Archery in the Park
10 AM to 2 PM Bows and arrows provided, join certified archery instructors for a hands-on shot at archery. This unique opportunity is for children ages 8 and up; beginners welcome! Children 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult; registration not required.
Wild River State Park

Pothole Scavenger Hunt
10 AM to 3 PM
Interstate State Park

Brown’s Creek State Trail Grand Opening
10 AM to 12 PM Join us for the formal Grand Opening Ceremony at the Stillwater Trailhead. The event will include art projects for kids, speakers, music, a ribbon cutting, and refreshments.
Brown’s Creek State Trail

Extreme Birdings Basics
10 AM to 11 AM
Sibley State Park

Lake Itasca Region Pioneer Farmers Tour
10 AM to 12 PM
Itasca State Park

Superior Hiking Trail Celebration
10 AM
Jay Cooke State Park

Five Facts in Five Minutes: Itasca’s Weird Animal Facts
10 AM to 12 PM
Itasca State Park

Cemetery Hike
10 AM to 12 PM
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park

Peregrine Falcons, Up Close
11 AM to 1 PM
Tettegouche State Park

—Saturday afternoon—

Annual Buffalo Turn-out
Noon. The Belwin Conservancy will release a herd of about 30 bison at our restored prairie in Afton, Minnesota. Please come and help us celebrate as we welcome the bison back to Belwin for the eighth year! More info. http://www.belwin.org/bisonrelease/
Lucy Winton Bell Athletic Fields (15601 Hudson Road in West Lakeland, Minnesota; Hudson Road is the south frontage road for Interstate 94 and the athletic fields are located between Stagecoach Trail and Saint Croix Trail)

Tar Sands Resistance March
Noon. It’s not just Keystone XL. Big Oil is trying to build and expand an enormous network of tar sands pipelines—some even bigger than Keystone XL—from Canada into the Great Lakes region. These tar sands pipelines, including the Alberta Clipper, along with crude oil trains and tankers, pose a growing risk to the Great Lakes, our rivers, our communities and our climate. That’s why on June 6, thousands will gather in the Twin Cities for the Tar Sands Resistance March—the largest anti-tar sands event ever in the region. We are coming together to send a clear message: keep toxic tar sands out of America’s Heartland, fight for clean water, clean energy, and a safe climate!
Lambert Landing (Shepard Road and N. Sibley Street, St. Paul); March ends at the State Capitol Lawn

Turtle Rescue Field Trip Volunteer
12:30 PM to 3 PM Each June, rare Blanding’s Turtles lay their eggs at a site twenty miles from Whitewater. Females leave their wetlands and cross a busy road en route to their sand prairie nesting area. You can help this threatened species survive by assisting them across the road. Space is limited. Call (507) 932-3007, ext. 226 to sign up.
Whitewater State Park

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Archery in the Park
12:30 PM to 3 PM
Lake Vermilion – Soudan Underground Mine State Park

BOW – Family Archery
1 PM to 3 PM
Cleary Lake Regional Park, Prior Lake

Go-n-Seine
1 PM to 2 PM To study fish populations, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources use nets call Seines. This seining program will also discuss the habitat requirements of different fish species and how water quality affects fish. Follow the posted signs to meet by the backwater of the Shelter A picnic area.
Fort Snelling State Park

Animal Tracks & Signs
1 PM to 2 PM
Minneopa State Park

National Trails Day: Hike the North Country Trail in Itasca State Park
1 pm Is there really a hike on National Trails Day on the longest National Scenic Trail in the second oldest State Park in the USA? The answer is yes! On June 6th, National Trails Day, join volunteers with the Laurentian Lakes and Itasca Moraine Chapters of the North Country Trail Association on a 6.5 mile hike on the North Country National Scenic Trail in Itasca State Park. The Park is home to the Headwaters of the Mississippi River and is the second oldest in the USA (Niagara Falls in NY is the oldest.)  The hiking trail passes through an undeveloped part of the 47-square-mile Park and is designated as backcountry. The hike will go along the shores of several lakes, over undulating land, through a mature mixed old growth pine and deciduous forest. All of the hiking is well away from highway road noise. This is the 12th hike of 25 for those partaking in the “Hikers Challenge 165” a series of 25 hikes spanning the North Country Trail from Detroit Lakes to beyond Remer, Minnesota. Items to bring: water, sturdy boots, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, bug spray-including tick repellent/gaiters. Learn more about the North Country Trail in Itasca State Park and east, at the Itasca Moraine Chapter site.  Learn more about the North Country Trail in Itasca State Park and west, at the Laurentian Lakes Chapter site.
Itasca State Park

Itasca’s Forest Hike
1:30 PM to 2:30 PM
Itasca State Park

Five Facts in Five Minutes: Turtles
1:30 PM to 3:30 PM Near the Mississippi Headwaters (under the porch of the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center if rain.) Only have a minute to learn about Itasca State Park? Check out a unique feature at the naturalist station as you visit the Headwaters of the Mississippi River.
Itasca State Park

Two Wheeled Tour: Biking the Munger Trail
1:30 PM to 3:30 PM Join us on the Tour de Jay Cooke State Park! Learn about the history of the park as we bike the scenic Willard Munger State Trail. Bring your own bike and helmets are required. Preregister at the park office or interpretive center. Meet at the River Inn Interpretive Center parking lot.
Jay Cooke State Park

Wild Turkey Clinic
2 PM to 5 PM
Lac Qui Parle State Park

Archery in the Park
2 PM to 4 PM
Mille Lacs Kathio State Park

Migration Game Time
2 PM to 3 PM Get out and run to game time at the field by the boat access! Using a GPS follow your instincts to find your bird id then participate in the competition to survive your spring migration to successful reach the nesting grounds at Sibley State Park. This program counts towards earning the Call of the Wildflowers special edition program card.
Sibley State Park (Meet in the baseball field)

Prairie Mammals Education “Junior SNA Naturalist”
2 PM to 4 PM Young scientists, ages 10-14, are welcome to participate in the Junior Scientific and Natural Areas Naturalist program each Saturday. Topics and activities are designed to explore native prairies and introduce families to SNA sites located near Buffalo River State Park. This week we will practice animal tracking and search for clues left by mammals big and small. *Dress for tall grass, wood ticks and uneven ground and bring plenty of water. Please confirm your interest in attending by calling the park office at (218) 498-2124. In the event of rain, program will take place inside the Nature Center. Consider packing dinner and your swimsuit to enjoy the picnic grounds and swimming beach at Buffalo River after the program. The event is free but there is a $5 daily fee to enter the State Park or you can purchase an annual pass.
Buffalo River State Park (Meet at the Nature Center located in Buffalo River State Park at 2:00 pm)

Creatures of the Potholes: Investigation Station
3 PM to 4 PM
Interstate State Park

Loons Education “Outdoor Kids”
3 PM to 4 PM
Itasca State Park

I Can Trout Fish!
4 PM to 6 PM
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park

Geocaching 101
4 PM to 5 PM
Minneopa State Park

Making Mountains Out of Ant Hills – Ant Mound Hike
4 PM to 5 PM
Jay Cooke State Park

National Trails Day: Canal Boats and Castles-Traveling Europe by Boot and by Boat
5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Itasca State Park

—Saturday evening—

Ghost Town Cemetery Field Trip
6 PM to 8 PM
Whitewater State Park

Birding in Minnesota State Parks Book Signing!
6 PM to 7 PM
Sibley State Park

Minneopa State Park Story
7 PM to 8 PM
Minneopa State Park

“National Trails Day”-Geocaching 101
7 PM to 9 PM
Red River State Recreation Area

Winged Tigers of the Night Sky
7 PM to 8 PM
Interstate State Park

Secret Life of Bats
7:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Gooseberry Falls State Park

Amazing Animals: Return to Itasca, Campfire
7:30 PM to 8 PM
Itasca State Park

Minnesota State Symbols
8 PM to 9 PM Discover not only all of the cool natural and cultural symbols that make this North Star state unique, but also what makes the symbols themselves so fascinating.
Jay Cooke State Park (Meet at the River Inn Interpretive Center)

A River Runs Through It
8:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park

Stars of the Night Sky
9 pm
Upper Sioux Agency State Park

 

Sunday, June 6

—Sunday mornin’—

The Birds on the Bookshelf: Exploring Minnesota Bird LIfe Through the History of Bird Books
9 AM to 11 AM
Sibley State Park

I Can Fish: Trout Fishing
10 AM to 12 PM Join us at the South Picnic Area for some fishing fun! Equipment will be provided at this activity designed to introduce trout fishing to inexperienced anglers, families and youth groups. Youngsters must be accompanied by an adult. Bring your own bait; worms often work best. Fishing licenses and trout stamps are not required when fishing during the activity. This program will be offered at Whitewater every Sunday through September 6.
Whitewater State Park

Spring Phenology Hike at Bluestem Prairie SNA
10 AM to 12 PM
Buffalo River State Park

Beaver Dam Hike
10 AM to 12 PM
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park

Five Facts in Five Minutes: Fisher, Otter, Mink and More!
10 AM to 12 PM
Itasca State Park

Cycling 101
11 AM to 2 PM This event will be hosted by the Chilkoot Velo cycling club from Stillwater. Come learn what to bring on bike trips, learn how to fix a flat tire, and learn more about the cycling club.
Brown’s Creek State Trail – Coldwater Stop at Neal Ave

—Sunday afternoon—

Bird Banding Demonstration
12:30 PM to 2 PM Join Master Bird Bander, Greg Munson, for close-up experiences with birds. Program participants will have the opportunity to handle and release birds after they have been caught in nets, studied, observed and banded with an aluminum tag. Find out how this scientific tool helps wildlife researchers learn more about bird populations and their natural history, including where they go and how long they live.
Whitewater State Park

Geocaching 101
1 PM to 3 PM
Brown’s Creek State Trail – Coldwater Stop at Neal Ave

Lady’s-slipper Walk
1 PM to 2:30 PM
Jay Cooke State Park

DNR Days with the Twins
1 PM DNR is teaming up with the Minnesota Twins to offer fans, who have a 2015 Minnesota hunting and/or fishing license, a special offer on tickets to select games and for the first 500 ticket holders a FREE camo Twin’s logo cap. Offer only available online. Learn more and purchase tickets at www.mndnr.gov/twins. Due to extremely high demand, seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis only. Advance purchase only. Phone orders cannot be accepted. Only orders purchased together will be seated together. Game time subject to change. No refunds or exchanges.
Target Field – Minneapolis

Game dates
May 29 Toronto 7:10 pm Lower Level Ticket – $40, Upper Level Ticket – $20
June 7 Milwaukee 1:10 pm Lower Level Ticket – $47, Upper Level Ticket – $25
June 21 Chicago Cubs 1:10 pm Lower Level Ticket – $55, Upper Level Ticket – $32
August 30 Astros 1:10 pm Lower Level Ticket – $40, Upper Level Ticket – $20
September 19 Angels 6:10 pm Lower Level Ticket – $40, Upper Level Ticket – $20
October 3 Kansas City 6:10 pm Lower Level Ticket – $40, Upper Level Ticket – $20

Junior Park Naturalist
2 PM to 3 PM Join the naturalist for a story about birds then go on a short hike to practice looking and listening for them!
Sibley State Park (Meet in the Interpretive Center.)

Pond Study Education “Jr. Naturalist”
2 PM to 3 PM
Itasca State Park

 

—Seasons/Openers—

06/06/15 – 12/01/15 Muskellunge (Muskie) 2015 season

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