MADISON - Dust off your hiking gear, binoculars, water bottle and sense of adventure – the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin (NRF) has just announced 280 outdoor adventures available during their 2026 Field Trip season.
In celebration of its 40th Anniversary, NRF is offering a wider variety of hands-on nature experiences for adults and families all over the state, led by experts. NRF has been protecting Wisconsin's lands, waters and wildlife and connecting all people with nature since 1986 and has been leading Field Trips since 1993.
Each year, NRF's members eagerly await the announcement of the year's trips and begin planning which ones they'd like to attend. NRF Field Trips are available to all NRF members and proceeds from trips support conservation.
Trip registration is first-come, first-served, and opens at noon on April 8th. People who are interested in NRF Field Trips are encouraged to renew their NRF memberships well in advance of the busy registration date.
Find the perfect trips
NRF provides an interactive online map tool to easily sort Field Trips by physical demand, family-friendliness, topics, date range, or keyword.
Folks who'd love a challenging hike can sign up for a trip that explores parts of the Wisconsin Dells that aren't normally accessible to the public, alongside retired DNR biologists. Those who want to get out on the water can see the Mississippi or Milwaukee River on a boat tour, or grab a kayak and join a guide to paddle a clear, scenic stream up north. From biking to bird-banding, from fishing to forest bathing, there's something for everyone.
Trips range from physically challenging to wheelchair-accessible, and the 2026 Field Trip Guidebook includes more details about lengths of hikes, trail surfaces, paddle distances, and amount of standing so that folks of all abilities can find a trip that suits them. Participants are also encouraged to reach out to NRF with any questions about the physical demand level or accommodations for a specific Field Trip.
Many trips are unique hands-on wildlife experiences, like searching for frogs and salamanders or identifying native turtles. Thirty-three trips include chances to get involved in citizen science, such as helping biologists search ponds for fairy shrimp or tag monarch butterflies.
Trips take place from the Northwoods to the Driftless Area, from the Mississippi to the Lake Michigan coast, and everywhere in between. Some Field Trips take participants to familiar favorites like Devils Lake, Door County, and the Apostle Islands, and others are in more off-the-beaten-path locations.
One Field Trip participant in 2025 noted, "I have thoroughly loved finding new hidden natural gems on NRF Field Trips that I can later return to with family and friends."
Guidebook now available
The 2026 Field Trip Guidebook is now available to preview online, which contains details about each of the 280 experiences so participants can choose which trips are a good fit for their interests, location, and abilities.
How to register
Some trips fill up within minutes of registration opening, which this year will take place at noon on April 8th at WisConservation.org. NRF encourages people who are interested in Field Trips to join or renew their NRF memberships in advance, and be ready on registration day at noon with a list of trips that they hope to attend.
To learn more about Field Trips, view this year's online Field Trip Guidebook, and become an NRF member, visit WisConservation.org.