The DNR's visitor centers are buzzing with activity, offering hands-on programs, outdoor adventures and family-friendly events across the state.
Go a little off the beaten path with weekend adventures that range from old-growth forest and logging museum tours at Hartwick Pines State Park to fish hatchery tours showcasing Michigan's conservation efforts at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery.
Weekend guests at Saginaw Bay Visitor Center can also enjoy the all-new Tobico Marsh exhibit hall, and during the week, K-12 teachers can take advantage of field trips at locations like Oden State Fish Hatchery and the DNR Pocket Park in Escanaba.
Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center offers an ongoing sustainable craft series for all ages, and will host a family-friendly foraging workshop May 24. On weekends, grab-and-go scavenger hunt kits are available at the visitor center and at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery during operating hours. The Eddy Discovery Center's schedule includes a forest hike (May 9), a mindfulness hike (May 16) and a birds of prey presentation (May 17).
Outdoor enthusiasts can also build their skills through clinics offered by the Outdoor Skills Academy and the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program at DNR visitor centers. Upcoming opportunities include walleye and steelhead fishing workshops, a women's turkey hunting clinic and seasonal mushroom classes running from now through August.
Whether you're looking to learn new skills, explore Michigan's natural beauty with your students or simply spend time outdoors with family and friends, the state's visitor centers offer something for everyone. Explore your options at Michigan.gov/DNRVisitorCenters.
Questions? Contact Tracy Page, DNR Education Services manager, at 989-277-0630.