Great Parks | Great Stories

With summer starting to wind down, it means you can start enjoying your backyard again! Nature Interpreter Paul shares his top five nature activities that you and your family can do to see what critters call your yard home.

Sometimes peering out the window or stepping out into the cold can give you a case of the winter blahs. No matter the weather, wildlife continues to be active and moving about, leaving signs of their activities wherever they go. Be on the lookout for these signs of winter wildlife during your next trek outdoors.

When it’s cold and gloomy, it can be difficult to get outside. But, it’s a perfect opportunity to get creative and use your imagination. Check out these wintertime crafts you can make with your family. The best part is you can use what you have right at home.

Join us on our Facebook page every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. for a live video with Great Parks staff. Outreach Manager Sarah and Nature Interpreter Ashely are making a snowy craft to celebrate the arrival of the winter solstice.

With winter break and cold temperatures on the horizon, kids are bound to be going stir-crazy. Get outside for our newest backyard challenge: a winter scavenger hunt. Can you spy these winter wonders on your next park visit?

For Parks to Kids Day, we’re bringing camping to you! The Adventure Outpost team has tips to plan an indoor camping trip, along with a few challenges.

Is that rock you found just a rock or is it a fossil in disguise? Next time you hit the trail, use this guide to help you find fossils from the Ordovician Period.

We’re giving you a new kind of backyard challenge! Have you spied violets in your yard? You can turn these purple flowers into a syrup for different food and drinks.