Bugs, Slugs & More! - Saturday, September 4, 2:00 p.m.  Early fall is a great time to find interesting insects and other crawling creatures in fields, gardens and prairies of southwest Michigan. With that in mind we’re planning a series of fun youth activities this afternoon at Love Creek County Park to create an awareness and interest for these common backyard animals.

Fall Fitness Hiking at Love Creek - Beginning Saturday, September 25 at 2:00 p.m.  The trails at Love Creek offer great fall hiking opportunities for both scenic and health benefits! Beginning today and continuing through Saturday, October 30 we’ll offer “Fall Fitness” hikes with a park naturalist lasting an hour or so each. Our intent is not to race, just to walk a bit of a steadier pace than a typical “nature” hike. To keep it interesting we’ll mix things up with a different route each time and pick the trails with the best current fall colors. We think this should be great fun and hope you’ll grab a friend and join us. Other than the usual park entry fee, there is no cost for these hikes and pre-registration is not required. Join us for one—or the whole series of six hikes!

“Nature of the Beach” in Bridgman - Saturday, September 25, 3:00 p.m.  (A fun program we “field tested” this past summer!) Everyone knows the beach is a great place to hang out for sun, surf and sand. This afternoon we’ll explore the wild side of a Lake Michigan beach, looking for beach plants and signs of animals. We’ll also investigate the different kinds of rocks present and learn what “Indian Beads” really are – or used to be! Meet at the Beach House at Weko Beach Park in Bridgman.

Preschooler’s Outdoor Discovery Class - Beginning Thursday, September 30; 9:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.  Let us share our enthusiasm for the outdoors with your 4-6 year old during this monthlyclass. Each session will include fun, age-appropriate activities about a nature-related topic—and conclude with simple refreshments of course! Class fee of $50 per child covers all10 sessions into early June. Group size is limited to insure a quality experience. Call (269) 471-2617 to register and note you have your choice of a morning or afternoon session.

Weekday “Nature of Fall” Hiking Group - Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 6, 10:00 a.m.  During this “class” for adults we’ll explore the nature of fall in southwest Michigan and enjoy a bit of exercise on the trails of Love Creek andother area parks. Participants should be willing to walk 3 miles or so over a couple of hours per session. Our pace will generally be easy, but occasional   climbing (on dune or hilly  trails) will sometimes be a part of an outing. Fee of $15 includes five weekly sessions through November  3. (Additional daily entry fees may be required at some of the locations we visit.) Group size is limited. Please call 471-2617 for information or to register.

Home Schooler’s Outdoor Discovery Class - Beginning Friday, October 8 at 1:30 p.m.  This field class will help elementary-aged home school students learn about the nature of southwest Michigan. Participants will also enjoy outdoor recreation activities such as cross-country skiing,   mountain biking and Voyageur canoeing! The class will meet monthly, as well as a few additional times for special activities such a night hike and owl prowl. Most sessions will be held at Love Creek, but a few will take place at off-site locations. Class fee of $50 per child includes allsessions, activities and refreshments. Group size is limited and pre-registration is required. Call (269) 471-2617 for more information or to register.

October Trail Hike—At Night - Saturday, October 9, 7:30 p.m.  Join us for a mid-fall exploration of Love Creek’s trails at night. With luck, we’ll hear or see an owl. Afterwards, we’ll relax around a campfire with cider and smores! Group size is limited and registration is required. Fee: $3 per person. Please call (269) 471-2617 to register.

Fall Colors on the St. Joseph River - Saturday, October 23, 1:00 p.m.  Join us for a group paddle on the St. Joseph River in one of our replica 34’ Voyageur canoes. We’ll explore a stretch of river that typically has nice fall colors at this time. Canoe experience is not needed, but space is limited. Call (269) 471-2617 for more information and to register. $5 fee per person.

Halloween Animals that are Hard to Love: Spiders, Snakes & Such... - Saturday, Oct. 30, 3:00 p.m. Before you head out to trick or treat, join us in the nature center’s program room to learn about spiders, snakes and a few other “hard to love” animals of Southwest Michigan. We’ll have live examples of some and we’ll discuss what’s fact and what’s fiction about their behaviors.

The Berrien County Parks Commission sponsors interpretive naturalist programming at Love Creek Nature Center for groups and the general public. Join us for a general public event or contact us at (269) 471-2617 to arrange a program for your group or organization.

Click here for information about some of the school group programs offered by the Love Creek staff. Many of these can be modified or adapted for other groups as well. Call us for more information!

Additional Love Creek Notes:

Berrien Birding Club: To help promote recreational bird watching in southwest Michigan, the Berrien County Parks Commission and Love Creek Nature Center sponsor the Berrien Birding Club. Field trips are free and open to all. For a list of upcoming field trips and events, call (269) 471-2617 or click here.

Fields & Forests Mountain Bike Trail: Mountain biking is allowed at Love Creek on the Fields & Forests Bike Trail!  The current trail distance is 4.5 miles. For most mountain bikers it won't be a technically challenging trail, but it is a trail close to home. The uphill sections may test one's legs and lungs if so desired, but otherwise it should be a good trail for beginning mountain bikers. Some sections of the trail are shared and cyclists are required to yield to hikers. Trail open April 1 to October 31.