CLASSES AND PROGRAMS CALENDAR
Scroll down to see full class listings
Programs at Grass River Natural Area are Green, Special Events that are off-site are Blue, Holidays are Brown.
PROGRAM REGISTRATION
Searching for bugs in Finch Creek!
GRNA has a wide selection of classes and events for all ages. All programs listed below are open to the general public. Many programs require preregistration.
Register for the classes below by clicking on the "Add to Cart" button.
Cancellations: Participants that cancel before 24-hours from the start of a program may receive a full refund, unless otherwise noted. Cancellations within 24 hours receive no refund. Programs run rain or shine, but may be cancelled by GRNA in inclement weather. If canceled by GRNA, a notification is posted online and registered participants are notified & receive a full refund.
Questions, or want a private program? Contact: James Dake, [email protected]
Register for the classes below by clicking on the "Add to Cart" button.
Cancellations: Participants that cancel before 24-hours from the start of a program may receive a full refund, unless otherwise noted. Cancellations within 24 hours receive no refund. Programs run rain or shine, but may be cancelled by GRNA in inclement weather. If canceled by GRNA, a notification is posted online and registered participants are notified & receive a full refund.
Questions, or want a private program? Contact: James Dake, [email protected]
DECEMBER
Family Playgroup
Thursday, December 4th, 2025 - 10:30am (1.5 hr), Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with NMCAA and the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
Thursday, December 4th, 2025 - 10:30am (1.5 hr), Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with NMCAA and the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
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Winter Seed Sowing Workshop
Thursday, December 11th, 2025 - 6:00pm (2 hrs.), $10 Join Grass River Natural Area and CAKE CISMA for a hands-on winter gardening workshop at the Grass River Nature Center! As part of CAKE CISMA's Go Beyond Beauty program, we’ll highlight how gardeners can transition away from invasive ornamentals by incorporating native plants into their landscapes. Some seeds require a temperature change to trigger the end of dormancy (or sleep) period; a process called cold stratification. Many native seeds have this built-in dormancy which protects them from germinating before killer frosts or in times of drought. One of the easiest ways to cold stratify seeds is to use Michigan winters to do the work for us! This workshop will cover everything gardeners need to know about cold stratification and growing native wildflowers from seed. Please bring empty and clean milk jugs if you have them available. |
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Family Playgroup
Thursday, December 18th, 2025 - 10:30am (1 hr), Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
Thursday, December 18th, 2025 - 10:30am (1 hr), Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
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Lighting of the Bridges
Saturday December 20, 2025 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm, $5 per person Join us for a magical evening as we light up the bridges of our boardwalk with colorful lights and lanterns for one night only. Enjoy a 1/3 mile winter stroll on the boardwalk with the bridges lit up with lights, and then warm up with a campfire and hot cocoa at the pavilion. Inside the Center we will have a variety of holiday crafts to make! You can come any time during this two-hour "open house" style event and walk the self-guided trail, enjoy the fire, and make crafts in the Center. Snowshoes are available for rent if there is deep snow. Bring a light. |
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JANUARY 2026
Family Playgroup
Thursday, January 8, 2026 - 10:30am (1.5 hr), Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with NMCAA and the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
Thursday, January 8, 2026 - 10:30am (1.5 hr), Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with NMCAA and the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
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Lantern-lit Evening
Friday January 9, 2026 - 6:30pm to 8:30pm (2 hrs.), $5 per person Lantern light shining through the trees is a great way to enjoy the forest in winter. Enjoy a self-guided lantern-lit hike, or an evening ski or snowshoe on GRNA’s trails and boardwalks if there is snow. We will have a warm campfire at the Center pavilion and the heated building will be open and staffed. Come any time during the 2-hour, self-guided, "open-house" style event. Bring a flashlight or headlamp. Skis and snowshoes for all ages are available for rent at the Grass River Center for an additional $5 rental fee during the program, or bring your own. |
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NMC Michigan Trees in Winter
Friday, January 16, 2026 - 1:00pm (2 hrs) at NMC, Register through NMC Extended Education
Gain the skills to identify Michigan trees in winter by their bark, buds, and branching patterns. We'll use a variety of real specimens collected from Grass River Natural Area, along with photographs and guides to learn ID techniques for woody plants, including broadleaf trees, shrubs, and evergreens. Registration coming soon!
Friday, January 16, 2026 - 1:00pm (2 hrs) at NMC, Register through NMC Extended Education
Gain the skills to identify Michigan trees in winter by their bark, buds, and branching patterns. We'll use a variety of real specimens collected from Grass River Natural Area, along with photographs and guides to learn ID techniques for woody plants, including broadleaf trees, shrubs, and evergreens. Registration coming soon!
Family Playgroup
Thursday, January 22, 2026 - 10:30am (1 hr), Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with NMCAA and the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
Thursday, January 22, 2026 - 10:30am (1 hr), Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with NMCAA and the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
FEBRUARY
Family Playgroup
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 10:30am (1.5 hr), Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with NMCAA and the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
Thursday, February 5, 2026 - 10:30am (1.5 hr), Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with NMCAA and the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
Grass River Shiver 5k/10k Snowshoe Race Fundraiser
Saturday February 7, 2026 - 10:00am start
at Grass River Natural Area - Bellaire, MI
Put on your snowshoes and run or walk through the beautiful snow-covered Grass River Natural Area as a fundraiser for our programs! A prize is awarded to overall male and female 5K/10K winners. 10k participants run two loops of the course. Walkers are welcome, too! An official clock will start at 10am on Saturday morning for those that would like an official clocked time to run their race with other runners and walkers, but the course will be up for the weekend if runners need to run it at a later time.
Registration including a shirt at: Grass River Shiver Snowshoe 5k/10k | Bonfire
or you may preregister for the race only and no tshirt for $25 HERE ($30 for walk-ins on race day).
Saturday February 7, 2026 - 10:00am start
at Grass River Natural Area - Bellaire, MI
Put on your snowshoes and run or walk through the beautiful snow-covered Grass River Natural Area as a fundraiser for our programs! A prize is awarded to overall male and female 5K/10K winners. 10k participants run two loops of the course. Walkers are welcome, too! An official clock will start at 10am on Saturday morning for those that would like an official clocked time to run their race with other runners and walkers, but the course will be up for the weekend if runners need to run it at a later time.
Registration including a shirt at: Grass River Shiver Snowshoe 5k/10k | Bonfire
or you may preregister for the race only and no tshirt for $25 HERE ($30 for walk-ins on race day).
Family Playgroup
Thursday, February 19, 2026 - 10:30am (1 hr), Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with NMCAA and the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
Thursday, February 19, 2026 - 10:30am (1 hr), Free
Families with children ages 0–5 are invited to join us at Grass River Natural Area for free, nature-based playgroups on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays each month. Enjoy stories, playtime, snacks, and connection with other families — all in the beauty of the outdoors. No registration needed! Offered in partnership with NMCAA and the Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Traverse Bay. Learn more at https://greatstartkids.com/playgroup-schedule/
Nature Trivia Night
Friday, February 20, 2025 - 6:00 pm (2 hrs), $5 per person at Short's Elk Rapids
Join us for Nature Trivia Night at the Short's Pull Barn in Elk Rapids! Get your team of 2-6 players together and get ready to stretch your brain with 5 rounds of clever, family-friendly trivia. Don't worry if you're not a nature expert; questions will draw from other areas of knowledge - like movies and music - as well. $5 per player, which supports GRNA. Players will pay upon arriving at Short's.
Friday, February 20, 2025 - 6:00 pm (2 hrs), $5 per person at Short's Elk Rapids
Join us for Nature Trivia Night at the Short's Pull Barn in Elk Rapids! Get your team of 2-6 players together and get ready to stretch your brain with 5 rounds of clever, family-friendly trivia. Don't worry if you're not a nature expert; questions will draw from other areas of knowledge - like movies and music - as well. $5 per player, which supports GRNA. Players will pay upon arriving at Short's.
NMC The Science of Making Maple Syrup
Thursday, February 26, 2026 - 1:00pm at GRNA (3 hrs), Register through NMC Extended Education
Did you know that the U.S. produces ~4 million gallons of syrup annually? And if you’re a consumer, you know how much it costs. Now you can make your own! Discover the art of tapping maple trees by learning both traditional and modern methods. Tap into the science of maple syrup production, tree identification, equipment needs, and instructions for small scale DIY projects. We will begin inside with a presentation and then hit the trail to see tapping in action. Registration coming soon!
Thursday, February 26, 2026 - 1:00pm at GRNA (3 hrs), Register through NMC Extended Education
Did you know that the U.S. produces ~4 million gallons of syrup annually? And if you’re a consumer, you know how much it costs. Now you can make your own! Discover the art of tapping maple trees by learning both traditional and modern methods. Tap into the science of maple syrup production, tree identification, equipment needs, and instructions for small scale DIY projects. We will begin inside with a presentation and then hit the trail to see tapping in action. Registration coming soon!
If you are interested in a private program or tour, contact [email protected]
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