• Feathered Friends Youth Program

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: July 27, 2025 Time: 1:00pm - 2:30pm Bring the family to the Discovery Center for a free workshop to learn about the PRC and build a fun nature-based item to take home.  Activities for ages 4 - 12, but all are welcome.  No registration required, but supplies are limited.

  • Turtle Time Youth Event

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: August 3, 2025 Time: 1:00pm - 2:30pm Bring the family to the Discovery Center for a free workshop to learn about the PRC and build a fun nature-based item to take home.  Activities for ages 4 - 12, but all are welcome.  No registration required, but supplies are limited.

  • President Carter in the Pigeon River Country

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: August 14th (Thursday) Time: 7pm - 9pm Presenter: Ned Caveney, Retired PRC Unit Manager Hear about President Jimmy Carter’s adventures in the Pigeon River Country State Forest! Retired PRC […]

  • An Exploration of the Night Sky in Science and Myth

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    DUE TO POTENTIAL RAIN, WE ARE MOVING THIS EVENT TO THE RAIN DATE OF Thursday, August 28. Date: August 27th (Wednesday) Time: 8pm - 10pm Rain date August 28th (Thursday), 8pm-10pm Presenter: Patrick Stonehouse, Astronomer An evening spent under starry skies with historical and scientific explanations of the stellar vista seen above. Registration Required. REGISTER […]

  • Feathered Friends Youth Program

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: September 7, 2025 Time: 1:00pm - 2:30pm Bring the family to the Discovery Center for a free workshop to learn about the PRC and build a fun nature-based item to take home.  Activities for ages 4 - 12, but all are welcome.  No registration required, but supplies are limited.

  • CANCELLED: Painting, Poetry, and Nature

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: This event has been cancelled Time: This event has been cancelled Presenter: Join us for a cozy autumn evening of nature-inspired art, with warm drinks and cookies! Local artist Mary Backlund will help you get in touch with your creative side during this relaxing workshop at the Discovery Center. Get inspired through a poetry […]

  • Native Seed Collection

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: September 13th (Saturday) Time: 9am - 12pm Presenters: Bryant Eddy and Abigail Macek, Huron Pines Assist with PRC conservation efforts in this hands-on workshop! This event starts at the […]

  • Elk in the Pigeon River Country (Session One)

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: September 20th (Saturday) Time: 6:45am - 9:45am Presenter: Doug Reeves, Retired DNR Wildlife Biologist Get up early to try and find the elusive PRC elk with the help of retired wildlife biologist Doug Reeves. Learn about these majestic creatures and the best practices for spotting them. You'll likely get to hear elk bugling, a […]

  • Elk in the Pigeon River Country (Session Two)

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: September 25th (Thursday) Time: 6:45am - 9:45am Presenter: Doug Reeves, Retired DNR Wildlife Biologist Get up early to try and find the elusive PRC elk with the help of retired wildlife biologist Doug Reeves. Learn about these majestic creatures and the best practices for spotting them. You'll likely get to hear elk bugling, a […]

  • All About Plants Youth Program

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: October 12, 2025 Time: 1:00pm - 2:30pm Bring the family to the Discovery Center for a free workshop to learn about the PRC and build a fun nature-based item to take home.  Activities for ages 4 - 12, but all are welcome.  No registration required, but supplies are limited.

  • Thunder Chicken: The life history, ecology and management of Michigan’s Ruffed Grouse

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: October 18th Time: 9am - 12pm Presenter: Bryant Eddy, Huron Pines Explore the Ruffed Grouse's fascinating biology and behavior. This workshop, lead by Huron Pines' Bryant Eddy, starts with a presentation at the Discovery Center, followed by a field trip where we will experience ruffed grouse habitat and discuss their management in Northern Michigan. […]

  • Forest Forensics

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: October 25, 2025 Time: 9:40 - 11:15 am Presenter: Julie Crick Learn about the history and secrets of the forest in this exciting field expedition. You’ll visit the site of a CCC camp, and practice “reading” the forest. Lead by Julie Crick (MSU Extension) and DNR historian Hillary Pine. Wear sturdy hiking shoes, long […]

  • Michigan’s Raptors

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: June 6th (Saturday) Time: 1pm - 2pm: Kid Friendly / 3pm - 4pm: Adult Focused Presenter: Skegemog Raptor Center Come see and learn about Michigan's raptors and their conservation from Skegemog Raptor Center, a non-profit raptor rehabilitation center in northern Michigan. Attendees should expect to see live raptors up close, hear about their adaptations, […]

  • Native Plants & Nature Hike

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: June 20th (Saturday) Time: 1pm – 3:30pm Presenter: Kelly Draeger from the Otsego County Conservation District Come learn about the importance of native Michigan plants. Enjoy a short hike to practice identifying local flora. Take home a free native plant. A separate kid-friendly event will run in tandem with this workshop (ages 6-12 years). […]

  • Water Quality Connections

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: June 27th (Saturday) Time: 1pm – 3pm Presenter: Sam Day Sam Day will introduce water quality programs administered by the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. Dive into aquatic programs and stream re-connections with a riverside field trip. Meanwhile, kids (ages 6-12) will have their own adventure-packed event. Registration Required. REGISTRATION COMING SOON

  • Beginners Fly Tying and Casting

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: July 18th (Saturday) Time: 10am – 12pm Presenter: Byron Lamphear and Mark Jarvie from Headwaters Trout Unlimited. Explore the world of fly tying and casting. Craft your very own summer dry fly and practice some casting tricks on the lawn. From beginners ages 14+. Registration Required. REGISTRATION COMING SOON

  • All About Bats

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: August 1st (Saturday) Time: 8pm – 10pm Presenter: Todd Cartner and wife from Discovery Bats Ohio Toss Cartner and his wife from the Discovery Bats Ohio are heading north to spread their knowledge and love of bats. Workshop includes using hand-held sensors that let you listen to and identify bats as they come out […]

  • Explore iNaturalist

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: August 15th (Saturday) Time: 1pm – 3:30pm Presenter: Ken Bauer of Huron Pines Join us for a hands-on intro to the iNaturalist app. Perfect for adults and teens wanting to identify wildflowers, track critters, or otherwise dive into nature. All you need is your phone and a sharp eye. Kids 6-12 will have their […]

  • PRC Furbearers

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: August 23rd (Sunday) Time: 1pm – 2pm Presenter: Shelby Adams PRC's Wildlife Biologist will teach kids about Michigan's fur-bearing animals. Discover cool facts and hear how they survive in the wild. Get a chance to touch and explore real animal furs. For families and children. Registration Required. REGISTRATION COMING SOON

  • Seasons of the Bear

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: August 23rd (Sunday) Time: 3pm – 4pm Presenter: Shelby Adams PRC’s Wildlife Biologist will lead you through what a year looks like for Michigan's American Black Bear. Explore bear behavior and ecology, from spring emergence through winter denning. Learn how people and bears share the same landscape. For adults and teens. Registration Required. REGISTRATION […]

  • Mushroom Foray

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: September 13th (Sunday) Time: 10am - 1pm Rain Date: September 19th Presenter: Dianne Farner, Wild Mushroom Guide, HeadWaters Land Conservancy Join Dianne Farner of HeadWater’s Land Conservancy, for a mushroom identification tour in the PRC. This event will start with a presentation about different types of mushrooms, followed by a hike where you can […]

  • Nature Photography

    Discovery Center 9984 Twin Lakes Rd, Vanderbilt, United States

    Date: October 17th (Saturday) Time: 10am - 12pm Presenter: Jan Kellogg, local photographer Local nature photographer Jan Kellogg will show you how to use your camera (including cell phones) to capture the beauty of the PRC. Presentation will be followed by outdoor photography practice.. Bring a camera (or cell phone) and dress for the weather. […]