El Paso County’s Fountain Creek Nature Center and Bear Creek Nature Center announce the events and activities for December 2019 which includes: a bird count, a candle-light hike, wagon rides and the annual hike with Santa.
Fountain Creek Nature Center
320 Pepper Grass Lane, Fountain, CO 80817
719-520-6745, www.ElPasoCountyNatureCenters.com
Fountain Creek Nature Adventures: Animal Puppets
Thursday, December 5, 10-11:30 am
Children ages 3-6, with an adult, will enjoy puppet shows or stories, crafts, hands-on activities, and discovery time on the trail. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Prepaid reservations required.
2s & 3s Outdoors: What Keeps Me Warm?
Thursday, December 12, 10-11:15 am
Explore nature with your 2 or 3 year-old through interactive activities, a story, and a short hike. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Prepaid reservations required.
Jr. Bird Club
Saturday, December 7, 8-11am
Youth ages 8-17 will connect with the practice of birding, increase their love for nature, and form a desire to care for the environment. This club meets bi-monthly. In this second meeting of our series, we will discuss winter birding and make our own suet! $5 per meeting, prepaid registration required.
Jam Technique Class Featuring Holiday Jams
Saturday, December 7, 10am-12pm
Wow your family and friends with your homemade jams and fruits, or with a meal made of specialty items such as spiced blueberry jam. This is a hands-on class and you will take home a jar of jam you make in class. $12 per person, prepaid registration required. Limit 14 adults.
Nature Hikes with Santa
Saturdays, December 14 and 21, 10am-11:30am
Participate in an interactive reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” poem and make snowflake crafts while waiting for Santa to arrive at Fountain Creek Nature Center. Then hike the trail with Santa to see what gifts nature gives us. $4 per person, prepaid reservations required.
Horse Drawn Wagon Rides
Saturdays, December 14 and 21, 11:30am, 12pm, and 12:30pm
Enjoy the sounds of Suffolk Punch draft horses clip-clopping down the regional trail with jingle bells and seasonal songs. Weather permitting. Tractor-pulled alternative if needed. $7 per person, prepaid reservations required. Sponsored by the Miller and Evans families.
Bear Creek Nature Center
245 Bear Creek Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
719-520-6387, www.ElPasoCountyNatureCenters.com
Bear Creek by Candlelight
Friday, December 6, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Join us for Bear Creek Nature Center’s annual holiday celebration! Walk on luminary-lit nature trails, enjoy live music, chili dinner from Texas Road House, hot chocolate, cookies and visit with Santa Claus. Local artists Rebecca Baum and Lisa Nowak from Pikes Peak Artist Collective art studio will provide the materials and guidance you need to decorate your own luminaria bag to take home. $5 per member, $6 per nonmember.
Film Screening from Teton Gravity Research: Winterland
Thursday, December 12, 6:30 p.m.
Join us for a screening of Teton Gravity Research’s newest film “Winterland” which follows the new pioneers of ski and snowboard culture and their incredible adventures. $10 per member/$15 per nonmember. Cost of entry includes a free beer and snacks! Doors at 6:00 p.m.
Bear Creek Nature Center Audubon Christmas Bird Count & Tally Rally
Saturday, December 14
Bird Count – 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Tally Raly – 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
All are welcome for Bear Creek Regional Park’s portion of 2019’s Christmas Bird Count. Be prepared for cold, snow and icy trails. Afterwards, gather at Bear Creek Nature Center from 5-7 p.m. for a potluck dinner and species compilation.
Nature Explorers: A Squirrel’s World
Wednesday, December 18, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Children, ages 4-5 with an adult, will enjoy hands-on activities, puppet shows or stories, crafts, and a hike. Accompanying siblings under 2 free. $3 per person including siblings & adults. Prepaid registration required.
Little Wonders: Deck the Trails!
Thursday, December 19, 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Discover the world of nature with your 2 or 3 year-old. Interactive activities and a short hike make this the perfect introduction to the outdoors for your child. $3 per person including siblings & adults. Prepaid registration required.