About this Event
Join our experience naturalist staff as we explore the forest, prairies, and aquatic habitats of the Vermilion County Conservation District. The four days will be modeled after our Outdoor School program that has been offered to 4th- and 5th- grade students since 1972. Program highlights will include guest presenters, tours of Illinois Nature Preserves, forest "critter crawl" habitat exploration, macroinvertebrate pond dipping, spring ephemerals, and a hike to Illinois' only National Wild and Scenic River, the Middle Fork. Hikes and explorations will be up to four miles each day, split between morning and afternoon.
The first three days will run from 9am-3pm at Forest Glen Preserve, Kennekuk County Park, or Heron County Park. The program will conclude on Thursday with a catered dinner, evening hike, and fancy s'mores at Forest Glen Preserve from 3-9pm. Participants will need to provide transportation to site locations and bring a sack lunch.
Pre-registration is required. Snacks, a naturalist gift pack, and one catered meal is included in the registration cost of $100 for all four days. Early bird registration is only $75 before February 20, 2026. Registration is limited to 30 people.
For more information, please contact Lara Danzl, 217-442-1691, [email protected].
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Forest Glen Preserve, 20301 900 North Road, Westville, United States
USD 100.00



