Saturday, June 20 Falcon Regional Park Come out to celebrate mother nature’s gift of wind and help us fill the sky with color! Bring your friends and family to fly a kite, create a wind propelled craft project, eat a delicious treat, explore vendors, and enjoy other colorful attractions. Free, All Ages, Open to the…
Saturday, August 22 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Bear Creek Nature Center, 245 Bear Creek Road Party like a bear! To celebrate the Bear Creek Nature Center’s 50th Anniversary, El Paso County is hosting a Bear-thday Party at Bear Creek Nature Center. Join us on Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bear Creek…
Thursday, July 2 – Friday, July 10 – Saturday, July 18 8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Fountain Creek Nature Center 320 Peppergrass Lane, Fountain, CO 80817 Yes, over the years, we’ve spotted lightning bugs in the wetlands by Fountain Creek Nature Center! Learn more about the lives of fireflies, make a firefly craft, and hike…
245 Bear Creek Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
719-520-6387
Did you know Bear Creek Nature Center was the first nature center to open in Colorado? 2026 is our 50th Anniversary and you are invited to our Bear-thday Party! Snacks and cake, living history walks (pre-registration required, limited capacity), pollinator walks, art sale, and activities a-plenty that celebrate Bear Creek Nature Center through the years. Free to the public
Be a steward of our parks and join the Restoration Crew at Bear Creek Nature Center. Work includes trail maintenance, introduced species removal, fire mitigation, and habitat restoration. Varying levels of work available at each workday.
Email kyleetaylor2@elpasoco.com to join!
Nature’s Classroom programs are for homeschooling friends! Two programs will run simultaneously- one for younger children and the other for older children so the whole family can attend. Children 8+ may be dropped off while children 7 & under must have a caregiver attend the class with them.
$4/person
Discover the world of nature with your 4 or 5 year old. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration required.
“Antsy” to see Bear Creek Nature Center’s newest exhibit, “Life in the Shadows”, which includes a real Harvester ant colony? Join us to learn more about these small but important creatures and through observation, fun activities and a craft! Recommended ages 5+.
$4 per person
Walk through the past 100+ years of Bear Creek Nature Center’s history! From ranch and orchard, to the El Paso County Poor Farm, through fire and resilience, the history of Bear Creek Nature Center is full of amazing characters. Ages 10 and up. $5/person, prepaid registration required
Rooted is a short narrative documentary that focuses on the journey of tribal access to traditional homelands and watershed restoration through the Traditional Harvest Project. Members of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, private landowners and key partner voices lead the story of Indigenous land access in southwest Colorado. The film portrays an Indigenous movement of rematriation to land, spirituality, community and the natural world. Free! Preregistration required.
Discover the world of nature with your 2 or 3 year old. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration required.
Play detective in a “who-dunnit” scenario and learn how clues like scat and tracks can be used to confirm a scientific hypothesis. Even if wildlife isn’t spotted, you’ll learn new ways to see evidence all around you. This program is intended for people of color. Transportation assistance may be available. Contact Christopher Beasley at community@coblackpackers.com to register or for additional information.
Be a steward of our parks and join the Restoration Crew at Bear Creek Nature Center. Work includes trail maintenance, introduced species removal, fire mitigation, and habitat restoration. Varying levels of work available at each workday.
Email kyleetaylor2@elpasoco.com to join!
Join Katie Sheahan, founder of Oceans at Elevation, to learn how our water in Colorado Springs gets all the way to the ocean and how we can help our oceans and waterways from a landlocked state. Includes hands-on activities indoors and at the creek and a hike!
Suggested ages 10+ $5/person, prepaid registration required
Discover the world of nature with your 4 or 5 year old. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration required.
Nature’s Classroom programs are for homeschooling friends! Two programs will run simultaneously- one for younger children and the other for older children so the whole family can attend. Children 8+ may be dropped off while children 7 & under must have a caregiver attend the class with them.
$4/person
The mighty Gambel Oak is the most abundant tree at Bear Creek Nature Center and a critical foundation for the foothill’s ecosystem. Learn about these superhero trees’ many aliases and it’s incredible powers like cloning and energy creation. Enjoy a walk through the nature center trails as the trees shift to their fall coloration.
$5/person, recommended ages 6+.
Travel the trails of Bear Creek Nature Center, meeting some creatures along the way that
will unravel and dispel myths about some of nature’s “creepy creatures.” Take-home craft and “treat” included. Costumes encouraged!
$10 per person/ $8 per member. Prepaid registration required.
Caregivers, bring your “lil’ pumpkins” to Bear Creek Nature Center for an easy guided walk to meet and learn more about some of nature’s “creepy” creatures then complete a seasonal take-home craft. Costumes encouraged! Educational Halloween fun geared towards children 3+.
$3/person, ALL participants pay. Prepaid registration required
Discover the world of nature with your 2 or 3 year old. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration required.
Learn to paint vibrant fall colors with soft pastels, a wonderful, colorful, and forgiving medium! Follow a step-by-step demonstration as you learn about composition, value shapes, perspective, and pastel painting techniques. Lisa provides a welcoming workshop environment that encourages students to abandon fear and find their own joyful artistry in the creative process.
This class is for beginner students interested in exploring painting techniques with soft pastels.
$55/person includes pastels, paper, and desktop easel. Ages 18+.
Drop your teen off for a cryptic night along the creek! Made for teens to learn about the weird things that may, or may not, be wandering the woods. We will learn about what cryptozoology is, what makes a cryptid, and where they may have come from. Be ready to hit the trails to see who we can find, before they find us. Dinner provided.
$25/teen, $20/member
Join us for Bear Creek’s 12th Annual Bear Run; a silly, charity fun run and walk for a cause. Choice of 3k or 5k course along the trail! All new runners receive a bear suit to wear during the run and to keep! Returning runners register at a discounted rate. Come early for pre-run festivities including bear yoga, costume contest, and fun partner booths!
Find more information and registration at Bear Creek Bear Run – El Paso County Parks and Recreation
Discover the world of nature with your 4 or 5 year old. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration required.
Nature’s Classroom programs are for homeschooling friends! Two programs will run simultaneously- one for younger children and the other for older children so the whole family can attend. Children 8+ may be dropped off while children 7 & under must have a caregiver attend the class with them.
$4/person
Take part in making our lives more sustainable! The Sustainability Series covers a variety of topics from composting to recycling, regenerative gardening, canning, native plants, and more. November 21 class to be determined but is sure to help us all make a lighter footprint on the Earth.
Discover the world of nature with your 2 or 3 year old. $3 per person including siblings and adults. Preregistration required.
320 Peppergrass Lane, Fountain, CO 80817
719-520-6745
Explore nature with your 3-6 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
Discover the magical mystery of the monarch migration to Mexico. See an indoor presentation, make a craft, search for caterpillars and adults to tag and release for research.
Best for ages 7+. $5/nonmember, $4/member. Prepaid registration required.
Explore nature with your 2 or 3 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
Join the annual tradition and help record the number of bird species and populations found in Fountain Creek Regional Park during fall migration. $5/person donation.
Not “bugs” – arthropods! Learn about insects, spiders, and their relatives with a puppet show, arthropod activity, and guided hike to catch arthropods. Designed for grades K-2. Prepaid registration required. $4 per person.
Kickoff this annual week-long clean up event at Fountain Creek Nature Center! We’ll clean the trails, woods, and creek in the park. Registration strongly recommended; Free!
Explore nature with your 3-6 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
Explore nature with your 2 or 3 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
Explore the five habitats at Fountain Creek Regional Park. Watch a short video, do a wetland metaphor activity, and go for a hike with a pond study. Designed for grades 3-6. Prepaid registration required. $4 per person.
Carve pumpkins to leave for the lighted trail at the Jack-o-Lantern event! Pre-scooped pumpkins, patterns, and carving tools provided. Return at night to see your creation in action along the trail. Pumpkins may be retrieved after 7:30 p.m. $5 per pumpkin, you will receive a ticket to the Jack-o-Lantern Trail event for each pumpkin you carve. Prepaid registration required. Sponsored by Milberger Farms, Pueblo.
Enjoy the lighted Jack-o-Lanterns along the trail, make a craft, hear stories, and roast a marshmallow! Costumes are encouraged at this festive event! Carved pumpkins may be picked up by their owners starting at 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by Milberger Farms, Pueblo. $5 per person, $4 per member.
Halloween is just around the corner so get ready to hear some haunting history about the state we call home! We’ll shine a light on murders hidden in plain sight, crazed cannibals, paranormal encounters, and more from Colorado’s past. Program will include a sunset hike and indoor presentation.
Participants must be 16+. Prepaid registration is required. $5 per person/$4 per member
Explore nature with your 3-6 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
Explore nature with your 2 or 3 year old. $3/person. Prepaid registration required for all attendees.
Local crafters and artisans will display and sell their unique creations. Enjoy the sights and smells of the season and support local community artists and the nature center through your purchases. Free to attend and shop!
Pre-registration is required for most programs. Space may be limited. General cancellation policy: No refunds are given for public program registrations unless the program is cancelled by the Nature Centers. In the case of severe or dangerous weather staff may deem the conditions unsafe and may reschedule or cancel an event or program. All refunds will be paid by check. Check refunds may take 3-4 weeks to process.
