Connetquot River State Park Preserve in Oakdale, New York, will host a series of interpretive fall programs through the remainder of October.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced the schedule of events aimed at connecting visitors with nature and local history.
Attendees must pay a $4 fee per adult and $4 per child, while children under age three enter for free.
An additional $8 parking fee applies during the fee-collecting season, and reservations are required two weeks in advance through Eventbrite using the search tag #NatureEdventure.
Park officials request that registrants cancel in advance if unable to attend so others can participate.
Visitors must arrive promptly, as empty spots may be reassigned to waiting guests once a program begins, according to an article by LongIsland.com.
The preserve will host its “Nature Discoveries” program for children ages three to five on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Upcoming sessions include “Let’s Go Camping” on Oct. 14 and “The Great Pumpkin” on Oct. 21, featuring short walks, story time, and animal visitors.
A “Living Fossils” crab craft session is scheduled for Oct. 17 from 10:30 a.m. to noon for guests ages 10 and older. Participants will learn about horseshoe crabs through a short presentation before dot painting crab molts.
On Oct. 18, the park will lead a one-mile hike to the historic trout hatchery from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., where guests will tour the raceways and hatch house.
Later that afternoon, a docent will lead a tour of the historic clubhouse and Nicoll Grist Mill from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for children ages eight and older.
The “Spooky Skeletons” program will take place on Oct. 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Children will examine bones and skulls to learn how animal skeletons aid in movement, eating, and environmental survival.
A guided night hike titled “Mystical Creatures” is set for Oct. 29 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Attendees will use flashlights during a scavenger hunt designed to track woodland pixies, unicorns, and bigfoot throughout the preserve.
The October schedule concludes with “Nature’s Not-so-Spooky Creatures” on Oct. 30 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
This monthly after-school club session introduces children to misunderstood animals and their roles within local ecosystems.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation manages more than 250 parks, historic sites, and recreational trails. The agency welcomes more than 86 million visits annually across its properties.
