Monday, August 24, 2009

Natural Happenings: August 24-30

Each week, we list opportunities to get outdoors or learn about nature. Click through to the organization hosting each event for more details -- some events require registration or charge a fee.

This week's highlight: I suspect the fact that two different hiking groups have chosen the York County Heritage Trail as their destination for Saturday has to do with the fact that Yorkfest - an arts and music festival - is this weekend. Also, it's just a nice spot, and likely a little cooler than DC in the August heat. Catch a ride for $10 from Forest Glen Metro with the Center Hiking Club, or for $28 you can follow a different itinerary, including a stop at the farmer's market, with the Capital Hiking Club bus. Sign up ahead of time via the information on each group's website.

Also:

Sierra Club
Sat: Big Meadows area of SNP (9 mi)
Sun: Sugarloaf Mountain (8 mi)

Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
Many cabin and trail crew work trips.
Tue: GWNF Trout Pond Recreation Area (17 mi)

Center Hiking Club
Sun: Overall Run, SNP, with swimming hole (8 mi)

Northern Virginia Hiking Club
Sat: Doyles River Trail (8.4 mi)
Sun: Burke Lake Park (5 mi)

Wanderbirds
Sun: Swimming hike to Buck Ridge, Hazel Mtn, Hot-Short Mtn, and Nicholson Hollow Trails, SNP (8.9-11.6 mi)

Washington Women Outdoors
Sun: Maryland Heights (5 mi)

Audubon Naturalist Society
Thurs: birding in Rock Creek Park

Maryland Native Plant Society
Tue eve: Summer Wildflower Identification Workshop


FOR KIDS

Rock Creek Park
Various planetarium programs.
Wed: Design an Animal (ages 5+), Drawing outdoors (ages 10+)
Thu: Nature journal (ages 9+), What's for Dinner - what do animals eat? (ages 3+)
Fri: Creature Feature (all ages), Sensational Senses (ages 3+)
Sat: Bugging out - role of insects in nature (ages 5-10), Peirce Estate Tour (1.5 mi, ages 8+), Predators and Prey (ages 7+)
Sun: Ranger-led horseback tour (ages 12+), Dumbarton Oaks (ages 8+), Sensational Senses (ages 3+), A Deer for a Day (ages 5+)

Museum of Natural History
Daily tarantula feedings in the insect zoo and museum tours.
Tue: Hands-on activities in the Dig It! soil exhibit
Wed: Look at specimens or artifacts with a scientist in the Ocean Hall