Fountain Creek Nature Center
320 Peppergrass Lane, Fountain, CO 80817 Phone: 520-6745 All programs meet at the Nature Center unless indicated otherwise. The Center is located between Widefield and Fountain off Highway 85/87. Turn west on Cattail Marsh Road and follow to Nature Center.
Hours of Operation:
Fountain Creek Nature Center is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
VOLUNTEER IN PARKS - WE NEED YOU!!
Interpretive volunteer naturalists are a vital part of the many services offered in our parks and nature centers. Volunteers assist interpretive staff in providing visitors with opportunities to appreciate and enjoy our valuable natural, cultural, and outdoor recreation resources.
- Environmental Education Program Leaders
- Public Program Assistant Leaders
- Visitor Information Specialists
- Special Event and Project Leaders
- Teen Volunteer Opportunities
Interested in becoming a volunteer? Click here for information on our adult and teen opportunities, benefits, and more!
Youth Volunteer Program
Bear Creek and Fountain Creek Nature Centers are seeking Youth Volunteers ages 13+ to assist with nature camps, special events, gardening and more. Learn new skills, have fun, and serve the community! Contact nature center for an application.
For information about Nature Center Membership, download and print the: Annual Nature Center Membership Form
No Child Left Inside!
Restore the bond between children and nature! We never outgrow our need to play outdoors and all El Paso County Nature Center programs provide that opportunity. Research shows physical and mental health are directly linked to experiences in nature. Dedicated staff and volunteers are committed to connecting children of all ages to the natural world.
Naturalist Notes Nature Centers Newsletter
Fountain Creek Nature Center Programs
HAVE A WILD BIRTHDAY PARTY!
Celebrate your birthday at a nature center, where the wild things are! Up to 30 children, ages 4-12, will enjoy an hour-long, naturalist-led program, and then spend an hour partying in the program room. ($75.00 for the first 12 children, $5.00 per child thereafter) Call 520-6745 to reserve your party.
MAY 2008
Spring Bird Count
Saturday, May 10, 7:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Beginning-to-advanced birders are invited to observe and record the numbers of bird species and populations found in Fountain Creek Regional Park. (FREE, reservations required, 520-6745)
2’s & 3’s Outdoors: All About Birds
Friday, May 16 9:00 - 10:15 a.m.
Share in the joy of your 2 or 3 year-old’s discovery as he or she enjoys a “wild place” outdoors. ($2.00 per person, reservations required, 520-6745)
Fountain Creek Nature Adventures: Green Thumb Flower Power
Wednesday, May 21, 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Children ages 3-6 with an adult will enjoy stories, puppets, crafts, hands-on activities, and discovery time on the trail. ($3.00 per person, reservations required, 520-6745)
Sunset Wildlife Hike
Friday, May 23, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Join us for a walk through the Cattail Marsh Wildlife Area to enjoy the sights and sounds of spring. We may even see a beaver! ($2.00 per person, reservations required, 520-6745)
Stewardship Saturday - Volunteer Workday
Saturday, May 31, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Join the naturalists for a hands-on workday to help out at Fountain Creek Nature Center. Projects include landscape gardening, litter cleanup, weed management, and more. ($FREE, reservations required, 520-6745)
NEW: SUMMER 2008 PROGRAMS
JUNE 2008
Fountain Creek Nature Adventures: Rolypoly Highway
Wednesday, June 4, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Children ages 3-6, with an adult, will enjoy stories, hands-on activities, crafts, and discovery time on the trail. ($3.00/person, reservations required, 520-6745)
Kid’s Fishing Derby
Saturday, June 7, 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Kids ages 16 and under are invited to catch the “big one” and win prizes at the Willow Springs Ponds where everyone is a winner. Learn the basics of fishing, cast for prizes, and catch trout. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration starts at 8:00 a.m. or pre-register by calling 520-6745. (FREE)
Beaver Sunset Hike
Friday, June 13, 6:45 – 9:00 p.m.
Enjoy the sunset and discover what’s happening during a walk at Cattail Marsh Wildlife Area. Sightings of aquatic animals and more are guaranteed. ($3.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
Nature Defenders Camp
June 16 - 20, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (9 spaces left!) See bottom of page for registration information.
Bond at the Pond
Saturday, June 21, 9:00 a.m. - Noon
Grandparents, parents, mentors and kids will form special relationships during this fun-filled activity. We’ll look at pond life, crawdads, frogs, and make an old- fashioned fishing pole and try fishing at Willow Springs. ($4.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
Fox Run Nature Camp: Legends & Lairs Camp
June 23 - 27, 9:00 a.m. – Noon (16 spaces left!) See bottom of page for registration information.
Fountain Creek Nature Adventures: Have to Have Habitat
Wednesday, June 25, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Children ages 3-6, with an adult, will enjoy stories, hands-on activities, crafts, and discovery time on the trail. ($3.00/person, reservations required, 520-6745)
Firefly Celebration & Night Hike
Friday, June 27, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Make a firefly craft, learn about the fascinating lives of fireflies, and hike to find these elusive natural wonders in the park. ($4.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
2’s and 3’s Outdoors: Frogs and Friends
Friday, June 27, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Share in the joy of your 2 or 3 year-old child’s discoveries as he or she enjoys a story and explores the outdoors. ($2.00/person, reservations required, 520-6745)
Lizards, Snakes & Turtles Alive
Saturday, June 28, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Get an up-close look at the adaptations of live reptiles as Mountain Aire Reptile Rescue & Sanctuary shares stories about the recovery of animals under their care. ($5.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
JULY 2008
Frog Frenzy
Saturday, July 5, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Learn about amphibians and their relatives, look for them in their watery habitat, listen to their calls, and make a froggy craft to bring home. ($4.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
Fountain Creek Nature Adventures: Trees are Terrific
Wednesday, July 9, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Children ages 3-6, with an adult, will enjoy stories, hands-on activities, crafts, and discovery time on the trail. ($3.00/person, reservations required, 520-6745)
Big Bug Day
Thursday, July 10, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Bugs rule today! Bring your kids for puppet shows, bug shows, bug jeopardy, face painting, sweep-net activities, a live tarantula, a look at pond bug life, butterflies, dragonflies and more. ($3.00, no reservations necessary)
Art in Nature
Saturday, July 12, 9:00 a.m. – Noon
Join artist, Doug Haug, for a hike that will inspire your art project. We’ll use items from nature, paint, and ink to make artistic and fun pictures, imprints and/or collographs. For children and adults. ($10.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
Crawdad Fishing
Saturday, July 12, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
After a brief hands-on introduction to the life of our “freshwater lobsters,” we’ll hike to a pond to do crawdad catch-and-release fishing. Bait and string provided. ($4.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
Nature Defenders Camp
July 14 - 18, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (19 spaces left!) See bottom of page for registration information.
Full Moon Hike at Cattail Marsh
Friday, July 18, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Hike with us to observe the evening skies, a rising full moon, wildlife activity, and other surprises at this oasis on the plains. ($2.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
Nature Photography Workshop: Dynamic Use of Depth of Field
Saturday and Sunday, July 19 & 20, 10:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Professional photographer Bill Young, Figurative Photo, will explore the many facets of depth of field to enhance photos in close-up and distant situations. Ages 15+. ($50.00, reservations required, 520-6745) prepayment required)
Fountain Creek Nature Adventures: Fancy Fish
Wednesday, July 23, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Children ages 3-6, with an adult, will enjoy stories, hands-on activities, crafts, and discovery time on the trail. ($3.00/person, reservations required, 520-6745)
2’s and 3’s Outdoors: All About Bugs
Friday, July 25, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Share in the joy of your 2 or 3 year-old child’s discoveries as he or she enjoys a story and explores the outdoors. ($2.00/person, reservations required, 520-6745)
Storytelling Hike & Campfire
Saturday, July 25, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Join a naturalist for a fun evening of Native American stories, songs and end with smores around a campfire. ($3.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
AUGUST 2008
Pajamas in the Park: Frog Ribbits
Friday, Aug. 1, 5:00 p.m. – Saturday, Aug. 2, 9 a.m.
1st-5th graders are invited to enjoy cooking hotdogs over a fire, learning about frogs, making a craft, hiking to search for frogs, having breakfast and taking another hike to observe wetland wildlife. ($30.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
All Eyes on Dragonflies
Saturday, August 2, 10:00 a.m. - 12 Noon
Come and learn more about these amazing insects that patrol the ponds, hike to identify resident species, and make a craft. ($4.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
Legends & Lairs Camp
August 4 - 8, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (16 spaces left!) See bottom of page for registration information.
Astronomy in Motion
Saturday, August 9, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Join retired high school teacher/naturalist docent Jim Mariner in learning why you see what you see when you see the different stars, constellations, moon phases, seasons and more. Ages 12+. ($3.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
Fountain Creek Nature Adventures: Feline Friends
Wednesday, August 13, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Children ages 3-6, with an adult, will enjoy stories, hands-on activities, crafts, and discoverytime on the trail. ($3.00/person, reservations required, 520-6745)
Birding 202 Course
Thursdays, August 14, September 4 & 18, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. and
Saturday Field Trips, August 16, September 6 & 20, 8:00 a.m. – 12 Noon
This series of classes and field trips goes beyond the basics of birding; focusing on species difficult to identify including hawks, shorebirds, flycatchers and warblers. ($50.00, reservations required, 520-6745)
2’s and 3’s Outdoors: Animals that Hop
Friday, August 22, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Share in the joy of your 2 or 3 year-old child’s discoveries as he or she enjoys a story and explores the outdoors. ($2.00/person, reservations required, 520-6745)
Arachno Mania
Saturday, August 23, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Drop in for a hike and a close-up look at some amazing spiders, including a live tarantula. Hold it if you dare! ($4.00,reservations required, 520-6745)
Fountain Creek Nature Adventures: Awesome Arthropods
Wednesday, August 27, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Children ages 3-6, with an adult, will enjoy stories, hands-on activities, crafts, and discovery time on the trail. ($3.00/person, reservations required, 520-6745)
NEW: SUMMER CAMP 2008 INFORMATION!
Fountain Creek Nature Camps
Click HERE for Summer Camp Brochure
“No Child Left Inside” is our campaign for 2008. We never outgrow our need to play outdoors. Research shows that human physical and mental health is directly linked to experiences in nature. Our dedicated staff and volunteers are committed to restoring the bond between children and nature!
Camps are for children entering grades 1-5 and include naturalist-led hikes and interactive activities, puppet shows, storytelling, crafts, T-shirt, camp photo, and more.
$90 for half-day sessions; $130 for full-day sessions. Discounts and scholarships are available.
Nature Defenders Camps: June 16-20, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and July 14-18, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Legends and Lairs Camp: August 4-8, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Fox Run Nature Camp
2110 Stella Drive, Colorado Springs, CO
Legends and Lairs Camp: June 23-27, 9:00 a.m. – Noon
Contact: Nancy Bernard 520-6745
NancyBernard@elpasoco.com