Bypass High Gas Costs By Planning a Local Adventure This Summer!

Rising gas prices cutting into your summer vacation budget? Why not save the money and fumes by experiencing a local adventure? The Wesselman Nature Society offers a long list of activities for you and your family this summer. From a paddling excursion down Pigeon Creek to a guided hike through the flourishing Howell Wetlands, there are ample opportunities this summer to experience our local woodlands, wetlands, and waterways.

Below is a list of a few programs that are offered this summer. Click here to view the entire calendar of events and event descriptions.


Wildlife in the City (Every Saturday at 9 a.m. and Sunday at
2 p.m.) on Pigeon Creek. This safe-passage canoe trip takes you along the Pigeon Creek Greenway passage and into the heart of the city of Evansville. Learn about the geology, ecology, and the environmental implications of city water trails. Relax on this trip, and find out how the Pigeon Creek corridor is an oasis of wildlife hidden to the public eye. Guided trips are offered every Saturday at 9 a.m. and every Sunday at 2 p.m. throughout the season for ages 7 and up. Trips leave from Wesselman Woods Nature Center and last an average of 3 hours. Pre-registration required ($15 per person). Call 479-0771 ext. 105 for more information.


Wetland Wildflower Hikes (8:30 to 9:30 a.m.) at Howell Wetlands. Experience the sights and smells of wildflowers at Howell Wetlands on this guided tour. See a magnificent array of wildflowers, prairie grasses, and wildlife in the wetland, woodland and prairie…a quality show you can’t find anywhere else in the Evansville area. Ever seen a downy sunflower? A cardinal flower? Indian grass? Now is your chance. Join us! Led by Southwest Indiana Master Gardner Debbie Goedde. These hikes are offered on the following Saturdays: June 14, July 19, & August 30. Free; donations accepted. Call 499-2952 for more information.


Moonlight Paddles (6:30 p.m.)Spend the evening on a guided canoe trip under the full moon at the serene Bluegrass Fish and Wildlife Area just north of Evansville or amidst the cypress forest at Hovey Lake. Trips leave from Wesselman Woods Nature Center and last an average of 3 hours. Pre-registration required ($15 per person). Call 479-0771 ext. 105 for more information.

2008 Moonlight Paddle Schedule

June 14, 6:30 p.m. at Hovey Lake
July 18, 7 p.m. at Bluegrass Fish and Wildlife Area
July 19, 7 p.m. at Hovey Lake
Aug 15, 7 p.m. at Bluegrass Fish and Wildlife Area
August 16, 7 p.m. Hovey Lake


Butterfly Bedazzled Hike (9:00 a.m. to 10 a.m.) at Howell Wetlands. Experience the sights and sensations of butterflies that call Howell Wetlands home. Where do butterflies go for the winter? How long do they live? What is the difference between a monarch and a viceroy? To find answers to these and other questions, join us! Led by Southwest Indiana Master Gardener Debbie Goedde, Free; donations accepted. Call 499-2952 for more information. These hikes are offered on the following dates: June 28, July 2, July 26, August 6, & August 23. Free; donations accepted. Call 499-2952 for more information.

About Wesselman Nature Society

The Wesselman Nature Society is the 501c(3) not-for-profit organization responsible for the preservation, management, and daily operations of Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve, Howell Wetlands, and Canoe Evansville. Your membership and donations help us continue to offer wonderful nature programs. Not a member? Become one today!

Reptile Invasion! Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve, June 14—15,
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Summer Nature Camps
Spaces still available!!
(see below)

All-Day Nature Camps
June 23—27, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(Ages 8—12) - $125/wk
*Extended care available before/after camp for additional fee.

Half-Day Junior Naturalist Camps
July 14—18, (Kdg./1st gr.*)
9 a.m. to Noon
July 28—Aug. 1, (2nd gr.—5th gr.*)
9 a.m. to Noon
*Grade child will be entering in the fall

Middle School Mini Camp
(3day camp)
July 22—24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
(6th/7th/8th gr.*) - $80
*Grade child will be entering
in the fall.

Download the full Camp Brochure (PDF format) by clicking here. For more information, call 479-0771, ext. 103 or email WNS Teaching Naturalist Lisa Hoffman.

To learn more about
these and other upcoming events, please visit our
Events Calendar.