Grafton Lakes State Park will offer three programs over winter break for families. A snowshoe hike on Saturday, February 14, will run from 10 am to 12 pm. Nature Detectives, a program on animal tracking, will be held on February 18 from 10 to 11:30 am. Winter Survival Skills will be on Friday, February 20, from 1 to 2:30 pm.
The snowshoe hike will take families out around Shaver Pond for a 3 k hike, where signs of porcupine, deer and past beaver activity may be seen. The trail is moderate, but, due to its length, it is best for physically active, school age children only. Rentals are included as part of the program fee and are available from the Park Office where the class meets at 10 am. Please call the Park Office to pre-register at 279-1155 because rentals are limited. The cost is $2 per child or $5 per family.
The Nature Detectives program is appropriate for kids ages 4-10. Children will make their own plaster cast of an animal track, learn the basics of tracking and explore on a short hike the trails left by some of the Park’s wild inhabitants. We’ll look closely for signs of local animals, and we guarantee the group will find many. The program will meet at the Park Office, and the cost is $2 per child or $5 per family. Snowshoe rentals are included in the cost of the program. Warm layers are highly recommended. Please pre-register for this Wednesday program by Tuesday, February 17.
The Winter Survival program is appropriate for older children, approximately 8-15, as it will offer ideas on how to keep safe in an outdoor survival situation. We’ll talk about how wild animals survive wintry conditions, enjoy a warm fire outside and have the chance to practice some survival skills. Waterproof and warm layers are highly recommended for this program, held Friday, February 20, from 1 to 2:30 pm at Shaver Nature Center, 194 Shaver Pond Road in Grafton. Please pre-register for by Thursday, February 19.
Snowshoe rentals are available from the Park Office all winter. Call ahead for availability. Please be advised that the Winter Entrance only, on North Long Pond Road, is in use at this time and that the Main Park Entrance is closed until Spring. For more information or to pre-register for the above programs, please call the Park at 518-279-1155.