Interpretive Program

This is a drop-in interpretive program. Be in the know about where the stars and constellations track throughout the year. Make and learn to read your own star map and take it home with you. Look for the table set up in the picnic area, Lot 3. All programs are free, but a state park […]

Head out with the park naturalists and try your hand at Nature journaling. This is an activity designed for everyone, no matter your skill level. What nature journaling is: What nature journaling is not: Come with an open mind, an adventurous heart and a willingness to connect with nature! Materials provided, or bring your own. […]

We are fortunate that an internationally recognized freshwater estuary is just down the road from Newport State Park! Join park naturalists for an easy 1.6 mile hike on the Shoenbrunn Trail to learn about freshwater systems, the locally-famed Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly, and the importance of preserving wetlands. Meet at the Shoenbrunn Trailhead parking lot off […]

Join the park naturalist and learn all about the Monarch Butterfly's amazing life cycle, including migration. She will also talk about Newport's Monarch monitoring site, and how you can monitor your own milkweed or pollinator garden. Meets in the Nature Center, Lot 1. All programs are free, but a state park admission sticker is required […]

Join Open Door Bird Sanctuary at Newport State Park for an exciting birds-of-prey education program that brings you face-to-face with some of Wisconsin’s most fascinating raptors. Discover the amazing adaptations, behaviors, and conservation stories of these incredible birds through an engaging, family-friendly presentation designed to inspire curiosity and awe. Whether you’re a lifelong bird lover […]

Join arborist Donna Danielson and learn how to identify several common trees of the park as well as learn their life cycles and shared history with humans. This will be about a ½-mile walk.  Donna is retired from The Morton Arboretum where she did insect and disease research, worked in the Plant Clinic, and taught […]

Beautiful, diverse, and ancient, ferns reproduce in a mysterious alteration of life forms. Join Master Naturalist and horticulturist Holly Smith as she delves into fern evolution, life cycle, reproduction, diversity, and identification. This program is geared to adult participants. Meets at the Nature Center (Lot 1), with time at the end to look at some […]

Head out with the park naturalists and try your hand at Nature journaling. This is an activity designed for everyone, no matter your skill level. What nature journaling is: What nature journaling is not: Come with an open mind, an adventurous heart and a willingness to connect with nature! Materials provided, or bring your own. […]

This is a drop-in interpretive program. Get ready to fold and fly! Explore the four different major wing shapes of birds and how they affect their flight by crafting and launching paper airplanes. See flight adaptations in action with a visit to the bird feeders and bird garden outside Newport’s Nature Center and learn about […]

Join the park naturalist on this night hike. We’ll let our eyes adjust to the moonlight and hike the 1.75-mile Monarch Trail, watching and listening for the sights and sounds of the night. If needed, bring a flashlight or head lamp with a red lens. Meet at Lot 1. In case of rain, program will be cancelled. […]