Forest Park Nature Center on the Peoria.com Forums

What is it exactly? I mean I know they have trails, but what is the cost? You can go on our own or only with a tour guide etc?

It's just a series of trails you can hike on your own. They take donations--which you place in a locked box at the entrance to the walking trails.

Thanks froggy! So you don't have to check in at the building or anything? I googled this to death, but nothing clearly comes out and says these things.

We've never checked in.. but I believe there might be a bathroom in that building.

There is a map of the trails outside the front door. The trails are open during daylight hours and if you get a map it will show the distance and difficulty of each trail. There is a restroom, vending machine, gift shop and some neat stuff inside the building to look at. They also have a wide variety of events/ programs so you may want to look inside by the coffee machine for a schedule of events.
Our kids like to go inside and make hot chocolate when it gets cooler out (donations welcome by coffee machine) and look around inside the building. There are a couple snakes, turtles and hands on things for the kids.

Its free. Its owned by the Park District. There are bathrooms and a very nice store. The building hosts educational programs, music events, conservation group meetings, art shows, and book signing. You do not have to check in. They do have guided walks which are also free.

If you become a member by making a donation, you get their Tracks and Trails newsletter which has a schedule of the programs and guided walks.

Today is the recycling drop off at the Nature Center. Between 10 and 2, bring your unwanted computers, TVs, VCRs, DVD players and other electronics.

Today is also the birding tour that leaves from the Nature Center, where Audubon and the park district team up and take a couple van loads of people to various birding spots in the area to see the shorebird migration. They have experts and scopes. Its a great trip that they take twice each year. I couldn't go this year, but I probably will go next spring.

Next weekend the Nature Center hosts a hummingbird festival. Vern Kleen will be banding hummingbirds. You can adopt a bird with a donation, it will be banded, you get to hold it before its released, and if its ever recaptured you get notified of when and where.

The Nature Center hosts old time folk and country jam music the second and fourth Sunday of the month.

Other programs coming up at the Nature Center: River Spirit Flute Circle, Tree ID Walk, I spy Hike, DIY Home energy audit.

Thank you guys! I will definitely check it out. I was looking up some holiday stuff and saw their holiday stroll so it got me looking around