Little Bear Nature Walks
With Chrissy Larson
Ages 0-5 (Adult required to attend with child)
10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
See dates and locations below
Fee per child (adults and younger siblings under 16 months are free): Tier A-$15 | Tier B-$13 | Tier C-$11
NEW for 2025, Come along on a Little Bear Nature Walk! Little Bear Nature Walks are a way for toddlers, preschoolers and their caregivers to explore nature in an age-appropriate way. While on the walk, children borrow a backpack filled with simple tools for exploring. Nature educators guide children in small groups and explore plants, animals, rocks, and soil. Walks incorporate observation, inquiry, and sensory learning, but also make space for imagination and play. Each walk has a loose theme and includes a story or a song if time.
Walks are outdoors and take place unless there is extreme weather. Please dress in layers and wear rain gear and boots when appropriate (parents too!) Pre-registration required. Backpacks and supplies are prioritized for registered children ages 16 months – 5 years. Younger children are welcome at no charge.
Children 15 months and younger (not attending as a sibling) are welcome to join a walk for free with pre-approval. Children may need to be carried at times by the attending adult and will get to borrow a backpack if there are extras. Please email chrissy@hitchcockcenter.org for information and availability.
Each walk is limited to 12 children. Limit of 2 children per adult.
Accessibility notes: All walks meet at local conservation areas and public lands, many of which require participants to navigate boardwalks, bridges, puddles, roots, soft-surface trails and uneven terrain. Educators move slowly and keep the pace family-friendly, but in many cases the trails are not suitable for strollers or other mobility devices. For information about a specific conservation area, please click the links below for each location to view maps and location details.
Theme notes: Please note that the themes are intended as flexible guides. These walks are designed to evolve based on the group’s interests, the environment, seasonal context, and weather conditions. While themes are pre-planned, the level of detail may shift depending on the day’s dynamics.
When you sign up, please register the child, not the grown up!
Little Bear Nature Walks: Summer and Fall 2025
| Date | Location | Theme | Meeting spot/Parking information | Join us |
| Tuesday, Aug 26 | Sweet Alice Conservation Area (Pond Loop) | Amphibians | (73 Bay Rd, Amherst) Park in the gravel lot and meet at the blacktop path adjacent to the parking lot. | Register |
| Friday, Aug 29 | Mill River Recreation Area | Mushrooms | (95 Montague Rd, Amherst) Park in the parking lot adjacent to the pool building and meet by the baseball fields. | Register |
| Wednesday, Sep 3 | Puffer’s Pond (Robert Frost Trail to H.H. Jackson Trail) | Slugs & Snails | (171 State St, Amherst) Park along State St past the South end swimming area and meet at the Robert Frost trailhead heading north. (Take note that the road is one way) | Register |
| Saturday, Sep 6 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment | Spiders | (845 West St) Park in the gravel lot by the building and meet in the grassy area out front. | Register |
| Tuesday, Sep 9 | Mt Warner, North Hadley | Acorns | (26 Mt Warner Rd, North Hadley) Park in the gravel lot at the trailhead (look for signs from Mt Warner Rd!) and meet at the kiosk at the corner of the parking area. | Register |
| Wednesday, Sep 17 | Robert Frost Trail (Flat Hills Rd toward Market Hill Rd) | Wildflowers | (Nearest address 492 Flat Hills Rd) Park along either side of the road and meet at the Robert Frost Trailhead on the east side of the street. (We’ll travel west but we’ll cross the road together!) | Register |
| Thursday, Sep 25 | Amethyst Brook Conservation Area | Monarchs | (At intersection of Pelham Rd and Ward St) Park in the gravel lot and meet at the trailhead adjacent to the parking lot. | Register |
| Wednesday, Oct 1 | Wentworth Farm Conservation Area (Old Farm Rd entrance) | Beetles | Park in the small gravel lot or along Old Farm Rd and meet at the kiosk at the trailhead. | Register |
| Monday, Oct 6 | Hickory Ridge Conservation Area | Songbirds | (nearest address 151 W. Pomeroy Lane) Park in the parking lot and meet at the trailhead sign in the back corner. | Register |
| Tuesday, Oct 14 | Mill River Recreation Area | Migrating birds | (95 Montague Rd, Amherst) Park in the parking lot adjacent to the pool building and meet by the baseball fields. | Register |
| Saturday, Oct 18 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment | Fall Colors | (845 West St) Park in the gravel lot by the building and meet in the grassy area out front. | Register |
| Thursday, Oct 23 | Pomeroy Pond – Robert Frost Trail (Old Belchertown Rd) | Berries | (Old Belchertown Rd, next to the Amherst Dog Park) Park along the trailhead side of the road and meet at the trailhead sign. (Please save as many dog park spots for dog owners if possible) | Register |
| Tuesday, Oct 28 | Lawrence Swamp (Rail Trail at Station Rd- Caroline Arnold Trail) | Pillbugs | Park at the Norwottuck Rail Trail parking lot on Station Rd and meet at the grassy area at the end of the parking lot. (We’ll cross the road together as a group.) | Register |
| Wednesday, Nov 5 | Plum Spring Conservation Area (Ken Cuddeback Trailhead at Chapel Rd) | Mushrooms | Park along either side of the street on Chapel Rd (just off Bay Rd) and meet by the Ken Cuddeback Trail sign. | Register |
| Monday, Nov 10 | Katherine Cole Conservation Area | Seeds | (390 Sunderland Rd, Amherst) Park in the gravel lot (just off Hwy 116) and meet at the south end of the lot. | Register |
| Saturday, Nov 15 | Hitchcock Center for the Environment | Crows | (845 West St) Park in the gravel lot by the building and meet in the grassy area out front. | Register |
| Thursday, Nov 20 | Wentworth Farm Conservation Area (Kiwanis Field entrance) | Trees | Park in the small gravel lot adjacent to the ballfield and meet at the trail kiosk at the end of the lot. | Register |
| Tuesday, Nov 25 | Sweet Alice Conservation Area (Pond Loop) | Chickadees | (73 Bay Rd, Amherst) Park in the gravel lot and meet at the blacktop path adjacent to the parking lot. | Register |
| Monday, Dec 1 | Silvio O. Conte Wildlife Refuge (Fort River Trail) | Cones | (63 Moody Bridge Rd, off Bay Rd) Park in the gravel parking lot and meet at the kiosk at the north end of the parking lot. | Register |
| Wednesday, Dec 10 | Larch Hill Conservation Area (Common School driveway entrance) | Ready for Winter | (503 S. Pleasant St, Amherst) Park at the gravel lot part-way up the Common School driveway. Meet at the boardwalk. | Register |
Little Bear Nature Walks is a new program made possible by C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC
Fees
Out of a strong commitment to improve access to our programs we are now offering a sliding scale fee structure aimed to provide greater flexibility in choosing a price that is right for you and your family.
- Tier A: The fee is set higher than what it costs to run the program and helps to support those who cannot afford the full cost of the program.
- Tier B: The fee is set to cover 100% of the program costs.
- Tier C: The fee is set at 15% less than what it costs to run the program.
- Some additional financial aid is available to help make this program accessible. Please complete the form, or contact Barb or Shelly at 413-256-6006 for more information. This option is available for EBT, WIC, and Connector Care participants, that is, households receiving benefits through the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance and the Massachusetts Health Connector.
Cancellation policy
Cancellation policy for Hitchcock’s seasonal programs: You may cancel your registration for any of our programs up to a week prior to the program’s start date to receive a refund minus a 10% administrative fee. If you cancel within 7 days or less of the program’s start date, we cannot offer a refund unless we are able to fill your spot in the program.
COVID-19 Safety
As per the State of Massachusetts guidelines, if you have symptoms of a respiratory virus, such as a fever, sore throat, cough or a runny or stuffy nose, you should stay home. If you have been exposed to someone with a virus we ask that you please wear a mask and wash hands often to protect others.
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