Itasca State Park Nature updates for October 3 to 10
OCTOBER 2026
Family Fun! Leaf Art!
Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 2-3 p.m.
Meet at the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center Classroom
Come explore the world of leaves! Make some cool leaf art to take home with you.
Mysteries in History: The Douglas Lodge Area
Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 10-11 a.m.
Gather inside the Douglas Lodge Lobby.
Once proclaimed a “jewel set in mud,” Douglas Lodge is a point of pride in Itasca State Park and is Itasca’s oldest surviving structure. Join us on a walking tour around Douglas Lodge and its surroundings to learn more about this “jewel” and how the park developed the “mud” surrounding it into a hotspot of activity.
Glacier Walk: Looking at Itasca’s Landscape
Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 12:30-1:15 p.m.
Meet outside Forest Inn, across from Douglas Lodge.
Have you been hiking around Itasca State Park and wondered why there are so many hills? Come across any random boulders alongside the trail? Join our walk as we take a look at Itasca’s landscape and find evidence of glaciers that helped to shape Itasca State Park.
Wellness by Water: Sound Bath
Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Meet by the Mississippi Headwaters (at the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center if rain.)
A sound bath is a relaxing listening experience where participants are "bathed" in the sound waves produced by instruments such as singing bowls, gongs, and chimes. Bring a blanket, chair or yoga mat and enjoy the familiar sounds of the Headwaters of the Mississippi along with some new additions. This is a listening activity only with a focus on creating calm and relaxation for session participants.
Maple Syrup in the Fall?
Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 1:30-2 p.m.
Meet at the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center.
Have you ever eaten maple syrup? Ever wondered where that sweet and sticky syrup came from? Curious why we are talking about this spring activity in the fall? Join a naturalist as they talk about the process of collecting and cooking maple syrup. After the talk, we will go on a short walk to see the kind of trees that are used for making maple syrup.
Jr. Naturalist: Animal Tracks
Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 11-11:45 a.m.
Meet at the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center.
Calling all animal track detectives! We have some mystery tracks to solve! Join us on a walk as we talk about animal tracks and learn about the animals that leave them behind.
All About Beavers, Walk
Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 4-4:45 p.m.
Meet outside Forest Inn, across from Douglas Lodge.
Did you know beaver’s teeth never stop growing? That’s why they need to gnaw on wood! Come learn even more fun facts about busy beavers on our walk. As we make our way to Mary Lake, we will talk about beaver adaptations and the history of beavers in Itasca State Park.