Submissions for the 2027 Nature Up North Community Calendar contest close October 18! Don't wait until the last minute to share your photos. Make an account and submit your photos of nature today!

Each year, we pick our favorite encounter of each month to be featured in our Nature Up North Community Calendar. Submissions close on October 18, so now is the time to submit your photos of nature, be it landscapes, wildlife, or yourself out enjoying it! If your photo is chosen, you also receive a free calendar in the mail!

To submit your photos, first create an account on our website. Wait for us to verify your account, then click "Share an Encounter" on the left side of the screen after logging in and fill out the information. That's it! We look forward to seeing the photos you share!

Fairy house between too trees Ask a Fairy

As the vibrant autumn leaves begin to fall and the air starts to chill, it's time to be on the lookout for fairies in the North Country! Before they migrate south for the winter, Thimble and Blossom have taken up residence on our trails to enjoy fall activities such as foraging for acorns with the squirrels, tucking the bears in for hibernation, and collecting dew from the last blooming wildflowers.

Flint and Steel Just Our Nature

             Fire is the best thing since sliced bread. Where would we be without man's best friend and foe, fire? Fire plays a role in our survival, and we would not be here without it.  We use it in everything from cooking to warming ourselves and much more. But something we have lost connection with is how fire used to be made.

Widow Skimmer Dragonfly Just Our Nature

The sudden en masse appearance of meat-eating, airborne insects with wingspans up to six inches across does not sound like welcome news.

Participants register in the snow Just Our Nature

It's been a while since we've had Christmas in April, but it seems that Jack Frost was having a great year and wasn't ready to let go quite yet. 80 degree temperatures on Saturday gave way to mid 30's for our Sunday race, with a dusting of snow to welcome our 2026 participants to the course! This year's assortment of refreshments included hot cocoa to keep spirits up ahead of a challenging day on the Kip and Saddlemire trails.

Events Up North

October 10, 2026

Take a tour of the autumn constellations with an evening of star gazing. We’ll view the sky using a telescope and the unaided eye.

October 17, 2026

Join INCN Board members for a workday to help clean up the Nature Center from summer storms and get it ready for the winter. Tools will be supplied, or you can bring your own.

October 24, 2026

Celebrate Halloween and learn about creepy critters at the Nicandri Nature Center in Massena!

This event will be held on October 24 from 10am-4pm AND October 25 from 10am-4pm.